My Go-To Argument for Electric Vehicles

Debating the merits of electric vehicles can be a tricky proposition, it can easily get heated or overly technical depending on who you are speaking with. Political beliefs and general miss-education on the subject can all get in the way and it is tough to bring out a universal argument for why electric (or at least zero-emission vehicles if you are a proponent of hydrogen) vehicles are the best option for our future and our planet.

I have found that the best universal argument comes from Arnold Schwarzenegger, here is the quote from him:

"There are two doors. Behind Door Number One is a completely sealed room, with a regular, gasoline-fueled car. Behind Door Number Two is an identical, completely sealed room, with an electric car. Both engines are running full blast.

I want you to pick a door to open, and enter the room and shut the door behind you. You have to stay in the room you choose for one hour. You cannot turn off the engine. You do not get a gas mask.
I’m guessing you chose the Door Number Two, with the electric car, right? Door number one is a fatal choice – who would ever want to breathe those fumes?

This is the choice the world is making right now."

Now some may still make the "long tailpipe" argument ignoring the greater efficiency of even the diriest coal electric plant over a regular internal combustion engine, for those I add my own extra line to the argument.

"There are two doors. Behind Door Number One is a completely sealed room, with a regular, gasoline-fueled car. Behind Door Number Two is an identical, completely sealed room, with an electric car, outside that room is a lit charcoal BBQ. Both engines are running full blast."

Adding those 8 words addresses the long tailpipe rebuttal as most electricity plants are not located in the downtown core and are rather located outside the city core and do not contribute to smog pollution to the degree that automobiles do.

From there you can launch into efficiency and renewable/clean energy mix in your respective area, but I think that small addition clears things up quite nicely.