There are some things in life that are inevitable and will happen, no matter what. Add Electric Cars to that list.
There is simply no credible way to address climate change without changing the way we get from here to there, meaning cars, trucks, planes and any other gas-guzzling forms of transportation. That is why it is so heartening to see electric cars, considered curios for the rich or eccentric or both not that long ago, now entering the mainstream.
A slew of recent announcements by researchers, auto companies and world leaders offer real promise. First up, a forecast by Bloomberg New Energy Finance said that electric cars would become cheaper than conventional cars without government subsidies between 2025 and 2030. At the same time, auto companies like Tesla, General Motors and Volvo are planning a slate of new models that they say will be not only more affordable but also more practical than earlier versions. And officials in such countries as France, India and Norway have set aggressive targets for putting these vehicles to use and phasing out emission-spewing gasoline and diesel cars.
The fact that the future economies will have zero dependency on oil, is a reality that current oil-rich countries in the Middle East must accept. And UAE leads the way by recently announcing an incentive plan to boost the popularity and sale of emission-free electric cars. The incentives will also encourage consumers to buy electric vehicles that can save thousands of dirhams to each car owner in fuel and maintenance costs as compared to traditional petrol vehicles.
Unveiled by Suhail Mohammad Faraj Al Mazroui, Minister of Energy, in Dubai, the new national incentive plan is now working with banks, car manufacturers and insurance companies to provide green offers on their products to entice motorists into the electric vehicle (EV) market.
The national plan calls for 10 per cent of car fleets of federal government ministries and agencies to be comprised of electric vehicles to cut greenhouse gases.
Details have yet to be announced but in other countries, government and private sector initiatives are offering incentives such as free or reduced road toll fees, free parking and electricity rebates to encourage traditional petrol-car buyers to plug into the growing EV movement around the world.
Proponents say the growth of electric cars, when combined with the surge in renewable energy sources, like solar and wind, could lead to big reductions in emissions over time. These forces should also help reduce local air pollution in countries like China and India, which is why their leaders are getting behind these technologies in a big way. Government incentives have turned China into the biggest market for electric vehicles. And an Indian government minister says his country wants all cars sold there by 2030 to be electric. France says it wants to end sales of new diesel and gasoline cars by 2040, while Norway’s goal is 2025.
Those of us who have been a witness to life before & after the Internet & Mobile Phones, can now get ready to a future where fuel-run cars will be known as “classic” cars.
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