Emission targets add urgency to development of electric cars

Prime Minister’s vision of complete conversion to electric cars by 2040 could happen

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A small light-blue car moves almost soundlessly along the asphalt at Technopolis in Espoo.
      The vehicle is the “Think City”, an electric car designed in Norway.
      Think City has two seats, an electric engine with an energy output of 30 kilowatts, and a battery that gives it a range of 180 kilometres, when charged.
     
The first Think City cars to be assembled in Finland are expected to come off the production line at the Valmet Automotive plant in Uusikaupunki at the end of the year.
      The cars retail at between EUR 20,000 and 25,000, plus taxes.
      In the coming decades, more Finns than before will be driving a Think City and other similar models.
      Finland has committed itself to the European Union’s goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020.
     
In a fresh government report on the future, Finland’s goal of emission cuts is 80 per cent by 2050.
      One way to reduce total emissions from transport involves cars that run on electricity or biological fuels.
      Developing the technology is the Trans Eco five-year research programme of the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT). The programme was launched at a seminar in Espoo on Wednesday.
     
Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) has spoken on behalf of electric cars, and according to his prediction, most cars operating in 2040 will run on electricity.
      VTT research professor Nils-Olof Nylund does not consider it impossible to reach the goal. However, he feels that the aim of under which 25 per cent of all cars would run on electricity, and that 40 per cent of them would have electricity as its only power source, as somewhat optimistic.
      “Ten to twenty per cent would be a more accurate estimate”, Nylund says.
     
The greatest obstacle to having more electric cars is the high price.
      “Fully electric cars are also not suitable for use as a family’s only car, or for long drives to the summer cabin”, Nylund says.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finnish greenhouse emissions within Kyoto protocol framework (5.10.2009)
  Climate change could lead to darker winters in Helsinki (22.9.2009)
  Uusikaupunki car plant to begin manufacturing electric vehicles later this year (28.8.2009)
  Finland aims at 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (16.10.2009)

See also:
  Prime Minister Vanhanen wants more electric cars on Finnish roads (6.8.2008)

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