future pollution from EVs?

[hamsterpower]

First off let me say for the record " I am for wide spread use of EVs" I plan to build one for myself soon.

Here's my What if question. What if there was a shift to millions of electric cars in one city? Sound good right? Well I've been around my share of electric motors and they seem to emit a specific odor. I've heard this is Ozone from the sparking and EM field.

Wikipedia says:
Ozone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
~
Air pollution
There is a great deal of evidence to show that high concentrations of ozone, created by high concentrations of pollution and daylight UV rays at the Earth's surface, can harm lung function and irritate the respiratory system
~
Incidental production
Ozone may be formed from O2 by electrical discharges and by action of high energy electromagnetic radiation. Certain electrical equipment generate significant levels of ozone. This is especially true of devices using high voltages, such as(....) electric motors using brushes can generate ozone from repeated sparking inside the unit. Large motors that use brushes, such as those used by elevators or hydraulic pumps, will generate more ozone than smaller motors.....

Ignoring the off site power production issues. Would this hypothetical "Utopian" city still fill with smog?

[dcb]

Originally Posted by hamsterpower

...I've heard this is Ozone from the sparking and EM field...

If it is a problem, it is only for brushed motors. Even then just adding a capacitor might fix most of it. The newer production vehicles are mostly going with AC these days though.

It would be nice if someone could quantify the issue though. Hamster, I nominate you to google the hell out of it Need to know:

1. how much ozone is created by a brushed motor for a given power usage (lets say per kwh).

2. how much ozone is a problem for a city (not just LA).

3. how many cars will have brushed motors.

I think answering those questions are prerequisites to answering your original question.

[MazdaMatt]

Hm... growing up, I learned all about how pollution was depleating the earth's ozone and that would be the cause of our extinction...

[MazdaMatt]

chemical toxicity sheet:
Ozone - toxicity, ecological toxicity and regulatory information

Doesn't look like much... I think you'd have a hard time killing yourself by revving your AC motor in your garage, but a million cars running for 10 years isn't really covered in this info.

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by MazdaMatt

Hm... growing up, I learned all about how pollution was depleating the earth's ozone and that would be the cause of our extinction...

Ozone way up in the ozonosphere i good. Ozone down at lung level is bad.

I'll add to dcb's list:

4. how much ozone is created by today's pollution.