Getting from A to B

GETTING FROM A TO B

ELECTRIC VEHICLES (EVS) DON’T EMIT ANY EMISSIONS AND WITH RESIDENTIAL SOLAR PANELS BECOMING MORE POPULAR IT’S POSSIBLE TO CHARGE YOUR CAR WITH GREEN ENERGY TOO.

Jim O’Sullivan, chief executive of Highways England, has stated that classic cars could be banned from main roads in 30 years’ time.

The reason? Classic cars driven by real people and susceptible to human error, will become “hazardous” to motorists in Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven vehicles that can communicate with each other. But are electric cars really the safe and green ride we’ve been promised, or should we instead be looking to hydrogen vehicles?

Many cities and fleet operators are planning a switch to electric. Environmental concerns are key: for instance, London has some of the highest levels of air pollution in the country and is activly engaging with residents and businesses to combat this (see pages 34 and 35). The Corporation of London is rolling out a series of initiatives that include electric vehicle charging infrastructure for residents, restricted access of polluting vehicles to some of its worst-affected streets, and rapid electric charge points for taxis.

When we consider that outside pollution contributes to up to 40,000 premature deaths in the UK each year i , plans such as these can have significant impact upon the health of a city. In the race to ease our collective guilty conscience and embrace new technology, many have been attracted to the clean promise of electric vehicles. Amongst other benefits, we are told that they are efficient and good for the environment.

Electric vehicles produce no emissions, and are proving increasingly popular with more sold every year. There are many reasons for this; free road tax, government subsidies, going green, but despite this they are still vastly outnumbered by fossil fuel powered cars. It takes a long time to recharge an electric car, and people are considering how the electric used for recharging has been generated. There are also increasing concerns about how the materials for the batteries were obtained. Mining operations in China and South America where the elements required are most abundant have been beset by accusations of human-rights abuses, and detrimental impact of mining on the environment. Manufacturing businesses being more aware of these issues and expecting more accountability from their suppliers is improving the situation.

Just like their electric cousins, hydrogen vehicles are emission-free. However, unlike electric vehicles, they do not use batteries. Instead, hydrogen is stored in a tank with oxygen and converted into electrical energy, which powers the motor. This means that hydrogen vehicles are free from the environmental and human impact ramifications of battery-equipped electric cars.

Around since 2003, hydrogen-powered cars may have been dismissed by the likes of Elon Musk, but they are gaining ground in popularity. Honda and Hyundai have launched hydrogen models, and Mercedes will be releasing theirs next year. Japan has announced plans to put 40,000 hydrogen vehicles on the road by 2023, while Germany aims to provide 400 refuelling stations for hydrogen-powered cars by 2025.

There is no need to be concerned about safety in your new hydrogen car, either – tests have shown that the fuel tanks are so secure that they can even survive being shot or set on fire.

While we note that electric cars are more expensive than traditional vehicles, there are government grants of up to £4,500 that can mitigate some of the burden. Some of the cheapest options cost under £20K, while the cheapest hydrogen fuel cell car comes in at £53K.

Another downside is that the process of creating hydrogen fuel is energy-intensive, and the hydrogen itself comes from natural gas – a fossil fuel. However, as the technology catches up, they will no doubt become more efficient and more affordable. The range and speed of refuelling a hydrogen car would certainly be more appealing to those with long distances to travel, such as drivers of taxis or freight vehicles.

As we might imagine, when it comes to vehicle manufacturing, no option is completely green – though each will surely discover its own niche. In a recent survey by KPMG ii , car manufacturers predict that there will be equal interest in hybrid, petrol, electric and hydrogen vehicles by 2040. It will be interesting to note the level of government investment in the infrastructure needed for charging and refuelling points, in order to encourage people to make a switch. In conclusion, we are more considerate of our environment, and technology is catching up with our needs, becoming cheaper and more accessible in the process. With the future of zeroemission cars seeming certain (although perhaps not signalling a total extinction of traditional petrol cars), we can all look forward to a future with cleaner air and healthier cities.

NOW, WHERE DID I PARK THAT HOVER-CAR?