The idea of motorists zipping around town in clean, emission-free electric cars would be dismissed by many as a futuristic fantasy. But ambitious new Scottish Government targets could mean we must all take a closer look at the options for going green on the road, as Hazel Mollison reports
WHILE most people are keen to do their bit for the environment, few would choose to pay thousands of pounds extra for a car that needs recharging every hundred miles.
"Green" cars are still seen as a minority interest, with only a tiny share of th
e market, but all this could change in the next few years as the Scottish Government is considering an ambitious new target which would require 95 per cent of new cars to be electric, or low-carbon, by 2020.
Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson announced this week he would like to see Scotland leading the way on reducing transport emissions. Although details have not been decided, he would like to see all public sector vehicles switching to low-carbon.
Unsurprisingly, motoring groups are sceptical, saying the target is "over-optimistic". But with petrol prices rising and government incentives on the horizon, more people could be persuaded to look at the greener option.
There are certainly more "green" cars on offer than ever before. These range from tiny, battery-powered models suitable for city driving to hybrids which switch from electric to petrol.
The Toyota Prius – perhaps the best-known hybrid – has now sold more than a million cars around the world. Its emissions are only around 100 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre, compared with up to 500 grams for the worst gas-guzzlers.
The fully electric G-Wiz is already making an impact in London, where its small size makes it ideal for weaving in and out of congested streets. But there are currently very few points in Edinburgh to recharge one. And with a range of only 50 miles, it is unsuitable for the wider spaces in most of Scotland.
AA president Edmund King said he believed the 95 per cent target was "unrealistic". He said: "It's fine to have ambition, but I do think this target is very optimistic.
"Low-carbon cars can work in cities as long as the infrastructure is developed, but as soon as you get outside there's the problem of range of batteries. In Edinburgh, particularly in the centre, a lot of people live in flats or terraced houses with no driveways. You would need a very long extension lead."
The target will only apply to new cars, but he warned that it could be much longer before the majority of cars on the road were low-carbon. "Cars built today are very reliable and last far longer than cars of ten years ago, and they will still be on the road in ten years' time."
The Scottish Government would need to increase the number of charging points to make electric cars a realistic option in cities. This could include requiring all new developments to have a certain number of charging points. There could be incentives to install them at businesses and shopping centres.
Westminster Council in London has introduced many free charging points in car parks. The electric cars are exempt from congestion charges and parking fees, saving drivers thousands a year.
Tom Albery, the communications manager of WhatGreenCar.com, said reducing the cost was the best way to persuade people to buy greener cars.
The UK government is already planning an incentive of between £2,000 and £5,000, to be introduced in 2011.
He said: "Nearly everyone is interested in the environment, but the problem is when it comes to the choice of car, price, size and comfort become more important. The problem is electric cars are a lot more expensive to buy. They are already cheaper to run, but consumer behaviour is controlled by purchase price."
There is no doubt that once bought, electric and hybrid cars save money. The G-Wiz can be recharged for around £1, costing only about two pence per mile. Hybrid cars are typically about 25 per cent more fuel efficient. But to make the leap to the mainstream, manufacturers also have to improve their comfort, safety and performance.
The G-Wiz is only classified as a quadracycle by the European Union, not a proper car, and can therefore be sold without the usual safety tests. With a top speed of only 40mph, it has been dismissed by Jeremy Clarkson as "slow, ugly, unsafe and hypocritical".
The Prius or Honda Civic are more suitable options for an all-round family car. The best-selling Prius offers more space inside. Its performance is comparable with similar sized petrol cars – although at a higher price.
The hybrid Civic is popular in the United States, where few people buy diesel cars. But it has yet to make an impact in the UK, with research showing up to 80 per cent of consumers do not know what a hybrid is.
Of course, for an electric car to be truly "green", there will need to be an investment in renewable electricity. WWF Scotland's director, Richard Dixon said: "Electric cars are only as green as the electricity they run on."
The choice is certainly expanding, and the next few years will see a greater variety of hybrid, electric and even hydrogen-powered cars on the market.
But the Scottish Government still faces an uphill battle if it is to meet these ambitious targets, and really make the petrol engine a thing of the past.
