Will Lockdown's Lower Pollution Levels Lead To Higher Demand For EVs?

[TMC Staff]

Once people recognize the positive side effect of lockdown, they might start thinking about emissions and EVs. According to a survey of 3,000 users of YourParkingSpace.co.uk in the UK, the lower levels of emissions during the coronavirus lockdown might increase consumer interest in electric vehicles. The reason is simple – people spotted higher air quality...
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[MXLRplus]

At this point in time, EVs still cost more than their gasoline counterparts, except now gasoline is cheaper and all cars are in surplus with heavy discounts.

C19 hurt EV adoption more than helped it.

 

[DonLafferty]

No. Many people will say "now that the air has been cleaned up we can pollute some more".

Not EV people but ICE people.

 

[Sertis]

Higher demand? No, people are even poorer after covid blows over, and not investing into EVs unless they were already in a market for it. So you're more likely to see a reduction in EV purchases than if Covid had not occurred. On the other hand, it's more likely that governments will use the environmental impact measurements to further incentivize EVs or legislate out ICE faster since this was a once in a lifetime controlled experiment in a sense.

 

[Mikedrives]

It's a time a lot of places are trying out tactical urbanism with some changes to the urban landscape- cheap temporary changes that may or may not become permanent. All around the world, cities have had to make sidewalks wider (temporarily) to allow for social distancing and have added bike lanes since public transport is down. Some temporary bike lanes have already been made permanent, and a lot of places have closed streets as pedestrian access only. Seattle is turning 20 miles of residential streets into pedestrian and bike access only.
One epidemiologist calculated that the number of lives saved by the diminished pollution in Beijing was greater than the numbers lost to the virus.

 

[jboy210]

I would hope this would lead to change. Here is the Bay Area the air has been amazingly clear. On the news they show shots of mountains many miles away that people have never seen from their homes because of pollution. It confirms our decision to go all EV last year, and will guide us to replace our 3 and X with other EVs in the future.

 

[Merrill]

Unfortunately most people have a short memory and will go back to business as usual, with gas prices so low that also makes it difficult for some to transition to an EV. I tend to be optimistic and hope we see some change, this should be a wake up call for everyone.

 

[TechOps]

No, lockdown will lead to lower gas prices, which will lead to less demand for EVs.

Tesla getting the battery pack price per kWh under $60-80 will lead to very inexpensive vehicles, which will lead to more demand for EVs.

 

[Big Dog]

Not a chance. COVID changed the whole need for owning a car. Folks that can will work from home, perhaps half-time. Gas is really cheap right now in the US. (Remember, the survey was done in the UK, where gas is still rather expensive.) People have been laid off so they have no money to be purchasing a car. And EV's still cost more than their ICE counterparts. Even when they go back to work, the Consumer psyche -- on which purchased decisions are based -- will be low for a few years.

 

[Brando]

Just speculations.

2020 seems burning fossil fuel is down, right? So CO2 in our atmosphere the curve has flattened, yes?

Yet, temperatures continue to climb, right? (100F/38C near arctic circle - could be monitoring - we just never monitored before)
We haven't been using Satellites for centuries, so our historical data is not very complete. Just variation?

More Forest fires this year?? world wide ?? Fire season just starting. We shall see how the fires trend this year.

[Bugs and Birds seem downward trend in developed countries - seems true in Northwest US (Washington State) where I live.]

So much we really don't fully understand how about most any complex systems.

 

[ggr]

Just speculations.

2020 seems burning fossil fuel is down, right? So CO2 in our atmosphere the curve has flattened, yes?

Not noticeably, no. Measurably, yes, but it's still rising.

Yet, temperatures continue to climb, right? (100F/38C near arctic circle - could be monitoring - we just never monitored before)
We haven't been using Satellites for centuries, so our historical data is not very complete. Just variation?

The temperature is rising because of cumulative effects. We would have to actually remove CO2 from the atmosphere before the temperature would stop rising. Not just reduce the rate.

More Forest fires this year?? world wide ?? Fire season just starting. We shall see how the fires trend this year.

I was flying to Big Bear Lake in Southern California to pick up an urgent blood delivery about a month ago, and spotted a forest fire that had just started. Reported it, they responded very quickly. By the time I was flying out again there was already a team arriving.