Norway is bringing its plans for an electric motoring future forward, banning the sale of gas cars from 2025. The extreme cold of a Nordic winter will present challenges for battery cars, as it reduces the range between charges. But industry experts are confident it’s a good move. Electric vehicles account for 79% of all new car sales in Norway. 

Electric vehicles may represent a way for humanity to steward the planet and use resources sensibly, but the hype of “zero emissions” cars and the haste with which governments are banning combustion engines is quite reckless. EVs are not as “green” as climate alarmists often claim, as they are still largely depend on fossil-fuel generated power. That is without even considering the “embodied energy” and human cost of the components. 

But the zeal for “low traffic” cities is running high, so much so that one writer caledl anti-car efforts in the UK a “climate lockdown”. Now that sounds alarmist, but he has a point. 

As it stands, cars may die out all by themselves if trends in the wealthy West continue. Anti-motorist government schemes may be winning the hearts and minds of the young. With fear over climate change and internet shopping reducing the need to drive, the Economist reports that, young people are just not that into cars.