VANCOUVER, B.C. - In just 20 years, one
in every three vehicles on British Columbia's roads could be electric,
according to a primer released by the Pembina Institute today, coinciding with
the start of a four-day electric vehicle conference in Vancouver.
Pembina's primer
explores the air quality and climate benefits of electric vehicles operated in
B.C., as well as other hot topics, such as charging infrastructure and how the
electricity grid can handle additional demand.
Pembina has concluded
that if those
one million electric vehicles were on the road today, oil demand would be
reduced by about 12 million barrels per year - more than twice the amount of
oil spilled in the Gulf of Mexico during BP's Deepwater Horizon disaster - and
the province's greenhouse gas emissions would be cut by seven per cent.
"This
puts British Columbians on the front line of a revolution poised to reduce the
world's dependence on oil," said Katie Laufenberg, co-author of the primer and
a policy analyst for the Pembina Institute. "Electric vehicles offer a
tremendous opportunity to transition away from fossil fuels."
B.C. is
one of the most promising jurisdictions in North America for the adoption of
electric vehicles for five reasons:
1. More than 93 per cent of the
electricity generated in B.C. comes from renewable sources.
2. British Columbians have
switched to hybrid vehicles at double the rate of the Canadian average,
indicating they are ready to adopt green technologies.
3. About 95 per cent of all vehicle
trips in B.C.'s urban areas are less than 30 kilometres - ideal for the battery
electric vehicles coming to market in 2011, which can drive up to 160
kilometres on a single charge.
4. B.C. has the most ambitious
carbon tax in North America, which will make electric vehicles powered by
renewable energy increasingly competitive as the tax increases.
5. Local governments are
implementing policies, enticing automakers and establishing partnerships to
make B.C. a Canadian leader in electric vehicles.
"Electric vehicles operated in B.C. are a clear part of the
solution to air quality concerns and climate pollution," Laufenberg said.
A battery electric vehicle operated in B.C. will emit 80 per
cent fewer greenhouse gas emissions in its lifetime than a conventional vehicle
and will eliminate dangerous tailpipe pollutants, such as carbon monoxide and
particulate matter, which cause smog and respiratory ailments.
"The future of electric vehicles is looking very promising,
but we won't get there without governments continuing to implement policies to
make sure the right infrastructure and incentives are in place," Laufenberg
said.
To that end, Pembina will be working with local governments
in the Lower Mainland this fall to help identify key actions they can take to
encourage the adoption of electric vehicles.
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The
Pembina Institute is a non-partisan sustainable energy think tank.
Download: Electric Vehicle Primer
Contact:
Katie Laufenberg
Researcher and Technical Analyst, Corporate Consulting Services
Pembina Institute
Phone: 604-724-7098
