[Aditya]

Want to reduce your carbon footprint? Use your existing car for longer

Global warming is a big problem in the world today. One of the ways to reduce this problem is to reduce one's carbon footprint. A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane) that are generated by our actions. Along with many other factors, using cars contributes to your carbon footprint.


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In general, old cars produce more CO2 emissions and also consume more fuel than newer ones, making them bigger contributors to global warming. However, there's more to it than meets the eye. Holding on to an old but fuel-efficient vehicle for a longer period is actually kinder to the environment than replacing your cars rapidly. This is because an increase in the demand for new cars has a direct effect on manufacturing emissions. This is true not just in the case of cars with internal combustion engines, but even cars with cleaner sources of energy such as electricity and hydrogen.

A case study was conducted in Japan of newly registered and used cars between 1990 and 2016. The study revealed that if owners drive their cars ten percent longer before replacing them, the cumulative carbon footprint would have been reduced by one percent during the period. This is because the decrease in manufacturing emissions more than offsets additional emissions produced by existing cars. Also by keeping more cars in the hands of their first owners longer, the number of used cars on the road decreases, which also reduces emissions.

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While some people do hold on to their cars for a long period, most look to replace them a lot earlier than their actual life. While emissions from burning fuel when driving contribute a major portion to the total greenhouse gas emissions, the manufacturing process itself is not far behind. Manufacturing a new car means you need to set up factories to build cars and ships & trucks to transport manufactured cars. Body panels, components, nuts, bolts, etc. require ores to be dug out of the ground and the metals extracted and then comes the process of converting these into parts. Rubber, plastics, paint and a lot more are required as well. All these components are then transported to the car-building factory where the manufacturing happens.



In the case of EVs, it is still cheaper and easier for manufacturers to buy freshly mined metals than to use recycled materials. Recycling EV batteries is an expensive and complicated process.


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A lot of energy is used in every process mentioned above, which in turn adds to the size of your carbon footprint.

Also remember, car companies need offices that require buildings, air-conditioners, computers, furniture, stationery, telephones, lights, elevators and a lot more. All of these take up power and add to greenhouse emissions. The overall car-building process needs to be optimised appropriately in order to get a new car to make sense if one is seriously looking to maximize carbon reductions.

Apart from using your old car longer, there are other ways of reducing your carbon footprint.

1. Walking / cycling: Instead of driving, walk or cycle to the destination if it is nearby. No fuel or electricity is used up.

2. Clubbing trips / outdoor tasks: Once you take your car out, be sure to complete all or most of your outdoor tasks. This way you won't need to take out your car multiple times and in the process, use less fuel.

3. More people per car: Try to use your car only when you are taking other members of your family or friends with you.

4. Smooth and fuel-efficient driving practices.

5. Carpool: In many cities, offices are concentrated in certain areas eg, BKC, SEEPZ, etc. in Mumbai. You will almost certainly find someone who works close to your office living in your locality.

6. Share cab: Many cities, towns and even villages have this system. No need to take a separate cab or autorickshaw. You can share it with others going to the same destination. You will also save money. UberX Share service is also available.

7. Public transport: Use buses and trains (also boats in Kerala) wherever feasible. With Metro lines coming up in most big cities, public transport is improving by leaps and bounds. Last-mile connectivity is also being addressed with the help of e-cycles.



8. 2-wheeler instead of 4-wheelers: If feasible, use a motorcycle or scooter to get around instead of a car. It consumes less fuel and takes up a lot less space on the road.

9. Drive a smaller and more fuel-efficient car: Finally, if you have to drive, be sure the car is small and fuel-efficient. It takes up lesser space and consumes less fuel. Regularly service your car to keep it efficient.

Here's a look at how much space cars take up on the road:

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[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line.

[NH08]

I hope that Judges of Supreme Court/National Green Tribunal, officials of CAQM and policy makers also read some of these studies and have a rethink about the policies/decisions affecting the life of vehicles in the name of environment. Not only the policies and decisions but also the fact that these were made applicable to the existing cars rather than applying to new purchases.

I am unable to understand one thing - if my petrol car, after completing 15 years, complies with all pollution related norms and also fitness related norms, then why it still needs to be de-registered compulsorily? And not only de-registered, but now to be seized (if parked on a public space) and brutally murdered (they call it 'scrapping')?

[GTO]

Good post. Anyone thinking that selling their 5-year old car for an EV is going to save the environment is just kidding himself. Manufacturing an entire car uses up a whole lot of resources & has a tremendous environmental impact.

Plus, your running has got to be really high to justify the impact. Each of my cars runs just 5000 km / car. Keeping them for a little longer is actually better for the environment than buying a new car (whether more fuel-efficient or electric or hybrid).

Very happy to see that in general, BHPians retain their cars till the 9 - 10 year mark (related poll (Your car's age: How long do you plan to hold onto your current car?)). 3 of the 5 cars I own are 10-years old, or older.

[Eddy]

Someone please tag Delhi NGT on this thread!!!

[ninjatalli]

Good post.

Mr. Bean also had the same view, especially with regard to the heavy push for EVs worldwide (reference thread).

Also with a new car, there is this subconscious push to use it more just because you spent tens of lakhs buying it; while discouraging using eco-friendly alternatives (eg. public transport). The same generally doesn't hold true for existing old cars.

Originally Posted by GTO

Very happy to see that in general, BHPians retain their cars till the 9 - 10 year mark (related poll (Your car's age: How long do you plan to hold onto your current car?)). 3 of the 5 cars I own are 10-years old, or older.

