Summarised by Centrist
According to Alan Lovell, chairman of the Environment Agency, electric cars pollute waterways more than traditional petrol or diesel vehicles—thanks to their extra weight.
The heavier the car, the more particles and microplastics are worn off from tyres, which eventually make their way into rivers.
EVs weigh an average of about 150 kg more than their petrol counterparts. That means they contribute disproportionately to the nearly 20% of England’s river pollution, which comes from road run-off. Much of this excess is attributed to EV tyre wear.
Lovell warned, “People are worried about tyres now, and electric vehicles, ironically, are worse for that because of their weight.”
However, experts suggest that battery technology will improve, making future EVs lighter and potentially closing the gap between electric and petrol cars in terms of river pollution.
Meanwhile, the UK government continues pushing for zero-emission vehicle sales to meet net zero targets. By 2035, all new vehicles sold in the UK must be zero-emission.
Vertu Motors CEO Robert Forrester argues that a ‘state-imposed supply chain’ prevents manufacturers from meeting customer demand.
“It’s as though we can’t provide the cars people are asking for, but we have an abundance of cars they may not want,” he said, adding that manufacturers are limiting petrol cars to avoid government penalties.
