Questions need answers about EVs

NEWS has reached south Wales that Gwynedd County Council is considering changing its diverse vehicle fleet into an all-electric, batterydriven fleet.

This sounds all very noble in a move to save the planet from global warming climate change. A noble gesture of extremely costly tokenism. It needs to be done cautiously and slowly. Council taxpayers need to ask urgent Freedom of Information questions regarding the present fleet. How many current diesel, petrol and gas vehicles does the council own or lease or rent of all types? What does that number consist of, eg vans, staff cars, trucks, HGV lorries including refuse collection trucks and tractors and JCBs? How many are destined to be changed for EVs? What’s the cost over 10 years? Will all council properties have charging points for the council’s own fleet and also ‘pay as you charge’ by bank card for staffowned vehicles parked in council properties including offices and schools?

Gwynedd residents also need to research further answers themselves to the following general questions of data not held by the council:

1) How the National Grid continuously varies in its sources of hourly power?

2) How much power will EVs need from the local grids let alone National Grid and when/what time of day?

3) What will happen to the future zero carbon grid to charge EVs when the wind does not blow and the sun does not shine?

4) How will urban dwellers, especially flat dwellers, get access to charging points?

5) When will EV batteries become totally fire safe and reasonably priced?

6) Where are the materials going to come from to produce all these batteries? Is child labour involved? 7) Are current models of EVs suitable for various steep hill highways conditions in Gwynedd?

8) How many of Gwynedd’s present day politicians, at all levels, own and drive drive EVs? What percentage?

I Richard

Abertawe