Scotland must not lose lead on electric vehicles
4 January 2010
Call to make 2010 the year Scotland powers ahead with electric vehicles
During 2010 Scotland must not be allowed to lose the lead it currently enjoys in the development of electric vehicles, business and environmental groups said today (Monday 4 Januray 2010).
Glasgow-based maker of electric vehicles, Allied Vehicles, and Dundee-based lithium-ion battery manufacturer, Axeon, today joined environmental group WWF Scotland in calling upon the Scottish Government to do all that it could during 2010 to deliver the widespread and rapid take up of electric vehicles north of the border.
The three organisations welcomed the ambition shown by Scottish Ministers so far, but warned that with emissions from road transport still rising and Scotland’s world-leading climate legislation to deliver on that there is no roon for delay in this area of policy.
The Scottish Government is expected to publish the results of its Low Carbon Vehicle consultation during Spring 2010.
WWF Scotland's Climate Policy Officer, Dr Sam Gardner, said:
"Scotland once had the lead in clean wind power, but lost it. Scotland currently has a lead in clean electric vehicles, but will lose that too unless we see a rapid stepping up of plans to encourage the widespeard use of this technology. We urge Ministers to do everything in their power to enable the rapid roll-out of electric vehicles throughout Scotland. 2010 is the year we must get things moving on electric vehicles in Scotland.
"Alongside measures to get people out of their cars, a switch to electric vehicles is going to be an essential part of tackling climate change. Scotland needs to embrace electric vehicles and start planning the infrastructure needed to make it happen.”
Allied Electric's Managing Director, Paul Nelson, said:
"The use of electric vehicles is paramount to the reduction of carbon emissions, these vehicles produce zero emissions in congested city centres and fewer emissions overall. EV’s can also be powered by green energy sources meaning there’s an opportunity for Scotland to become a leader in the production of electricity from renewable sources and using this power to operate electric vehicles.
“It is essential that we fight to hold on to the lead we have worked hard to gain as it has the potential to create hundreds of much needed manufacturing jobs which are now few and far between as a result of the ecomomic crisis.”
Lawrence Berns, CEO of Axeon said:
“Axeon, headquartered in Dundee, is Europe’s foremost producer of Lithium-ion battery packs for electric vehicles and is currently the UK’s market leader in large commercial vehicle battery technology. Axeon’s battery and charger systems are designed and manufactured to exacting automotive standards in Scotland, drawing on many years of battery experience. Axeon expect electric vehicles to be an essential part of tackling climate change and would strongly support Scottish Government initiatives to accelerate the adoption of this technology during 2010.”
WWF Scotland is currently undertaking research looking at the emissions savings from different levels of future electric vehicle use and the associated infrastructure needs.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
[1] Allied Electric is part of the Allied Vehicles Group. Established in 1993, Allied now employs over 300 people and is the UK's leading specialist vehicle manufacturer, producing a wide range of accessible cars, MPVs and minibuses.
With an annual turnover of £55 million, Allied's 20-acre manufacturing plant, based in Glasgow, has recently been expanded with the addition of a new, 100,000 square feet assembly plant adjacent to the existing production facilities.
http://www.alliedelectric.co.uk
Allied press contact - Natalie McClure on 0141 336 1162 Axeon is Europe’s foremost producer of Li-ion battery packs and systems for electric vehicles (EVs) and is currently the UK’s market leader in large commercial vehicle battery technology. Axeon’s automotive battery and charger systems are designed and manufactured to exacting automotive standards, drawing on many years of battery experience. Currently Axeon’s EV batteries have a range of up to 140 miles from a single charge and with stored capacity ranging from 5 kWh to 180 kWh.
Axeon’s Battery Management System is a market-leading technology for managing lithium-ion batteries, delivering safe, durable performance.
Axeon is fully owned by AG Holding Ltd, which is backed by funds managed by Ironshield Capital Management LLP.
http://www.axeon.com/
Axeon press contact: Rebecca Trengove, 01382 400040
[2] The Scottish Government's consultation:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/06/25103442/0
[3] In 2008 WWF published a report showing that cars can remain part of a low-carbon, sustainable transport solution, but only if they are powered by electricity from the grid rather than oil.
'Plugged in: the End of the Oil Age' found that vehicles running solely or partly on electricity supplied from the grid are significantly more efficient and may emit fewer greenhouse gases than many so-called "alternative fuels", even when that electricity is mostly produced using fossil fuels. However, the development of less polluting power generation and more use of renewable energies make it certain that the comparative efficiency and pollution advantages of plug-in transport solutions will improve into the future.
Electric vehicles can be four times more efficient than their internal combustion counterparts. In a conventional mechanical vehicle, only 18-23 per cent of the energy contained in the fuel is converted into motion, whereas electric vehicles make use of up to 75 per cent of electricity taken from the grid.
http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/plugged_in_report.pdf
