What Does Deepwater Horizon Mean for Low Emission Vehicles?

It is coming up to the two month mark since a huge explosion occurred on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that has ended in 11 lives lost and one of the biggest ecological disasters ever seen. The oil has been flowing almost unchecked straight into the Gulf of Mexico with multiple attempts to plug the hole having failed. It seems ever more likely that we will have to wait for relief wells to be completed sometime in mid August before the oil flow can be stopped. Another month of huge quantities of oil (estimates range from 1000 to 25, 000 barrels per day) spilling uncontrolled into a fragile ecosystem is almost unthinkable and not many commentators have dared to mention the possibility of the relief wells not working. Oil has begun to reach the shoreline of the United States with coastal Wildlife Reserves among the casualties.

The public outcry against this situation has been substantial and with the watchful eyes of the world’s Press recording and analysing every individual element nothing has gone unreported. BP’s (who were operating the rig at the time) Chief Executive Tony Hayward has been vilified by the US public and the US President Barack Obama has come under heavy criticism for how he has handled the crisis. The fallout of this tragedy promises to be protracted, you only have to look at how long the Exxon Valdez claims took to clear up (20 years in the courts) with the financial claims taking much longer than the ecosystem recovery to sort out. Some commentators have predicted this could be the downfall of BP and potentially Barack Obama if he doesn’t play his cards very carefully from now on.

Where are EV Trials best Located?

Late last year the Technology Strategy Board announced the 8 winners of its Electric and Ultra Low Emission Vehicle Demonstrator Competition. The lucky winners will receive government funding to trial ULEVs over the next year in locations throughout the UK. The schemes will operate in areas such as London, Birmingham, Glasgow and Newcastle and a quick browse of the list shows that the winners are all located in urban settings.

A question that has been slightly glossed over is whether or not urban locations are the best venues for EV/ULEV trials and eventual roll out. Certainly these areas hold many advantages. Urban dwellers predominately do not have extensive daily range requirements so individuals operating a limited range vehicle (such as an EV) would not have to worry about running out of power. Urban areas have much greater access to the infrastructure necessary to operate these vehicles such as charging points. Collecting the data for the trail will be easier as the users will be situated in a more concentrated area. The early adopters of EV/ULEVs are likely to be urban dwellers themselves who are perceived as being environmentally conscious, socially aspiring and affluent individuals.

Electric Vehicle Incentive Grant to be Scrapped

Some commentators have dubbed the incoming Government coalition between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats as heralding the Age of Austerity for the UK. Spending cuts totalling £6bn have already been announced and it is without doubt that much more will be on the cards if the public deficit and debt burdens are to be reduced. This action is without doubt required, southern Europe has already experienced a sovereign debt crisis last month and financial markets are looking very unnerved. If the UK Government does not take action to curb the deficit (which stands at £156bn this tax year) then Government debt repayments could amount to more than £70bn per year.

People are obviously very keen to find out exactly where the axe will fall. Education and the NHS appear to have their funding ring-fenced with David Cameron’s commitment not to cut essential services. We may have to wait until the emergency budget is announced by George Osborne on June the 22nd before we know exactly the scope of the reductions but speculation is rampant. The £5000 incentive grant earmarked to come online in January next year to assist consumers in purchasing a Electric or Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle has been muted as a likely victim of the new regime.