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Warning over emission targets

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Published Date: 26 May 2009
By Peter Woodman
THE government cannot meet its vehicle emission targets by simply promoting the use of electric cars, a report by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) said today.
It added the government should bring forward its offer of a £5,000 subsidy for buying electric cars from 2011 to 2010.

With the right investment and planning, IMechE said it believed engineers could create cars that emit just 30g of carbon dioxide per kilometre by 2050.

The report said this 2050 target is the one that the government should use instead of its 100g/km by 2020 target, and would be achievable if it was set immediately.

The report adds: "This will allow sufficient time for industry to plan and develop the technologies thereby helping to secure a successful future for the UK automotive industry."

The report's five recommended technologies are hybrid, fuel cell, hydrogen, battery-only electric cars – and advanced petrol and diesel.

IMechE automotive division chairman Richard Folkson said: "

(The government] seem to be saying it must be electric cars and we are being forced down that route. We are telling the government to set the targets but leave the engineers to figure out how it can be done. Electric cars alone will not be the answer."





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  • Last Updated: 25 May 2009 6:09 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Unimpressed one,

26/05/2009 08:03:01
The engineers will rise to the challenge of producing 'greener' cars, but do they never think to ask what is the point? Carbon dioxide emissions do not drive our climate - only the brain-damaged eco-bams, equally thick politicians and scientists on the make, believe such tripe.
2

The Former Mr. Angry,

Perth 26/05/2009 08:18:45
Electric cars may emit only 30g of carbon dioxide per kilometre but there's also the generation of the electricity to consider and the CO2 required to do that. Also what must be considered is the "leakage" of energy as it is transmitted from power station to electric plug outlet, so what would be the carbon rating then? It's a bit like saying a windmill farm hsa a capacity for 300Mw but its actual output is say 50Mw due to fluctuation in windspeed. The 300Mw is meaningless in a practical context since it will never be fulfilled!

Richard Folkson is correct when he says that the solution must be broader than just electric cars because of course a vast amount of fuel is consumed in the transport of goods up and down the country and electric cars are no use for that. I can also think of 3 or 4 situations in the past week where an electric car would not cut it due to a) lack of load carrying ability b) poor range c) poor performance,

This does not mean that an EC is no use - it just means that we have to be flexible in solutions. What is the problem? Forget CO2 that's a tax opportunity and a lever for the hair shirted bearded weirdies who have an O-level chemistry (failed). It's mainly to conserve scarce resources and use them efficiently and cleanly.
3

fred bloggs,

Edinburgh 26/05/2009 12:30:35
Electric vehicles charged by wind-generation are the greenest technology for road transport.



4

fred bloggs,

Edinburgh 26/05/2009 12:36:02
'Britain's pioneering electric supercar: powered by wind'

'It is faster out of the blocks than a V12 Ferrari and can do 0-60mph in four seconds. It will go faster than 140mph and can be fully charged over lunch.'

- http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/mar/15/windpower-motoring
5

fred bloggs,

Edinburgh 26/05/2009 12:48:29
Electric vans and trucks:

http://www.smithelectricvehicles.com/ourranges.asp

 

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