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Electric car technology and manufacturing techniques must rapidly improve, said Chris Brace, professor of automotive propulsion at the University of Bath, after a report from the Commons business select committee called for the ban – currently set for 2040 – to be brought forwards.
Pure-electric cars are not yet ready to replace traditional fossil-fuel cars, Brace told Professional Engineering. “There are a number of aspects to the role of the multi-purpose vehicle that electric vehicles cannot do at the moment, including affordability, versatility.”
The average pure-electric car “is not so good at some things and great at other things,” he added, “which makes it a challenge to sell it in the marketplace at the moment, in direct competition to something like a Ford Focus”.
The lack of widespread charging infrastructure is also a “big disincentive” for potential buyers, Brace said. Last week, consulting firm and low-carbon planner Burns & McDonnell said “the clock is ticking” to make the right investments.
“The transition to electric vehicles (EVs) presents an incredible opportunity to change the entire system for the better,” said Burns & McDonnell's UK business development director Jeff Casey.
“The government’s Road to Zero strategy is a good start but we need to focus on the infrastructure improvements and policy considerations required to make the vision a reality. It is essential that original equipment manufacturers, EV manufacturers, transmission and distribution network operators and the system operator are all on board and work together if we are to reach a comprehensive solution and solidify the UK’s rightful place as a leader in the worldwide movement toward clean energy and a sustainable future.”
‘Consumers need greater confidence’
Pure-electric cars might take 10 years to realistically compete with petrol or diesel, Brace said, but the professor claimed that hybrid vehicles must still be available for sale in future. Despite persistently high prices, he said hybrids are ready to take a more significant market share thanks to a reduced reliance on stored electricity – and therefore no range anxiety. Hybrids are not covered by the ban.
The underlying technology must nonetheless be improved, Brace said, with significant work needed on batteries, power electronics and motors to reduce costs and improve their practicality. “All of those areas need to be more effective than they are at the moment, and in order to do that we are going to have to push those components harder than we are at the moment. That needs intensive R&D to unlock those possibilities.”
The business select committee’s criticism of the “unambitious” 2040 ban was met with opposition from the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
“Government’s 2040 ambition was already extremely challenging, so to fast-track that by eight years would be nigh on impossible,” said chief executive Mike Hawes. “We said we need world-class infrastructure and world-class incentives to have any chance of delivering, so the recent cuts to the Plug-in Car Grant and lack of charging facilities – both of which are severely criticised by the committee – show just how difficult it would be to accelerate this transition.”
He added: “Zero-emission vehicles make up just 0.6% of the market, meaning consumer appetite would have to grow by some 17,000% in just over a decade. This is unrealistic and rejects the evidence put forward by SMMT on behalf of the industry, which is investing billions into these technologies but which recognises consumers need greater confidence and support if they are to buy these vehicles in the numbers we all want.”
Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.