Environmental think tank Transport & Environment (T&E) has said that a push for greater adoption of electric vehicles is vital for public health.
Vehicle pollution worsens effect of virus
Citing research that shows local air pollution can worsen the effects of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses, T&E says that recent claims from some quarters that 'now is not the time to go all-in on electric vehicles' (or words to that effect) are wrong, and that EVs are more important now than they've ever been.
T&E's figures point to the fact that electric and electrified vehicle sales were spiking just before the shut-downs across Europe started to bite. In March, cars with plugs (that includes plug-in hybrids as well as battery-electric cars) accounted for ten per cent of registrations. For the first quarter as a whole, the figure was seven per cent.
The chance to build up clean mobility
Now, T&E is calling on the EU and European governments to start promoting the sales of electric cars only, and not merely those that conform to the latest Euro 6d Temp emissions regulations. Julia Poliscanova, clean vehicles and emobility director at T&E, said: "The crisis struck at the health of our citizens and at our economies. But the recovery offers the chance to build the clean mobility of tomorrow, not go back to polluting combustion engines again, by supporting the sales and production of EVs, batteries and charging infrastructure."
According to T&E, EU-based car makers are looking for incentives to apply to all new cars that meet the latest emissions regulations, to tempt buyers back into showrooms once the national economies start to re-open. That, though, would potentially: "would include SUV models with CO2 emissions as high as 140-160g/km (WLTP), or way above the targets that carmakers have to hit to avoid fines. Any public support for these cars would risk forcing the market back towards polluting diesels and petrols just as Europe catches up with Chinese carmakers and Tesla in the e-mobility race" according to T&E.
Incentives should only promote zero-emissions vehicles
T&E also says that any public support given directly to carmakers must be on condition that they cease development of new combustion engines and invest in electric car production and battery supply chains. Public stimulus should also target charging infrastructure and battery manufacturing in Europe to create jobs fast.
Julia Poliscanova added: "Thanks to the EU CO2 targets for new cars that kicked in 2020, EV sales picked up before the pandemic. Now that dealerships are reopening and carmakers are requesting a blank cheque, EU governments should support the sector in directing demand towards the clean, zero-emission models that carmakers are already making. This is sound economic policy, good for jobs, for the climate and for the clean air we all deserve to breathe."
According to T&E's figures, cars in the EU emit 45 per cent of transport CO2 emissions and their impact is still growing. To realise the ambition of the EU Green Deal, Europe will need at least 40 per cent of new cars to be zero-emissions in 2030, and will need to sell the last combustion engine car by 2035 at the very latest.