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Agency refutes claims in report on electric vehides
Page 14
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By Ian Tonk n
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT agency One North East has hit back at the findings of a controversial report that says the switch to electric vehicles could accelerate climate change.
The report, conducted by European lobby group Transport & Environment on behalf of the Environmental Transport Association (ETA), says the potential environmental benefits of electric vehicles are -wholly dependent on changes in the way electricity is generated, energy taxed and CO, emissions regulated':
However, a spokesman for One North East, which is working with Newcastle and Gateshead councils to install a charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, says: "A report by [consultancy] Arup and [Government delivery agency] Cenex last year concluded that electric vehicles have the potential to produce significant reductions in carbon emissions, compared to conventional vehicles. Based on the current UK electricity grid, the Cenex report found that switching to an electric vehicle would result in an emissions reduction of 40%."
The ETA report states that mass market adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) across the commercial and passenger sector will increase demand for electricity, which in turn requires more coal to be burnt and produces more CO, emissions.
Andrew Davis. director at the ETA, says: "While 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 reap any benefits."
The report also suggests that price and performance improvements are only realistically possible in the medium term and that there is little evidence to suggest that EVs will compete head-on with conventional vehicles in the next 20 years.
In September, UPS agreed to run the transport and logistics operations for the London 2012 Olympics, saying it would use "electric zero-emission vehicles" as part of its fleet. UPS was unavailable for comment.