Comments on: Switched On Scotland Aims To Decarbonise Scottish Transport By 2050

By: Ronald Brakels

Ronald Brakels — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 09:17:00 +0000

As long as people pay to have the CO2 their cars release removed from the atmosphere (and for other externalities) then I don’t mind how long people keep their old jalopies. And with vehicles in the UK having to pay hundreds of pounds in car exise duty per year based upon their emissions a lot of people will get rid of their internal combustion engine cars and either switch to electric cars or rely on self driving taxis which may replace a lot of private transport before too long.

By: Ronald Brakels

Ronald Brakels — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 09:06:00 +0000

Given the ferocity of Scottish current, free adaptors do seem unnecessary. But thanks to the UK doing the opposite of Australia and choosing to have a depression to rival the 1930s, UK wages are so lousy they are now assembling Japanese electric cars for local use which can’t accept UK current. I imagine the free home charging point may have something to do with this development.

By: Omega Centauri

Omega Centauri — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 03:30:00 +0000

100% grant for a home charging point. Thats sounds like a recipe for overpriced charging points. Already I see level two charging stations (hardware only) being advertised for $800, when a fifty dollar plug/cord would do the job instead. We have to be careful to subsidize smartly, otherwise we risk subsidizing inefficiency.

By: JamesWimberley

JamesWimberley — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 19:30:00 +0000

Another Scottish Government mini programme to get brownie PR points. GBP 14m doesn´t buy much.
I like the discounted ferry rates for Mull and Bute, in the very sparsely populated Hebrides. The bulk of the Scottish population (70%) lives in the central belt linking Edinburgh and Glasgow, which are 52 miles apart. In this compact zone EVs are very suitable. They don´t yet make sense in the Highlands and Islands, but Salmond has to make the token gesture.
Still, it´s good a see a cynical professional politician making green points rather than denialist ones.

By: Bob_Wallace

Bob_Wallace — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 19:03:00 +0000

After the last gasmobile is seen in a dealer’s showroom it will still take a couple decades to get all the older ones replaced. Higher operating costs don’t have a huge impact on people who drive few miles and their 2031 Gasmobile will probably still be going in 2051.

But I concur, in general. If we get longer range, affordable EVs by 2020 then ICEVs will be pretty much done for by 2030 and most will be worn out/crushed before 2040.

By: Ross

Ross — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 17:12:00 +0000

With all those incentives and the high probability of further significant improvements in costs and battery technology the 2050 target is ridiculously conservative. Lob twenty years off that.