Hybrid, Electric Cars Guzzle Water

A new study slated for release in June says hybrid and electric vehicles will increase water consumption compared to normal gasoline cars. For every mile driven on electric power, three times as much water is consumed as would be consumed driving on gasoline: .32 versus .07-.14 gallons per mile.

Wait a second — not only do we have to worry about emissions and foreign oil, now we have to worry about our nation’s water tables? Yep. Water is used in petroleum-refining and electricity generation.

The study’s authors don’t say this is necessarily a bad thing, but in areas already facing scarce water supplies, they’ll need to consider the impact of moving to a “plugged-in automotive economy.”

Thirsty Hybrid And Electric Cars Could Triple Demands On Scarce Water Resources (Science Daily)