April 4th 2024
FairCharge publish ‘Little Book of EV Myths’ to battle misinformation
FairCharge the electric vehicle advocacy group founded by motoring journalist Quentin Willson has published a booklet which address and dismisses 21 classic myths surrounding EVs.
When he spoke at our National Air Quality Conference last November, Quentin addressed the problem of misinformation, the selective use of information and anti-EV sentiment, citing one tabloid which managed to published anti-EV stories for 196 consecutive days.
In its 2024 report on EV strategy, The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee noted that there had been ‘a concerted campaign of misinformation about EVs in recent months.’
The new book has been put together with support from the RAC, the SMMT, Zap Map, Tesla, Carbon Brief, International Council on Clean Transportation and the Association of British Insurers. It was launched at the recent Everything Electric Show in London.
In its introduction, the book discusses the source of many of these myths. A lack of proper understanding of the technologies, a perceived threat to people’s freedom, well-funded vested interests and the fact that EVs have become politicised. ‘ Electric cars will be the biggest energy disruptor of this century, ‘ it says, ‘so we shouldn’t be surprised why so many dislike the idea of such a profound transition.’
Highlights of some of the myth-busting include:
EV batteries don’t last! Most car makers now offer eight-year, 100,000-mile battery warranties on EVs – that’s a greater warranty cover than on an internal combustion engine.
EVs regularly catch fire! In America, data from the National Transportation Safety Board reported that battery-powered vehicles suffer 25 fires for every 100,000 sold, compared to 1,530 fires for petrol vehicles.
EVs have short ranges! According to the The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, the average real-world range of an EV in the UK in 2023 is 236 miles, meaning the average motorist will be able to drive for two weeks on a single charge.
The mining of materials for EV batteries is very bad for the environment! The Energy Transition Commission’s 2023 report ‘Material and Resource Requirements for the Energy Transition’ stated the cumulative global emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases from battery mining and the production of solar panels and wind turbines over the next 30 years will, in total, add up to between 15 to 35 gigatonnes of CO2. Less than the 40 gigatonnes that global fossil fuel energy extraction emits every year.
EV tyres cause high levels of particulate pollution! In 2021 a report by Dr Euan McTurk, commissioned by the RAC, concluded that tyre wear is determined more by driving style than weight and that fleet owners found that the tyres on their EVs wore down at a ‘broadly similar rate to ICE cars’.