By Mark Langabeer, Hastings and Rye Labour member.
There is a very good new BBC series on the issues around ‘zero-carbon’ and the first, on electric cars (Evs) is well worth watching. Throughout the series, Justin Rowlett, BBC chief climate change reporter, is asking whether the Government’s target of net zero for carbon admissions is on track.
The government’s target is for all new cars built after 2030 to be electric cars. Rowlett interviewed someone who converts classic cars into electric and who invited Rowlett to drive an old VW Beetle. The new electric vehicle actually has more power than the original combustion engine. The mechanic described himself as a former ‘petrol head’ who had been won over to electric engines.Electric engines, he pointed out, are more energy efficient, quieter and, of course have no CO2 emissions themselves. Given that transport makes up 25 % of all carbon emissions, electric cars would appear to be a no brainer.
But a big problem for most working class people – whether they support the green agenda or not – is cost. A standard electric car will cost a minimum of £30,000 new. It is no answer at all, if electric cars are outside the price range of ordinary workers, many of whom still rely on their petrol vehices for work and leisure. The green transition cannot be one only accessible to the rich. It is assumed that the cost of EV will gradually fall, but that is scant consolation now.
EV registrations are on the increase
The programme points out that Lithium, an material essential to making electric batteries, may become in short supply and subject to higher prices. There are also geopolitical issues involved, with China producing 80% of EV batteries.
Neverthe less, the use of electric cars is undoubtedly on the increase. More were sold in 2022 than ever, with over 260,000 new registrations. In 2023 there are an estimated two thirds of a million EVs on the road, as well as 445,000 hybrids. Last December alone, in one month, over 42,000 new Evs were registered half as many again as th figure for the same month in 2021.
However, as the programme points out, there are problems with charging points. There are around 44,000 charging points, mainly centred on London. The Tories believe that this element should be left to the market. For the better off, those who can charge from a driveway or garage at home, public charge-points are less important. But for those without the ability to charge at home – people living in flats, for example – public charge points are the only option and the ‘market’ just isn’t coming up with the goods.
Rowlett interviewed Chris Stark, the CEO of the climate change commitee, which advises Government and he pointed out that that leaving the transition to the market for Evs just wasn’t sufficient. Complaints about the lack of them on long journeys and the need to queue up at many charging points has put many off EVs. When you do find a public charge point, you may also find that you’re being ripped off, paying far more for charging than you would at home for example.
Privatised National Grid cannot cope with zero carbon plans
Not least, there are also concerns about the ability of the National Grid to supply electricity, especially the high speed chargers. The National Grid was one of those parts of the energy sector that used to be in public hands, but was sold off by the Tories. There has been so little investment, and so little planned for the future, that if we all switched to EVs tomorrow, the grid would just collapse.
Last, but not least is the issue of the 800,000 people employed in the current car industry. In the TV programme, Rowlett visited the Ford Dagaham plant, which still produces diesel engines for export. From this plant alone, 2,000 jobs could be lost. A green revolution should mean more jobs, and there has to be some way of providing good jobs to replace those lost in the traditional industries.
The ‘market’, however, just doesn’t work like that. The collapse of the Bristishvolt venture, which was an attempt to build a battery factory, threatened to put EV manufacturing in the UK in jeopardy. Instead, the Government has secured an agreement with TATA, the owners of Jaguar, to build a battery plant, but only with an enormous subsidy. The £500m that the government is offering TATA to build this plant should be enough to make the plant fully publicly owned. Why should the tax-buyer build a plant like this, then effectively hand it over, for the benefit of a private owner?
Rowlett argues in the programme that that another five such plants will need to be built. Yet already, China has 100 factories linked to EVs and both Japan and the US have announced big investment programmes. The transition to EVs and hydrogen vehicles is an essential component in ensuring net zero by 2050. However, the idea that leaving transition to market forces just doesn’t cut the mustard.
The first of this two-part documentary can be found on BBC i-player, here.
