This video from Hot Mess discusses what kinds of cars have the lowest impact on climate change.
In their assessment, they include total emissions, not just on-road emissions, and discuss the pros and cons of electric and hybrid cars.
Teaching Tips
Positives
This video uses graphs and examples to clarify the points they are making.
The video asks questions and then answers them clearly and concisely.
Additional Prerequisites
There may be an ad before the video, and there is a sponsored message at the end.
Students should be comfortable reading graphs, using fractions, and interpreting percentages.
Students should be familiar with traditional, hybrid, and electric cars.
Differentiation
A possible activity would be to have students rank modes of transportation by their impact on climate change and then have the students pick the type of transportation they would use and explain why.
A science class could use this video when learning about batteries or combustion reactions.
The video evaluates the contribution of CO2 emissions and energy consumption from fossil fuel-powered cars, electric vehicles, and hybrid vehicles. It also spotlights their entire life cycle and emissions from the value chain. Although EVs consume more energy from the production phase, they are eco-friendly in terms of usage over the life of the vehicle. This resource is insightful and recommended for teaching.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
HS-ESS3-4 Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.
ETS1: Engineering Design
MS-ETS1-2 Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
HS-ETS1-1 Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
Speaking & Listening (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.2 Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under study.
