In Amy’s Hot Topic this week, we shift gears to electric mobility in urban areas, examining the slow uptake of electric cars versus the rising tide of e-bikes and e-scooters.
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Hello everyone!
Last week we talked about how beneficial it is to be resilient for the planet. This was linked with the progress made from November 2022 to November 2023 concerning the production of net fossil fuel sources and renewable energy (IEA monthly electricity statistics). This week we will talk about the use of electric cars, e-bikes and e-scooters in urban areas.
The Future Of Electric Cars
The sales of electric cars in the US have slowed down below the government’s target. The electric vehicle share of the British market has stopped growing. Only 1.2% of European passenger cars in 2022 were battery powered (FT.com). This is rather surprising considering the future bans on selling new petrol and diesel cars by 2035 in many countries, such as in the EU, UK and many US states.
In cities, it is possible to predict that we will move to e-bikes, e-scooters and e-mopeds. You may already see how these are becoming more and more dominant. For example, delivery drivers for Deliveroo, Just Eat etc are almost always on an e-bike or moped. This suggests that it is the most effective and efficient option for urbanised areas.
The Upfront Costs of Electric Vehicles
Electric cars have a significant downside of the upfront cost, currently 30-40% higher than for petrol and diesel vehicles (FT.com). This is something that city residents may rule out entirely.
An ongoing discussion my dad and I have is concerning the price of electric cars. He will be buying a second-hand electric car when his current car is suitably outdated. I expressed that as a young person (especially a student), without the means to pay a large sum upfront, even second-hand electric cars are not a viable option currently. Even though the price over the car’s lifetime may be less, such as not having to pay for fuel, it does not help raise the funds for the initial payment.
A Cheaper Choice
Therefore, bikes and scooters in cities are a much cheaper choice. As well as this, charging an e-bike or e-scooter uses less electricity than charging an electric car (an obvious benefit).
Most city residents do not drive or drive enough miles to make any car worthwhile, this makes it not worth the price to buy an electric car. Many people in cities drive a car because they have one, meaning it is very unlikely they will buy a new one because it is electric.
It is important to note, any electric option is better than a petrol or diesel option. But, for the concerns of urban areas, e-bikes and e-scooters are predicted to be the future choice for many people. And they use less electricity which is extremely important for living under 2 kWh per person per day.
I hope everyone had a lovely week, and I will see you next week for another Amy’s Hot Topic.
Bye! #2kWh #undertwok
References:
Financial Times – Electric cars are not the future – Simon Kuper – January 18th, 2024.