Putin said he could see himself buying a Tesla — but he thinks natural gas power is cleaner
(Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin could see himself buying a Tesla, even though he doesn't think electric cars are the right solution for saving the planet, Bloomberg News reports.
The comments came at an energy forum in Moscow, according to Bloomberg's John Fraher and Elena Mazneva.
When asked whether he would be willing to buy a Tesla, Putin said "why not?"
He added that he likes fast and efficient electric cars, but said vehicles that run on natural gas are more environmentally friendly because of the fossil fuels required to power the electric grid.
Electric vehicles are, in fact, more environmentally friendly than combustion engines. Battery-powered cars cut overall emissions more than traditional combustion or hybrid engines, experts from UC Davis wrote in a 2017 report titled 'Three Revolutions in Urban Transportation.'
But it will be important to decarbonize the grid going forward in order for electrification to have the maximum benefit, the report added.
Natural gas currently powers 34% of the US' electricity, followed by coal and nuclear power, according to the Washington Post.
Read the full Bloomberg story here.
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