The costs of a vehicle ban

The advisability of an internal combustion engine vehicle ban to reduce greenhouse gasses depends on many factors not considered in NZ vehicle ban could drive efforts on emission targets (March 20).

The European countries that have introduced bans have high density populations which support ample public transport and low car ownership. All are significantly wealthier than New Zealand. None has its general, open-air lifestyle.

In Auckland, electricity company Vector has already pointed to the inadequacies of the local electricity distribution system with only a small percentage of households on a street charging an electric car overnight. It warns of the high cost of expanding this capacity.

Replacing the fossil fuel energy used by vehicles will require a large increase to the electricity generating system proper. The prospects for wind and solar are more expensive than present installed hydro and gas fired plants, and require expensive battery capacity to balance the timing of generation with the timing of use.

The Greens at this moment are petitioning to prevent exploration for natural gas, the lowest-cost way of generating electricity. Increased overall costs on the grid will increase household and commercial charges.

They have provided no balanced justification for New Zealand to “lead” in the use of electric vehicles. MIKE WILLIAMS Tawa