The Guardian view on Europe’s struggling EV industry: driving in the slow lane

The Guardian view on Europe’s struggling EV industry: driving in the slow lane | Editorial

Insufficient investment and the withdrawal of subsidies and incentives are damaging a sector that is vital to the green transition

Earlier this year, a French experiment offered a startling glimpse of what progressive green policymaking can achieve. In an effort to boost demand, Emmanuel Macron’s government introduced a social leasing scheme allowing less well-off commuters to pay an affordable monthly rate for a new electric vehicle (EV). Within a month, demand boomed to the extent that the scheme was abruptly suspended. According to ministers, French carmakers couldn’t keep up with the sudden surge of interest.

This autumn, companies such as Renault and Peugeot are facing a different kind of problem. Governments across the EU have withdrawn subsidies and incentives, and are failing to provide reassuring levels of investment in charging infrastructure and grid capacity. As a consequence, EV sales are badly off the pace in the journey to 2035 zero-emission targets. According to new data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, August recorded the fourth consecutive monthly drop in sales. Overall, car sales are at their lowest for three years, with double-digit falls in France, Germany and Italy. Executives at Volkswagen, a symbol of Germany’s industrial prowess, have declared an intention to close domestic factories for the first time in the company’s history.

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The car made pedestrians second-class citizens. Don’t let driverless vehicles push us off the road altogether | Adam Tranter

If we want autonomous tech to succeed it must be designed to share space with us, rather than forcing us to adapt to it Adam Tranter is the co-host of the Streets Ahead podcast. He was formerly West Midlands cycling and walking commissioner under mayor Andy Street This week, the UK government announced its plans to fast-track driverless vehicle trials in the UK. One of the key companies involved noted that London presents a significant challenge: “It has seven times more jaywalkers than San Francisco.” There’s more than one problem with that statement – and it encapsulates so much of what’s already going wrong in the adoption of driverless cars. For a start, “jaywalking” isn’t even a thing in the UK. We thankfully have no such concept or offence. Unlike in many US cities, pedestrians here are free to cross the road wherever they see fit. And thank goodness for that. Adam Tranter is the co-host of the Streets Ahead podcast. He was formerly West Midlands cycling and walking co...

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