[JRP3]

I'm looking for a recent, comprehensive, dirt to wheels comparison of EV's, (including inputs used to get the fuel to generate the electricity and resources and energy used to build the batteries and power train), and ICE's, (also including inputs used to drill for oil and resources and energy used to build motors, transmissions and exhaust systems). This is assuming the current US grid mix of about 48% coal. I'm not aware if such a study exists and it would seem daunting to take into account all the many possible variables. The anti-EV lobby is "drilling down" even further, as they should, trying to suggest that the entire EV chain is less efficient than the ICE chain when battery pack construction inputs and fuel source extraction inputs are included. This is of course ignoring the fact that increased renewables in the future would skew things further in favor of EV's.

 

[JRP3]

EVDL member came up with this on the resource inputs for EV's vs ICE. Nice summation from what I can tell.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-08/sflf-te083010.php

Researchers at Empa's "Technology and Society Laboratory" decided to find out for sure. They calculated the ecological footprints of electric cars fitted with Li-ion batteries, taking into account all possible relevant factors, from those associated with the production of individual parts all the way through to the scrapping of the vehicle and the disposal of the remains, including the operation of the vehicle during its lifetime. Data with which to evaluate the rechargeable batteries was not available and had to be obtained specifically for this purpose. In doing so the researchers made intentionally unfavorable assumptions. One such was to ignore the fact that after use in a car, a battery might well be used in a stationary setting for other purposes.....The study shows that the electric car's Li-ion battery drive is in fact only a moderate environmental burden. At most only 15 per cent of the total burden can be ascribed to the battery (including its manufacture, maintenance and disposal). Half of this figure, that is about 7.5 per cent of the total environmental burden, occurs during the refining and manufacture of the battery's raw materials, copper and aluminium. The production of the lithium, in the other hand, is responsible for only 2.3 per cent of the total. "Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries are not as bad as previously assumed," according to Dominic Notter, coauthor of the study which has just been published in the scientific journal "Environmental Science & Technology".

 

[david85]

I always figured lithium batteries were fairly benign compared to older batteries that contained lead or cadmium. 1st gen lithium cells contain cobalt but LiFePO4 eliminated this AFAIK.

Its an interesting study, but I doubt you will convince many that don't want to be.