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Tories plan charging points to help switch to electric cars
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor16.01.09
ALL Britons will be encouraged to switch to electric cars under Tory plans to create a recharging network across the country, David Cameron signalled today.
In a bid to exploit Labour's environmental problems over Heathrow, the Conservative leader pledged his party would oversee a sea change in green energy and travel.
The Tory blueprint for a low carbon economy published today calls for electric cars to become "the norm" in Britain but warns that a national network of charging points will be needed to allow motorists to drive long distances without running out of power.
A Tory government will roll out a national green car scheme being piloted by Mayor of London Boris Johnson. Electric and hybrid vehicles will have enough recharging points to make their mass use viable. Ultimately, charging points could be provided at every petrol station.
Mr Cameron is looking at tax incentives for green cars. Last week he visited the Nissan factory in Sunderland, where manufacturers say electric cars will be built by 2011 that can go for 280 miles without charging.
"What we need with electric cars is that they go across the range and not just at the level of the G-Wiz. This is really exciting," he said.
A senior Tory source told the Evening Standard that a switch to electric cars could dramatically cut emissions.
He said: "Given the important part electric cars look set to play in reducing emissions from driving, we need to do more to encourage uptake. There is no realistic prospect of developing a mass-market for electric vehicles unless and until there is a national network of recharging points enabling drivers to operate electric vehicles across any chosen distance without fear of running out of energy."
Mr Cameron did admit defeat, however, over a much-discussed element of his personal plans to go green. He said today that "tragically" he would not be putting a wind turbine on top of his north Kensington home because the area simply lacked the wind to produce electricity.
The Tory package of measures aims to slash greenhouse gas emissions and create millions of green jobs. A key plank is a £1 billion investment in a hi-tech National Grid network with a "smart meter" in every home.
Reader views (21)
The G-Wizz is brilliant ... if you have no family or luggage, don't want to travel more than a few miles, or unless you have a crash in one - it does not have to undergo crash testing which is probably just as well, because no one would buy one if it did.
- Paul, London
yes, lets move forward!
- s.brett, france
The G-Wiz is brilliant, no pollution, never breaks down, tiny recharge cost overnight, no tax, no speed tickets average 28-30 mph! Amazing for 20 mile round trips and commutes, or 20 miles in and recharge during the day to drive out.
The issue is the battery, with miles per charge, and recharge time.
Pollution from power stations would be minimised like France 80% nuclear, so UK freedom from control of oil and gas suppliers, mainly rogue states energy supplies and prices to control and extort western countries.
Refuel at every home and commercial location with electricity. Not so with hydrogen that needs a new national network. Too expensive and complicated.
Who ever creates a small battery that goes for 8 hours and recharges quickly is on to a winner.
Then independent energy sources free from countries, which also means less money to fund terrorism.
- Ali, coventry
Hydrogen cars will use electric motors anyway. (Not cylinder engines!)
The hydrogen fuel cell produces electricity to power the motor.
The customer will have a choice of battery or hydrogen fuel - some cars will have both I bet.
City cars will obviously be battery powered in the main, as they are not required to go up and down the M1 on one charge. Just enough to take you to the High Speed rail station!
- Alex McKenna, Manchester
The way forward is hydrogen fueled cars not electric cars. Water is the end product and that is fairly harmless. Engine design need not drastically change neither the manual gear system.
- Dhanraj, Basildon Essex
It all sounds fine to me.
Electric Vehicles can easily have fast charge facilities whereby they can be charged up to 80% or more of their total capacity in less than 20 minutes. On occasions I have sat waiting at a fuel station for well in excess of 20 minutes trying to refuel.
Batteries can be recycled.
Solar PV panels can be fitted by individuals to charge up their EV's and in some cases wind turbines can also be used to charge up EV's.
We can all choose to use a renewable energy supplier for our electricity.
If the Tories do eventually get back into power will they really follow this policy? I hope so but am not optimistic.
- Bartlett, Cornwall
What's new or original about this "idea" there are already charging points in Londons' West End and plans to introduce more.
Typical Dave, no fresh thought.
