Electric Car

The electric car is potentially an important contribution to emission reduction. An electric car produces zero carbon based on the engine. However, there is a problem of context. Although an electric car may not produce carbon emissions directly, it may be an indirect source. Issues here include how electricity is produced, population growth, the number of cars, the role of cars as a consumer product and the rate of substitution of electric cars for petrol cars. How these develop will affect whether it is likely that more electric cars result in absolute decoupling instead of just relative decoupling. Absolute decoupling may be defined as . Relative decoupling may be defined as

How electricity is produced.

However one key issue is how is electricity produced.Electric car is not a solution to emissions if the electricity that is produced for the car generates emissions. In Britain 18.5% of electricity is produced by using renewables; the rest of it is based on carbon emissions. Although it is good to have an electric car it does not solve the problem , it just makes it slightly better.

Population growth

If there are more people they might buy more cars because of globalisation and growth of income. Places like China have a huge car market. It good that they are driving electric cars, however comparing it to the past, people did not drive cars at all.Manufacturing process generates emissions.Whilst the car itself produces no emissions, the electricity may produce emissions and the manufacturing process of the car produces emissions.

There are also a status issue.Roles of cars as a consumer product

Electric cars are less than 5% of the global market for cars.Although having an electric car seems good, they are less than 5% of the market