WE NEED FEWER SMALLER BATTERY ELECTRIC CARS IN THE WORLD BY 2030

Indeed each electric car emits far less pollutants than a comparable petrol or diesel car of similar size and weight when driven. But a very important problem is that the world motor industry – principally at present in the USA, China and Europe including the UK-is planning collectively to use this fact as the basis for significant expansion of the total number of cars on the world’s roads in the next decade or so from very approximately a total of one billion (i.e.one thousand million) to 1.3 billion. This kind of implicit forecast may seem acceptable because of the idea that the widespread use of electric cars will favour reduction of carbon dioxide emission together with reduction of other environmental damage, pollution and acidents. But unless substantial changes in policy are imposed on the motor car industry worldwide, such favourable outcomes seems unlikely.

The favourable outcomes the world needs require substantial reductions in the number of motor cars made and used throughout the world. This is largely because making each electric car now involves making a complex battery including the need for very energy-intensive and environmentally damaging processes required to extract huge quantities of materials such as lithium from the earth. The new electric cars being made at present are large complex heavy luxurious vehicles which are sold for large profits to rich people. As always, to sustain their profits , motor car manufacturers will continue to advertise and promote the sale of as large and luxurious automobiles as possible so as to secure the greatest possible profits

Indeed by 2030, nearly all the cars in the world should be battery–driven electric cars. But to prevent accidents to people and to preserve as high a quality environment as possible for people, animals and for plants- including for growing foods , there should be far less cars on the world’s roads by then than there are now, not such a huge a quantity of automobile as the world’s motor industries now intend collectively.

Of course, there will be rapid and extensive technological change which will improve all these factors over time. But cars of any type are a fundamentally inefficient, dangerous and environmentally damaging means of transport in many ways – particularly as most privately owned automobiles spend most of their lives parked and idle.