“Car companies may be on different paths when it comes to brand, design, and business strategies, and some won’t even admit that the road to the future is electric,” says Fredrika Klarén, Polestar’s head of sustainability.
“I believe it is, and that the climate crisis is a shared responsibility, and we must look beyond tailpipe emissions. This report makes clear the importance of acting now and together.
“There’s a clear cost to inaction, but there’s also a financial opportunity for innovators who find new answers to the challenges we face.”
- Lever 1: Fully switch to BEVs across the entire global car fleet.
- Lever 2: Fully powering the exclusive BEV fleet with fossil-free energy.
- Lever 3: Deliver significant advances in sustainable production and manufacturing.
In a statement on the report, Climate Council senior researcher Dr Carl Tidemann said: “This trajectory should be a stark warning to the car industry, especially to those manufacturers popular here at home where we remain a dumping ground for their polluting petrol and diesel cars.”
“Cars and light commercial vehicles alone make up over 60 per cent of Australia’s transport pollution. This is largely due to our petrol-guzzling cars which produce up to 40 percent more carbon dioxide than their European counterparts.”
Dr Tidemann also commented on the urgency for policy makers to encourage Australians to move away from car ownership completely.
“Transforming how we get around is also critical, because electrifying cars will not entirely cut transport emissions. Far too many Australians are reliant on cars because our public and active transport infrastructure isn’t up to scratch.
“Investment in clean public and active transport options to give Australians more reliable and affordable travel options must be part of the solution.”
Daniel Bleakley is a clean technology researcher and advocate with a background in engineering and business. He has a strong interest in electric vehicles, renewable energy, manufacturing and public policy.