ENERGY
58 ties of BEV , and the energy generation and distribution network , it is becoming apparent that BEVs are not a panacea for our transport woes . A more holistic approach to this problem requires the overall reduction in the number of vehicles on the road and decarbonisation of the remaining fleet . This will have a direct and immediate impact on vehicle emissions , and decrease the potential peak electricity demand . Moreover , a reduction in traffic volumes on the road network will reduce congestion , resulting in less of a requirement for road building – which will in turn protect natural capital and avoid the embedded carbon emissions associated with road construction .
Reducing motorised travel demand has never been an easy task . There are a multitude of barriers to consumers choosing to make the switch to more sustainable travel which , combined with pushback from the automotive industry , can make it difficult to progress the transition to cleaner transport . The advent of new technology will undoubtedly make this transition smoother – new solutions like mobility-as-a-service ,
“Under real-world driving scenarios BEVs have been found to achieve ~ 80-90 % of their stated range . Such discrepancies increase driver range anxiety ”
Gavin Bailey , Sustainable Future Transport Lead , Eunomia
DECEMBER 2019