Sales of Gas Cars Must End by 2035 to Meet Climate Goals, Study Says
Stringent climate goals will require big changes
Kelly LinWriter
Sales of Gas Cars Must End by 2035 to Meet Climate Goals, Study Says
Stringent climate goals will require big changes
Kelly LinWriter
Electric cars make up a tiny percentage of the global car market, but that will have to change soon. Automakers must stop selling gas-powered cars by 2035 to achieve climate goals established at the Paris summit last year, reportsReuters.
World leaders came together last December to limit temperature increases to "well below" 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit over the pre-industrial era, and they have been working on an even stricter limit of 2.7 degrees. To achieve this more stringent goal, sales of gasoline and diesel cars must cease by "roughly 2035," the Climate Action Tracker concluded in a new study. And 2050 should mark the end of the gasoline car altogether, with the last fossil fuel cars being phased out of operation.
Along with putting more clean vehicles on the road, the climate monitoring group says companies will need to focus on generating electricity without power based on fossil fuels. Unfortunately, many automakers aren't prepared to give up on gasoline so quickly. Toyota has vowed to cut emissions by only 90 percent by 2050, for example. Meanwhile, electric vehicles still face plenty of challenges before they become mainstream.
"Electric vehicles are still more expensive to purchase than other cars, and policy projections still only see a share of around 5 percent of electric vehicles in the total European Union, China, and U.S. fleets by 2030," the CAT said in its report. Meanwhile, Norway is ahead of the game, with plug-in vehicles making up about a quarter of the auto sales in that country.
Source: Reuters
When I tell people I write about cars, the most common reply I receive is “Really?” I guess I never strike people as a car type as I drive down the freeway in the right lane going 60 mph in my old SUV. My gripes about driving in city traffic and fast drivers don’t help my case, either. For a time, the only cars I liked were old cars. Not old as in "classic" or "vintage," but as in well-worn. My first appreciation of cars came when I drove a very old Ford pickup. It wasn't perfect: I used a booster seat to reach the gas pedal, and the turn signal once fell off in my hand as I was learning to drive. But the thing I valued most was the memories. It took several years for me to truly become a "car person." Being a long-time writer and an avid reader has helped me develop a healthy curiosity and a desire to know how things work. This has made cars one of the most fascinating points of study for me because they are such intricate machines. I am interested in how cars can reach 200 mph, how they can run on hydrogen, and how they can drive and park on their own. I also enjoy learning how cars can solve problems whether it be in the form of reducing pollution, minimizing traffic, or helping people stay connected on the road. Yes, maybe I’m not a gearhead. Perhaps I’m a car nerd. Either way, I very much enjoy writing about cars and helping people stay in tune with the automotive industry. I wouldn't want to be writing about anything else. And don’t get me wrong: I know how to drool over a hot car. I am fascinated by the Tesla Model S, awed by the Lamborghini Veneno, and am hopelessly obsessed with the Audi R8.
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When I tell people I write about cars, the most common reply I receive is “Really?” I guess I never strike people as a car type as I drive down the freeway in the right lane going 60 mph in my old SUV. My gripes about driving in city traffic and fast drivers don’t help my case, either. For a time, the only cars I liked were old cars. Not old as in "classic" or "vintage," but as in well-worn. My first appreciation of cars came when I drove a very old Ford pickup. It wasn't perfect: I used a booster seat to reach the gas pedal, and the turn signal once fell off in my hand as I was learning to drive. But the thing I valued most was the memories. It took several years for me to truly become a "car person." Being a long-time writer and an avid reader has helped me develop a healthy curiosity and a desire to know how things work. This has made cars one of the most fascinating points of study for me because they are such intricate machines. I am interested in how cars can reach 200 mph, how they can run on hydrogen, and how they can drive and park on their own. I also enjoy learning how cars can solve problems whether it be in the form of reducing pollution, minimizing traffic, or helping people stay connected on the road. Yes, maybe I’m not a gearhead. Perhaps I’m a car nerd. Either way, I very much enjoy writing about cars and helping people stay in tune with the automotive industry. I wouldn't want to be writing about anything else. And don’t get me wrong: I know how to drool over a hot car. I am fascinated by the Tesla Model S, awed by the Lamborghini Veneno, and am hopelessly obsessed with the Audi R8.
Read More