If you’ve ever driven Tesla’s flagship vehicle—the $140,000 Model S P100D—you’ve experienced an unparalleled version of driving power. Zero to 60 in 2.3 seconds punches you back in the seat while making the stomach turn somersaults. Some people live for that feeling. I’m not one of them. Sure, driving a fully loaded electric beast is as thrilling as the fiercest roller coaster—but not everyone wants their daily commute to be the Kingda Ka. After taking one of the first drives of Tesla’s new Model 3 last week, I came away thinking that CEO Elon Musk has finally delivered an electric car for the everyday road tripper like me.
Bloomberg 31st July 2017 read more »
Focusing on switching from diesel and petrol vehicles to electric will most likely result in people simply changing the type of heavy box that they drive around our towns and cities in. This should improve air quality as emissions reduce over the long term, but it will do nothing to solve congestion on our streets, and it is a missed opportunity to improve public health. There is no clearer and bigger opportunity to help reduce air pollution than encouraging more people to ride bikes. In 2015, only 2% of trips in England were made by bicycle despite the average length of each trip being only seven miles. Switching from cars to bikes would not only reduce air pollution but solve many of the biggest issues facing our cities and towns. Congestion is getting worse in cities across the UK at a cost to the economy of £11bn a year. While a 3.5 metre-wide single lane can transport 2,000 people an hour in cars, the same lane can be used to transpo rt 14,000 people on bicycles – and this doesn’t even take into account the space saved on parking. With limited space in cities and rising populations, transport planning has to focus on the most efficient way of getting around. While a switch from diesel to electric vehicles will help reduce early deaths associated with air pollution, it will do little to encourage greater physical activity. In England in 2012 only 67% of men and 55% of women met physical activity recommendations, with a similar picture in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Research from the University of Glasgow recently found cycling regularly reduced the incidence of cancer by 45%, heart disease by 46%, and of death by any cause by 41%.
Guardian 31st July 2017 read more »