Electric cars less climate friendly than thought

Citing an Environment Ministry survey, the paper said the drive towards e-mobility will actually worsen climate change at first by expending vast amounts of energy to create the new vehicles and the infrastructure they require.

And although one million electric autos would lower Germany’s transportation greenhouse gas emissions by six percent, a comparable amount of highly fuel-efficient cars running on petrol could cut them by a quarter.

The ministry’s institute behind the survey said the biggest problem was the amount of electricity consumed by e-cars. Only if Germany dramatically ramped up its renewable power production can their impact on the climate be lessened.

The report also said the government’s goal of having one million electric vehicles on Germany’s streets was likely only to be reached a few years after its target of 2020.

The Local/DPA/mry