STÉPHANE HERZOG In ten years’ time, Swiss towns and cities may be free from the fine particles and other gas pollution generated by cars that run on petrol and diesel. A new fleet of vehicles, electric this time, will be driving without emitting any CO2. “The literature shows that electric vehicles are the best option currently available in terms of significantly reducing the CO2 emissions associated with private mobility,” states Professor Mario Paolone, who runs the distributed electric systems laboratory at EPFL. Despite Switzerland’s reluctance to legislate on the weight and CO2 emissions of vehicles, the country is advancing in strides. “It is making the transition more quickly than many other European countries,” stresses the expert. This is despite the fact that Norway, which has now achieved over 90 percent electrification, achieved Switzerland’s level in 2014. “Of all vehicles currently on Swiss roads, around 96 percent are petrol, diesel or hybrid vehicles that do not need recharging at an electrical station,” says Laurent Pignot of Touring Club Suisse (TCS). But the growth in e-cars is real. Some 40,173 new electric cars were registered last Electric car sales are booming in Switzerland Sales of electric cars in Switzerland are rising sharply. This trend mirrors that seen in solar energy. Switzerland is subsidising the transition, but is not regulating the sale of electric SUVs. year, up 26.2 percent on 2021, according to the car importers’ association auto-swiss. The market share occupied by electric vehicles was 17.8 percent of new cars in 2022, 13.3 percent in 2021, 8.2 in 2020 and 4.2 in 2019. More efficient, simpler and more economical An electric motor – which has 200 parts – uses one-third of the energy consumed by a vehicle fitted with a combustion engine, which has 2,000 parts. Rising oil prices and the worsening climate crisis are stimulating the transition to electric vehicles. “Only vehicles that emit no CO2 will be eligible for registration in Switzerland from 2035,” states the umbrella organisation Swiss eMobility. The organisation is campaigning for charging infrastructure to be set up across the country urgently. Swiss eMobility is pushing for CO2 emissions to be taken into account in vehicle taxation. This is rarely the case at the moment. Vehicle taxes vary from one canton to another, and they have little impact on the choice of which car people buy. “In France, heavy and higher polluting vehicles are taxed Increased electromobility means greater electricity consumption. This begs the question: how environmentally friendly are charging stations? The one pictured here near Oftringen (canton of Aargau) has a solar panel roof. Photo: Keystone Swiss Review / May 2023 / No.3 18 Nature and the environment
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