Quote:
Originally Posted by sixto
I'm convinced keeping a car of any age on the road has less of an environmental impact than making a new car.
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I wish this were true, but unfortunately it isn't. The energy (or CO2) emissions required to build an IC engine vehicle is very small compared to the energy consumed (and CO2 emitted) during the lifespan of a typical car. So, assuming the new car has better mpg numbers, buying a new car results in fewer overall CO2 emissions. Obviously if the new car has worse fuel economy numbers, than keeping an older car on the road will result in fewer CO2 emissions.
Regarding other pollutants, the story is even more clear (NOx, PM, HC, etc.). Newer cars pollute so much less than older cars, and emissions of these pollutants is relatively small during the manufacturing process. So if you are worried about these "criteria" pollutants, buying a new car is a better decision for the environment.