Sir, – This week in this paper, I noticed another car marque-sponsored article linking SUV-type electric vehicles to the concept of “sustainability” by using well-known Irish public figures as ambassadors.
That this is the third article of its type in as many months is indicative of the motor industry’s efforts to sell the idea that the shift from fossil fuel to battery power makes driving private vehicles now “sustainable”.
Implicit in this concept is the idea that there is now no need to reduce our dependency on privately-owned vehicles – as long as they are electric.
Missing from their advertised “sustainability” credentials is that these vehicles still require lithium, rubber, glass, etc, the sourcing of which results in well-documented environmental damage.
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The trick also lets our policymakers off the hook.
True sustainability with regard to travel will require high level (more so than individual) action – the key components of which are proper planning and investment in effective public transport infrastructure.
– Yours, etc,
JAMES BROWNE,
Co Cavan.