Electric vehicles: the great green hype?

A new report from the Brussels-based non-government organisation Transport & Environment argues that electric cars can still play a starring role in the decarbonisation of transport, but the loopholes in current EU legislation must be closed in order for this to happen and for the potential impact of electric vehicles not to be overhyped.

So what do policymakers need to do? Abolish zero-CO2 rating and ’super-credits’ for electric cars for a start.

From tail pipe to chimney
In September 2009, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso called for a decarbonising of transport and advocated a primary focus on electric vehicles (EVs).

However, current EU targets to reduce emissions from cars are counter-productive, the report says. EVs are counted as zero emission because only the tailpipe emissions are taken into consideration. There’s no consideration given to whether the electricity itself comes from high carbon fossil fuels or not.

"Electric cars should be rewarded for their energy efficiency, not for moving emissions from exhaust pipes to power station chimneys," the report says.

Creative accounting
Furthermore, EU targets include super-credits for vehicles with emissions below 50g CO2/km. This allows vehicle manufacturers to count these cars 3.5 times for their overall car fleet in 2012 and 2013 – although this will be phased out in 2016.

(You may need your calculator for this bit). Under the current regime, if one per cent of a manufacturer’s fleet sold is electric, the remaining 99 per cent would only have to meet an average emissions target of 134.6 g/km, instead of 130. Even if you assume the EVs are truly zero emission and the electricity is generated renewably, this would increase average emissions allowed from new cars by 2.5 per cent.

Consequently, until 2016, vehicle manufacturers can offload 3.5 gas-guzzling SUVs to middle-class families across Europe for every electric vehicle they sell, and still reach EU targets. When the super-credit is phased out, they will still be able to sell one SUV with emissions at twice the target level for every EV they sell. Not really a sustainable future is it?

“The conclusion is that the current regulatory framework on cars and CO2 makes it quite likely that the more EVs are sold, the more oil will be used and the more CO2 is emitted. This runs counter to the two prime objectives of the law: reduce CO2 emissions and oil consumption,” the report says.

The power of three
The report recommends an increase in fuel taxes and a significant tightening of long-term CO2 standards for cars to 80g/km by 2020 and 60g/km by 2025. This will provide the long-term security that allows the manufacturers to invest in low-carbon technology and infrastructure. Otherwise, there is no incentive to splash the cash on creating an electric future.

It also recommends that the quantity and quality of electricity used in EVs should be measured on-board to manage and regulate demand and quality.

Thirdly, the power sector has to be decarbonised, the report argues. Along with closing counterproductive loopholes and tightening CO2 standards, the report advises the implementation of strong targets for renewable energy in the power sector after 2020, along with emissions performance standards for power stations.

Eye on the ball
Jos Dings, director of Transport & Environment, has accused the EU of taking its eye off the ball and being distracted by technological hype. He says policymakers are not the marketing team for EVs and their goal should be to cut emissions and reduce our dependence on oil.

“For electric cars to be a success for the environment and for the industry, pressure on fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions for all cars must be kept up. Promoting electric cars without maintaining pressure on fuel efficiency standards will kill any chance of success,” says Jos.