11:45 am, September 2, 2008
ELECTRIC is the way ahead, reckon car buyers.
Visitors to thegreencarwebsite.co.uk were asked whether they considered electric cars were a viable alternative to fossil fuel models.
Well over 90 per cent said yes. Suggesting that buyer apathy towards future technology may be less of an issue than some fear.
Electric power is considered green because it emits no direct emissions – ‘zero emission vehicles’ are thus seen as having massive environmental potential by car buyers.
However, debate remains as to the impact of how that electricity is generated. Mindful of complaints that such vehicles merely offset the pollution and energy consumption, car buyers are divided about how best to generate the electricity.
Nearly half reckon renewable sources, while 44 per cent don’t really care – suggesting they’d be happy with nuclear power generation. Currently, 77 per cent of UK energy is produced from coal and gas; by 2015, there’s a commitment for 15 per cent of this to be produced by renewables.
One potential problem for legislators (and the DVLA) is that it’s harder to work out the ‘g/km of CO2’ of electric cars. They don’t directly emit any CO2, but complex studies are needed to work out the true impact of driving them.
Either way, it seems not only is the industry moving towards an electric future, but buyers are fully behind it. Therefore, what a time to publicise the electric-only running ability of models such as the Toyota Prius and other forthcoming hybrids…
