Brussels, 21/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - The Socialist Group at the European Parliament is deeply interested in developing electric cars, as it highlighted in a conference on the subject held on Tuesday 20 September. The S&D coordinator within the transport and tourism committee, Saïd El Khadraoui (Belgium), underlined that electrification of the fleet of cars was a priority for achieving a different sort of mobility. This is all the more necessary as the White Paper for transport has set an objective of cutting the number of traditional cars in towns by 50% over the next 20 years, and for their total disappearance in towns by 2050.
The conference dedicated to this subject allowed experts from the motor industry (Volvo), smart transport systems (ERTICO - ITS Europe), and an environmental NGO (Transport and Environment) to express their views. All agreed that the technology is moving forward to meet consumer expectations. It would allow petrol to be no longer needed, and would have the potential of providing solutions to pollution, especially in towns, if electricity is generated in a sustainable manner. However, a transfer towards electric cars will not resolve the problems of congestion on the roads and its promotion must therefore not be to the detriment of public transport or bicycles. Furthermore, the infrastructure for recharging car batteries must be set in place (but in what form, and will it be interoperable?). Finally, prosecution costs remain high, which puts a brake on consumer enthusiasm and makes electric cars a luxury that Europe cannot afford in times of crisis.
The challenges to be raised could be dealt with at European level, said El Khadraoui, who asserted that everything must be done to promote electric cars. He explained that the EU can do a great deal by, for example, exchanging best practice or making it an obligation for towns or member states to establish a plan. However, he went on, this must be part of a broader mobility policy - electric cars are not the solution. They are part of the solution. (MD/transl.jl)