Hit the gas

18 May 2020 By Christopher Thompson

The virus has added pollution fears to climate-change concerns. That should be a boon for electric vehicles when production restarts. But cheap oil makes gas guzzlers look even more economical. State incentives like trading in clunkers for EV discounts would help tip the balance.

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France wants to bolster sales of low-emission cars as part of a support package for the auto sector to be announced over the next two weeks, Reuters reported on May 18, citing comments by the country’s Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire.

Registrations of electric cars in Europe jumped 57.4% in the first quarter of 2020, but still only accounted for 4.3% of total registrations.

Overall sales of passenger cars in the European Union, United Kingdom and countries of the European Free Trade Association fell by 52.9% in the same period, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association on May 12, when many car showrooms shut due to lockdowns to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

With economies facing deep recessions and consumer confidence plunging, analysts fear it could get harder to persuade drivers to embrace battery vehicles.

Context News

Registrations of electric cars in Europe jumped 57.4% in the first quarter of 2020, but still only accounted for 4.3% of total registrations.

With economies facing deep recessions and consumer confidence plunging, analysts fear it could get harder to persuade drivers to embrace battery vehicles.

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