Good point. I think we on this forum have been looking at 8-10 years as the benchmark for a long ownership of cars. I remember @Jeroen mentioning in one of his informative posts that today's cars are able to munch up a lot more miles than a few decades ago. The situation on-ground is pretty clear with several bhpians retaining their cars upto to 15 years (and some even longer); hopefully this trend becomes even more stronger going forward and 12-15 years becomes the new benchmark for long-term ownership.

[shankar.balan]

Well done. Great thread. Am a definite advocate of this now that I have grown a lot older and a little wiser in the last dozen or so years.
Je suis Ecolo. Je garde ma vieille auto.

[sharathkamath04]

Use your car for its lifetime (which I guess as per govt rules not more than 15yrs) and then buy an EV when you have to update.

Also, in India, we do not really scrap old cars, the seconds market is very active. So even if you are buying an EV and selling an ICE car, you may still be doing good.

[fhdowntheline]

Its a good thought, but unfortunately at the end of the day, cars are consumer goods. There will be a churn in terms of usage, because of bigger, faster, taller (these days). Add to the fact in the Indian context that one strata of society is constantly upgrading their lives to move to the next. Those who walked or took buses to work, now drive 2 wheelers (read- gig workers, unskilled-semi skilled). The more illustrious among them may need to buy a car (a used car at least) to travel to their native place (my domestic helper for instance has a Swift). A lot of people in the class B/ outskirts of metros are picking up used cars or new hatchbacks. For them to be convinced about the need for improving carbon footprint is almost "Marie Antoinette-esque " for the lack of better expression.

As an aside, why are we picking up on cars ? How about appliances. Our appliance thread is full of anecdotes of how we have maintained our fridges and washing machines for more than a decade. My fridge and washing machine are both 14+ years, and a little long in the tooth, but they work. But they could give up any time, and they wont be worth repairing. But I am also concerned about the so-called built-in/planned obsolescence that seems to be creeping into the product design/manufacturing these days. That also needs to be addressed.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by fhdowntheline

my domestic helper for instance has a Swift). ?

How about appliances. Our appliance thread is full of anecdotes of how we have maintained our fridges and washing machines for more than a decade.

am also concerned about the so-called built-in/planned obsolescence that seems to be creeping into the product design/manufacturing these days. That also needs to be addressed.

1. Your domestic helper is seriously posh I must say.
2. 100% with you on the concept of using applicances for a long time.
3. Planned Obsolescence is definitely built in to all products these days. Else the whirlwind or tornado of the perpetual consumption cycle will simply not happen and that will put a lot of companies and people out of work.

[fhdowntheline]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

1. Your domestic helper is seriously posh I must say.
2. 100% with you on the concept of using applicances for a long time.
3. Planned Obsolescence is definitely built in to all products these days. Else the whirlwind or tornado of the perpetual consumption cycle will simply not happen and that will put a lot of companies and people out of work.

So to be specific, they use the Swift to carry stuff back and forth from Pune to their village some 200km away. If you can get a used car for 2-3 lac, it is not out of bounds for that category of people these days.

[WorkingGuru]

But the cool kids in the lane have moved to EVs. They frown upon those who don't shift over!

Marketing hype of EVs has actually made people socially resent those who don't shift over to an EV. Those who do are rewarded social acclaim, Govt Subsidy along with relief from even paying road tax, asif they're the devine incarnation of Captain Planet.



Govts & the corporates push this agenda thru influencers, Govt incentives & mindless rules like how the NGT has framed for Delhi.

Cars were always meant to be used for multiple decades. They were even built that way. Some guy who wanted to sell some device to Maruti, but couldn't, influenced Govt to issue only 15 years fitness for new cars. Car companies & huge automotive groups like Nissan influenced that cars were meant to be used as consumer goods & discarded after short use. Companies like Toyota (even Honda to a great extent) treated cars like commodities - and built them in a way that they'd last many decades. Eventually even they realised it's better to concentrate on the bottom line (profits). This conditioned un-informed people to think cars aren't meant to last more than 10-15 years, although it is far from reality, and they accept rubbish 10 year rule from kangaroo courts without mass protests - what helped is the fact that they're too well employed to have time to protest against these rules.

Glad we're saying it now. We need to keep this thread alive & debunk any non-objective lies peddled by influencers, mainstream media & the Govt by calling them out with clear, objective & factual reasoning.

[gnome]

Electric vehicles do not provide a comprehensive solution to lowering carbon emissions. While they offer a marginal improvement over conventional fuel-powered cars, they can inadvertently foster a misleading perception, leading people to purchase additional vehicles or drive longer distances. Much like the misleading impact of "recyclable" plastic, which resulted in a surge in plastic usage despite minimal recycling rates.
Promoting pooling, public transport, cycling, etc are still the best way to reduce carbon footprint. Public policy needs to promote infrastructure to support this.

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by WorkingGuru

But the cool kids in the lane have moved to EVs. They frown upon those who don't shift over!....Marketing hype of EVs has actually made people socially resent those who don't shift over to an EV. Those who do are rewarded social acclaim, Govt Subsidy along with relief from even paying road tax, asif they're the devine incarnation of Captain Planet.

Aah. The angels at Davos have decided to decide for the rest of the hapless directionless population. So sweet.

I am not going to talk about the Escalade/Range Rover/S class/ chopper/ private jet/ yacht thingy. But these are people who are waited upon and have their basic needs taken care of by the government, organisations or corporates. All they can think of is how to make living in the earth sustainable with the evergrowing population while still maintaining their lifestyle. Guess they are already readying for a future where the masses can be accommodated in urbanist surveillance utopias like KSA's NEOM The Line.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Between NGT enforced age caps, random bans on diesels in winters, mandatory ethanol blending in petrol, upcoming ethanol blending in diesels and the time tested practice of our authorities to target private car buyers for anything and everything, keeping your car for long is no longer practical.