China’s announcement that it will restrict the sales of petrol and diesel-powered cars is not all it seems, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.
Editor Clive Matthew Wilson, whose groundbreaking 2010 report predicted China’s dominance of the electric car market, says China is more interested in promoting its own car companies than in saving the planet.
“Most of the best-selling cars in China are foreign brands using petrol engines. Chinese car companies currently find it hard to compete, especially in Western countries. However, China is close to being the dominant manufacturer of lithium ion batteries. So, by promoting electric vehicles, China is effectively promoting its own car industry.”
“One of the most tragic delusions of the current age is the idea that electric cars offer salvation from pollution and energy wastage. The sad truth is that electric cars merely change the nature of the pollution and wastage.”
“For example, a large percentage of the current environmental and political catastrophe in the Congo is a direct result of global demand for Cobalt, a key ingredient in Lithium ion batteries used in cellphones and electric cars.”
“Car companies like Tesla want you to believe that the battle is between electric cars and fossil-fuelled cars. Actually, the real battle is between the car industry and public transport.“
“Cars are often the best transport for special trips, such as taking sick kids to a doctor or visiting a farm. However, they’re a lousy form of mass transport. It’s not a question of stopping people driving cars. It’s a question of making public transport so attractive that people reserve their cars for special trips.”
“The electric car lobby effectively wants to replace a car-based world powered by fossil fuels with a car-based world powered by electricity. A car-based world ensures urban sprawl, destruction of productive farmland and massive economic losses caused by traffic jams.”
“The claims that autonomous electric cars will somehow solve traffic jams and prevent accidents are mostly fantasy, virtually without any scientific backing whatsoever.”
Matthew-Wilson, a former motor mechanic, adds:
“I love cars, but I would never willingly use a car for the daily commute, regardless of how it was powered. I’ve had plenty of enjoyable train rides, but a traffic jam is never fun.”
