This paper describes how electric vehicles are environmentally superior to the alternatives available today, provided that green electricity is used. Apart from hydrogen, electric power is the only way that buses can be powered with energy produced from the sun, wind and water. SL believes thatit is reasonable to assume that battery-powered buses will be technicallyand economically competitive within five to seven years. The authors alsobelieve that electric vehicles in the longer term probably will become markedly cheaper overall compared with the alternatives. It is vital to the market that legislating bodies create forward looking, long-term policies,tax rules and legislation so that industry and vehicle users dare to take the plunge. On global benchmarking the authors have experienced that electric buses already can be trialed to gain experience.
Samenvatting