While the COP26 on climate started last week, 20 minutes is interested in the transport sector. In France, it represents
31% of greenhouse gas emissions. And half of these emissions are from vehicles driven by individuals. In this context, the transition to electric vehicles appears to be an effective lever for decarbonizing this sector, on condition that at the same time the use of the car is rethought.
The latest figures available show strong growth in electric cars. In September 2021, they represented 12.7% of new vehicle sales, against only 2.5% in September 2019. However, France is far from making the weight against Norway, where 71% of new vehicles are electric. 20 minutes therefore explore some avenues that could accelerate this transition.
Tighten legislation on heat engines
Still in Norway, the sale of new combustion vehicles, heavily taxed, will be banned from 2025. In France, this target has been set at… 2040. A period that is far too long in the eyes of some NGOs, such as the Nicolas Hulot Foundation (FNH).
In an analysis published in 2019, she recalled that “to be consistent with the end of the use of fossil fuels in 2050, this end of sale must occur from 2030, the vehicles having a lifespan ranging from fifteen to twenty years”.
France could nevertheless soon find itself under pressure. Indeed, the new European Union climate policy (“Fit for 55”) provides for a ban on sales of thermal vehicles – including plug-in hybrids – in 2035, five years before the national target. A delay that makes French car manufacturers cringe, who highlight the risk for employment in the event of a too rapid transition. Emmanuel Macron is not insensitive to their arguments, since he announced
want to negotiate an exemption for sales of plug-in hybrids after 2035.
Maintain purchasing aid for electrics
Currently, the cost of purchasing an electric vehicle is often higher than that of its thermal counterpart, even if the ratio is reversed when looking at the cost of use over several years. Thereby, According to a UFC Que-Choose survey, an average electric vehicle (type Tesla Model 3, Peugeot e-208) saves around 7,000 euros over four years compared to a petrol competitor, including all expenses (purchase, fuel, maintenance, etc.).
However, the price displayed in the dealership can often put off potential buyers. Currently, the State grants a bonus of 6,000 euros for the purchase of a new electric vehicle, which will be reduced to 5,000 euros in the summer of 2022, without guarantee of extension for the following years. For the UFC Que-Choisir, this bonus must be maintained at least until 2025. According to the association, it will in fact be from this date that small electric vehicles (such as Renault Zoé) will be competitive in terms of costs. compared to thermals.
Continue the deployment of charging stations
“(The deployment of charging stations) is a subject that is linked to the autonomy of vehicles,” recalls Clément Molizon, deputy general manager at Avere (National Association for the development of electric mobility). If you have a well-developed charging network, you can afford to have vehicles with less range, and therefore smaller batteries, which reduces the cost of the car ”.
Currently, France has 49,586 recharging points “open to the public”, and the executive has promised to reach 100,000 by the end of the year. The other objective will be to equip all the motorway areas with fast charging stations by the end of 2022. “This will be an important point, especially when leaving on vacation,” notes Clément Molizon.
The electric car: a false good solution for the climate?
All these solutions should not make people forget that the electrification of vehicles only represents part of the climate issue on mobility. Indeed, the production of electric cars still emits a lot of CO2 : the main reason being that the batteries are mainly manufactured in Asia, and that factories on this continent use electricity often produced from coal. In addition, if the vehicle is used in a country that is not very developed in renewable energies, its recharging will also consume – indirectly – CO2. Finally, the extraction of ores (nickel, cobalt) required for batteries often generates soil and water pollution near production sites.
Asked by The cross in 2019, Guillaume Pitron, author of the book The war of rare metals finally recalled that the simple replacement of vehicles would not be enough in the fight against global warming. “It is our modes of travel that must be reviewed: favor public transport, but also act against urban sprawl, promote teleworking … A large part of the response to pollution will also and above all come from our individual and collective behavior. “.