Switching to an Electric Car Could Increase Your Carbon Footprint
A major new report carried out by the European Federation for Transport & Environment (T&E) has dispelled the myth that a wholesale switch to electric powered cars would automatically reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
The report, entitled ‘How to avoid an electric shock: Electric cars from hype to reality’, states that whilst there are potentially significant environmental benefits to be had from switching to electric cars, this is completely dependant on changes being made to the way in which electricity is generated, energy taxed and CO² emissions regulated.
EU targets agreed in December 2008 included ’supercredits’, which allowed car makers to sell up to 3.5 gas-guzzling SUV’s for every electric vehicle that they sell and still reach their official EU target. Under the EU targets electric cars are also counted as ‘zero emissions’, despite the fact that the electricity used to charge them could come from high-carbon fossil fuels such as coal.
The combined effects of these loopholes could be that carmakes who choose to market electric cars in order to meet EU requirements would have to do less to reduce the emissions of conventional vehicles. This would result in higher CO² emissions and oil use.
Andrew Davis, a director at the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said “Whilst the report is not intended to dampen enthusiasm for electric vehicles, their introduction should not be viewed as a panacea; significant changes to the way we produce and tax power are needed before we will reap benefits.”
The report also examines the implications of electric cars for the power sector. It argues that the EU needs to think hard about how it will ensure that the extra demand for electricity is met through renewable electricity and not more dirty coal. It notes that every car will need to be fitted with ‘smart meter’ technology to measure how much electricity is being consumed, and where that electricity came from.
This lack of stringent CO2 standards removes the main incentive for the automobile industry to invest in electrification. Electric cars must be rewarded for their energy efficiency, not for moving emissions from exhaust pipes to power station chimneys.
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