‘Thirsty’ electric cars threaten water resources

They may not be gas-guzzlers, but electric cars have a raging thirst for water.

A comparison of the volume of coolant water used in the thermoelectric power plants that provide most of our electricity and that used in extracting and refining petroleum suggests that electric vehicles require significantly more water per mile than those powered by gasoline.

The findings could bode ill for drought stricken areas in the event of a large scale switch to plug-in vehicles.

New Scientist