Choices 10. Electric Vehicles

In this episode, we talk comparing costs and benefits; and life cycle analysis and thinking about the full cost 

Hybrid and electric vehicles have been coming to the market for quiet a few years now. In November 2020, the UK government announced a two-step policy:

Step 1 will see the phase-out date for the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans brought forward to 2030.

Step 2 will see all new cars and vans be fully zero emission at the tailpipe from 2035.

We talked to someone who is already making the switch. He happens to be an environmental economist ("first a birdwatcher" he would say). 

Why electric vehicles? Because they don't emit the same / as much air pollutants during use - see our episode on air pollution and its effects. In addition, the electricity they use could be largely, and even wholly, renewable, also avoiding emissions of greenhouse gases. We cover the impacts of producing electric vehicles has like lithium mining but we also remind about the impacts of oil extraction. There is no zero impact way of moving about...well not in a motorised vehicle anyway. That's why it's crucial we follow a transport hierarchy: 

• Travel on public transport - needs more public investment (more, better connected, safe, less environmental impacts)
• When you can’t use public transport – opt for lower impact: walk, cycle, and when you have to drive a car, choose an electric one…that’ll be hard for the gas guzzling SUV drivers but we still have hope…and the technology and the regulation!

Our guest in this episode is Ian Dickie,  is a Director of eftec and a Director of the Aldersgate Group.