Huge fines will force us into low-emission cars

sir – As always, the proposals mooted for encouraging the driving of low-emission cars (report, October 22) are short term and unsustainable.

From subsidies at the point of purchase to allowing drivers to use bus lanes, these schemes will work only while low-emission vehicles represent a small proportion of the total number on the roads. They will not overcome consumer resistance to purchasing cars that are significantly more expensive and bring with them concerns about long-term battery degradation and range. However, the huge fines that the European Commission plans to levy from January on manufacturers whose new cars produce in excess of 95g Co2/km in a year will ensure that we are eventually forced into these vehicles.

Manufacturers are already withdrawing certain models in Europe, and hundreds of new battery and hybrid cars are coming to market. They will have to persuade us to buy them or pay the fines. Either course will destroy profitability in the automotive sector for years to come. It is small wonder that Dyson recently decided to “pull the plug” on the development of its own electric car.

Mike Sturgeon

Executive Director, Association of European Vehicle Logistics Brussels, Belgium

sir – Fitting green number plates and giving access to bus lanes are only the first steps to promoting electric cars.

Austria’s motorway network has a general speed limit of 80mph but there is also a speed-based pollution management system on 20 per cent of its roads, where the speed limit drops to 60mph. However, drivers of electric vehicles can ignore the signs and keep cruising at 80mph.

Thus, the Jaguar I-pace overtaking everyone else is not spewing out noxious emissions, and, since 80 per cent of electricity here is generated from hydropower and other renewable sources, it’s clean and green.

Dr John Doherty

Vienna, Austria