Emissions from new cars reach record low in the UK
Source: The Verge
Electric and hybrid vehicles drove emissions from new cars in the UK down to a record low in 2021, according to new data from a local industry group. But more investments in charging stations and public transport are needed for the UK to meet its goal of cutting emissions by 78 percent by 2035.
Average emissions for new cars fell by more than 11 percent to about 120 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer driven last year, according to UK trade association Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). That means drivers turning to EVs are helping to shrink emissions from the UK’s biggest source of pollution. Transportation — mostly on roads — pumps out more than a quarter of the UK’s annual greenhouse gas emissions.
Zooming out, however, private vehicle sales jumped 64 percent this January compared to January 2021. While sales haven’t yet rebounded to what they were before the pandemic curbed commutes, more cars on the road still means more pollution since a majority of vehicles are still gas-guzzling. Even after the number of battery electric vehicle sales more than doubled year on year in January 2022, they still only made up 12.5 percent of new cars registered in the UK that month.
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LINK:
https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/4/22917801/emissions-new-cars-record-low-uk-electric-vehicles