UK charges up electric car trials June 23, 2009
Posted by andrewmcd in UK Energy Policy, UK energy, energy.Tags: electric-cars, electric-vehicles, green-cars, hybrid, uk-electric-cars
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The world’s largest ever coordinated trial of environmentally friendly vehicles is to be launched today.
This is very encouraging news from the UK government, signalling that it is serious about transitioning our vehicular transport habits.
Car Recharging station - soon to be a common site?
The £25 million scheme is designed to accelerate the introduction of electric cars in the UK. Participating members of the public will take part in long-term tests of various vehicle types from electric Minis and Smart cars to sports models and electric vans (surely a priority vehicle!).
It is hoped that by the end of 2009, about 340 vehicles will be available to qualifying members of the public in eight areas of the UK including London, Glasgow, Birmingham, Oxford and the northeast of England. Power companies, regional development agencies and universities will also be involved in co-ordinating the experiments and developing the infrastructure which will measure the performance of these vehicles.
About 22 per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions come from transport. According to a study for the department for transport, widespread adoption of electric vehicles capable of a range of 50km (31 miles) or more could halve road transport carbon emissions.
As laudable as this scheme i, the fact remains that the UK remains well behind California in terms of pioneering electric vehicular transport (although they don’t have flying cars yet!).
If there is anyone who is going to get involved in these trials then let us know.