- Frank H., London.
No point in providing points at filling stations as it takes several hours to recharge. Recharge points in the car parks of big firms for their employees might work (though should they be encouraged to drive at all?).
But it's all nonsense as electric cars are environmentally unfriendly because they rely on batteries - full of noxious substances and requiring vast amounts of energy to create.
- Cary, London
Electric cars are a good idea for sure for cleaner streets. But looking at the overall picture - not just the reduced street level emissions - where does the "electricity" come from, and what happens to the toxic chemicals in the batteries at end of life?
Unfortunately, power generation is the single biggest polluter in terms of global CO2 emissions (27%) and there's no clean way to recycle battery products. So electric cars may be good for a quick fix and votes, but for the environment???
- Jd, London
It is only viable to recharge your electric car at home overnight. Can you imagine hundreds of electric motorists standing very patiently at a charging point waiting for hours while there car recharges. NO.
- Robert Thornton, malaga spain
Everyone thinks electric cars are a good idea for someone else, and nobody wants one for themselves. They are tiny, slow, have a low range and take ages to recharge.
What a crashingly stupid idea that is doomed to failure.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke
It's about time we collectively realised that there has been a game of chicken going on between the government and car manufacturers. The Govt wouldn't pay for the infrastructure (at least, the present one), and the car companies wouldn't pay for the development of the cars. Finally, they are talking in the same terms, finally we have a future Prime Minister who faces up reality on needing to invest in infrastructure. It may not suit everyone's needs, but for city dwellers, emission free cars will be fantastic. Sadly, Peteo is right, if it's not a cash cow, this govt won't do it, they are too reliant on the cash from petrol & car taxes.
- Colin, London
...and where is all of the extra electricity going to come from once our nuclear power stations are decommissioned and the fossil fuel burners are shut down by EUromonster emissions regulations?
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
I will happily switch to a long range electric car - all the critics on here can carry on chucking their money at OPEC countries and Crash Gordon whilst driving their internal combustion vheicles. Bring it on Dave!.
- Mark Burton, St Ives Cambs
Great idea. Of course, the electricity to run these "clean" cars come from lovely, fluffy power stations located in Tellytubbyland, doesn't it? Rather than dirty, smelly coal-fired power stations.
Get real, Dave. These ideas might go down well in Notting Hill, but the other 99.99% of the UK does not give a monkey's.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland
Good idea. Crash Gordon is probably already working on some taxation on it... Crash is SOOOOO creative
- Peteo, London NW1
Good idea.
- Peteo, London NW1
Yes. Brilliant idea...just as the automotive industry is finaly heading in the direction of hybrid now, and hydrogen fuel cell in the very near future, the Tories want to stick with the "old" technology of electric cars...wake up!
If "green" cars are going to succeed we need to be able to drive them as we drive cars now, i.e. pitch up at a filling station, fill up (with hydrogen preferably), pay and go, with the minimum of fuss.
Green cars do not have a future if they are saddled with limited range and charging downtime, not to mention the disposal liability and drain on available generating capacity, which, as I understand it, we are at the top end of as it is.
- Md, London, UK
first off all congrats to mr Cameron Outside off the box thinking i think derek has missed the point these cars can be recharged using renewable sources soin running they are 100 percent green
Photpvolitc panels at 100 pound each can be inserted on to lamposts with the relevent charging system inside the lampost and for a small fee the car can be plugged in allowing the shopper to do business and come back to a full battery These have existed for years
In the smaler towns councils can use eletric vans to deliver products within the town However chp units can be used to drive the system and an eletric tram system can also be utilised
Congrats mr Cameron
- Kevin, omagh northern ireland
Excellent. Charging points as ubiquitous as the present gas stations are essential if electric-powered cars are to come into general use. Excellent, David Cameron. At last a politician with an eye on the future instead of the usual 4-year time frame. This satellite we travel on has to be preserved for future generations, not just the present.
- Phil Jones, London UK
And just how many new power stations will need to be built to allow all of these cars to be charged up?
Not very green now, is it.
- Derek North, Bridgend
