B.C. on front line of electric vehicle revolution
In just 20 years, one in everythree vehicles on British Columbia’s roads could be electric,
according to a primer released by the Pembina Institute today,
coinciding with the start of a four-day electric vehicle conference
in Vancouver.
class=”MsoNormal”>Pembina’s primer explores the air quality and
climate benefits of electric vehicles operated in B.C., as well as
other hot topics, such as charging infrastructure and how the
electricity grid can handle additional demand.
class=”MsoNormal”>Pembina has concluded that if those one million
electric vehicles were on the road today, oil demand would be
reduced by about 12 million barrels per year - more than twice the
amount of oil spilled in the Gulf of Mexico during BP’s Deepwater
Horizon disaster - and the province’s greenhouse gas emissions
would be cut by seven per cent.
class=”MsoNormal”>”“This puts British
Columbians on the front line of a revolution poised to reduce the
world’s dependence on oil,” said Katie Laufenberg, co-author of the
primer and a policy analyst for the Pembina
Institute.
Electric vehicles offer a
tremendous opportunity to transition away from fossil fuels.”
class=”MsoNormal”>B.C. is one of the most promising jurisdictions
in North America for the adoption of electric vehicles for five
reasons:
class=”MsoNormal”>1. More than 93 per cent of the
electricity generated in B.C. comes from renewable sources.
class=”MsoNormal”>2. British Columbians have switched
to hybrid vehicles at double the rate of the Canadian average,
indicating they are ready to adopt green technologies.
class=”MsoNormal”>3. About 95 per cent of all vehicle
trips in B.C.’s urban areas are less than 30 kilometres - ideal for
the battery electric vehicles coming to market in 2011, which can
drive up to 160 kilometres on a single charge.
class=”MsoNormal”>4. B.C. has the most ambitious carbon
tax in North America, which will make electric vehicles powered by
renewable energy increasingly competitive as the tax increases.
class=”MsoNormal”>5. Local governments are implementing
policies, enticing automakers and establishing partnerships to make
B.C. a Canadian leader in electric vehicles.
“Electric vehicles operated in B.C. are a clear
part of the solution to air quality concerns and climate
pollution,” Laufenberg said.
A battery electric vehicle operated in B.C. will
emit 80 per cent fewer greenhouse gas emissions in its lifetime
than a conventional vehicle and will eliminate dangerous tailpipe
pollutants, such as carbon monoxide and particulate matter, which
cause smog and respiratory ailments.
“The future of electric vehicles is looking very
promising, but we won’t get there without governments continuing to
implement policies to make sure the right infrastructure and
incentives are in place,” Laufenberg said.
To that end, Pembina will be working with local
governments in the Lower Mainland this fall to help identify key
actions they can take to encourage the adoption of electric
vehicles.
Download:
Vehicle Primer
