From 2030, you will be unable to buy a new petrol or diesel car. The future is electric, or so we’re told. But the problems with electric cars are well-documented. They’re pricier than ordinary cars, and the experience of charging them up on a long journey can range from mildly inconvenient to tear-your-hair-out infuriating.
Electric Cars: What They Really Mean For You was an attempt to spell out the pros and cons – part science show, part consumer programme. It was patchy. We began with Justin Rowlatt, the BBC’s climate editor, meeting a chap called Richard Morgan – Moggy to his friends – who has a business converting classic cars by fitting electric motors. Which sounded great, but when Rowlatt claimed that this was “one of the most promising green tech projects in Britain” and “here could lie the future of the car”, what exactly did he mean? How much do these conversions cost? What does it have to do with those of us who haven’t got an Aston Martin and very deep pockets? We were never told.
Then Rowlatt met Chris Stark, CEO of the Climate Change Committee. This was set up by the government to offer independent, expert advice on its net zero climate goals, Rowlatt explained, but was also instrumental in getting the government to adopt those goals in the first place. Stark had nothing of note to say, except that he was confident about electric cars becoming a mass market product soon.
It was helpful to learn about some of the challenges in the way of our transition away from petrol and diesel. The production of batteries is subject to geopolitics – 80 per cent are currently made in China – and the cost can fluctuate wildly. Local council red tape is slowing the introduction of charging points, and there are now an estimated 32 cars per public charger. Plus, few of those are fast chargers, meaning that drivers need to factor long waits into their journeys.
But the programme didn’t go deep enough into these issues. The most frustrating moment was when Rowlatt met columnist Giles Coren, who ditched his electric car out of frustration with the charging situation. “I’m not sure that electric vehicles are anywhere near as bad as he says, but here’s the thing: if people think they are, that is a huge problem for the industry,” Rowlatt said afterwards. Surely, testing the argument is exactly what this show should have been doing, otherwise what’s the point?
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July 26, 2023 at 03:00AM
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An under-charged report that failed to drive home the real problem with electric cars - The Telegraph
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