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Brown wants all cars electric by 2020
Speaking at the G8 summit in Japan yesterday, Gordon Brown has suggested that punitive taxation will help ensure that by 2020 all new cars sold in Britain will be electric, or hybrid vehicles producing less than 100 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre.
Gordon Brown said: “I think a combination of car licence [vehicle excise duty] and petrol costs could – if we could develop the new technology – be to the benefit of car drivers. I see there being incentives to people to adopt hybrid cars. Cars that the ordinary family…can think of buying.”
For most drivers, electric and hybrid cars are currently an expensive and impractical alternative to petrol and diesel models.
A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association said: “Many government ministers already have the use of a Toyota Prius hybrid car, but at over £18,000 this type of car is out of reach for most people – high motoring taxes alone cannot cajole every British driver into an electric car if the market is not ready.”
Could the national grid cope?
If all drivers today switched from conventionally-powered vehicles to electric cars, there is doubt over whether the national grid would be able to cope. The question of where additional capacity would come from was not addressed by Mr Brown.
The Environmental Transport Association believes that an across-the-board tax on carbon would rapidly foster the conditions in which electric car technology would develop as more sustainable and better value alternative to conventionally-powered vehicles. At present, electric cars do not have the range to make them practical for long journeys.
“Eco-driving techniques”
The Government also announced that it would soon begin educating motorists on “eco-driving techniques” – those passing their driving test will soon be tested on whether they can drive in an environmentally-friendly way.
A forthcoming “fuel-efficiency tyre programme” will involve new standards for tyres in a further attempt to improve fuel efficiency. Under-inflated tyres can increase fuel consumption of cars by up to three per cent.
| Electric cars: What’s good | what’s not so good |
|---|---|
| In environmental terms, probably the best car option around especially if the electricity it uses comes from renewable sources | Generally low top speed (although electric cars can have surprisingly quick acceleration, so they can keep up with city traffic without any difficulty) |
| Zero emissions from the car itself makes it a saint in the city | Limited range and lengthy recharging times means they are not suitable for long journeys |
| Extremely quiet | The batteries cause pollution problems when the time comes to dispose of them |
| Exempt from the London Congestion Charge, no road tax and only pennies per mile to run | Expensive to buy |
Related articles:
DIY hydrogen for your car
Electric cars – tell me more
Green driving tips
New car tax: How much will you pay in 2009?
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