28 July, 2017
"Nobody is talking about powering these cars with fossil fuel energy".
GKN makes parts for electric cars.
The government is launching an "air quality plan" and will follow France in banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars.
This research comes as a new Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill was announced during the Queen's Speech last month, aiming to improve the infrastructure behind electric cars through increasing the number of charging points.
It also revealed that ending sales of new conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040 would cut tailpipe emissions of climate change-causing carbon dioxide from current levels of 60 million tonnes a year to 14 million tonnes in 2040. "To mention that we are forbidding combustion engines in 2040 that we already recognize if you want to be the most powerful technology in 2040", he told AFP. Shortly after, the Model 3, Tesla Inc.'s (TSLA) first vehicle built for the masses with a $35,000 starting price, began production.
Stefan Bratzel, Director of the Center for Car Inspection (CAM), said that the final year was a "tipping factor", shifting political will into concrete commitments. "But in truth, there are numerous unique fuels, along with gasoline, hydrogen, and producers investing tightly in the auto", he said.
"The diesel sector is more riddled with misunderstanding than electrification", he said.
A study last month by IVL, the Swedish Environment Institute, found that production of a large battery now results in the emission of up to 17.5 tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to around 700 hours of driving in a standard vehicle.
British auto manufacturing lobby group the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) also warned that an outright ban "risked undermining the current market for new cars", pointing out that the sector employed 800,000 workers.
By 2040, he argues, automakers will have boosted their battery manufacturing capacity, which will ultimately bring down the cost of electric cars, making them more accessible and giving them longer range.
