The utility of the electric car

Journalist Kamal Ahmed moderates this meeting between the Director of New Initiatives of Iberdrola's Innovation and Sustainability Division, Enrique Meroño, and award-winning transport expert Christian Wolmar to debate whether electric vehicles will solve our emissions problems or whether they are just a mirage on the path to green roads.

Transport emissions account for almost a third of global carbon dioxide emissions and while other sectors, such as the energy industry, have reduced emissions over the last three decades, transport emissions are on the rise. Transport is the second most polluting sector in the European Union (EU). 

Electric vehicles are a minority of those on the road, but EU countries have agreed that fossil-fuelled vehicles will be taken off the market from 2030, followed by hybrids five years later.

But some experts warn that electric vehicles are not the solution to all our problems. Emissions from electric vehicle production are, on average, higher than those of traditional cars. This is due to the manufacture of the large lithium-ion batteries needed to power electric vehicles. In addition, their sustainability will depend on where the energy from which they are recharged comes from.

Should we focus on hydrogen fuel cells? Or is upgrading vehicles the wrong solution to a huge problem? Should we encourage people to ditch their cars and use public transport?