What change do you want to make now to address the climate change crisis? Significantly more government support and subsidy to allow individuals and companies to make the switch to electric vehicles. What do you need to make this change? More money provided by government to individuals and companies, greater investment in charging infrastructure, easier and better parking for electric vehicles
Electric vehicles are so expensive and yet EDC wishes to ban all old cars. Current prices for new electric vehicles make them unpurchasable for many. Effectivley, this means banning lower income earners/pensioners from accessing the city centre. There are no plans for sufficient street hook up electric charging points to be a long term viable future for such vehicles. Need to change to H2 fuel cell - which also requires new infrastructure.
I like this idea because it is a concrete initiative and builds on existing actions. However, we can also ensure that planning laws and regulations require charging points (both public and private) in areas such as offices etc. Studies suggest that people will charge EVs at their home and office. So we need to take this into account when looking at where to place charging infrastructure.
Cars are a necessity for many, by making them electric you can make their carbon footprint basically nil with renewable energy. Currently the electric car market is sports car/suv(Tesla) or hatchback(Nissan Leaf), I'd love to see some Scottish subsidised start ups making a diverse range of electric cars to give Scotland a new industry increasing jobs, tax revenue and exports. It would give consumers more choice and cheaper alternatives to petrol and diesel cars that were made in Scotland.
EVs are coming anyway, with or without subsidy. They still create particulate matter a carcinogenic pollutant from tyres and brakes of which there is no safe level. They still create emissions especially in their production, cause gridlock, accidents, take a disproportionate share of street space, encourage sedentary behaviour and a distraction from the real problem which is too many cars. They encourage politicians to talk green but not solve the problem.
Need a modal shift away from cars. We need less cars not electric cars
I find it quite self-defeating that electric cars are seen as a solution to anything. Not only would you need to build hosts of new cars, you would need to build the behemoth infrastructure to go along with this. Focusing on hybrids in the short-term, increase research on hydrogen for medium-long term sounds to me more appropriate. I wonder if there is even scope to retrofit existing car chassis with less polluting engines, rather than relying on new cars?
Car tyre dust is the largest contributer to microplastics in the world's oceans. Electric cars are by no means the best alternative. They will not solve the problems we have with congestion and the health problems associated with an inactive nation. Particularly for our cities and large towns, we need a balanced investment in public transport, walking and cycling infrastructure to move large numbers of people more efficiently.
It is not practicable. If everyone had one, where would people who live in flats charge them? If there was a traffic jam as a result of weather conditions or and accident, would all the cars run out of charge? How would the road be cleared?
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