Electric cars, one of the biggest problems of the West. Between the pages of his book The Big Green Lie, the well-known journalist and television host Nicola Porro launches harsh accusations against the ecological transition. In his opinion, it constitutes nothing more than a bubble, based more on dogmatic questions, without looking at the reality of the facts. According to supporters of the change, electric cars should represent the present and future of mobility, with combustion vehicles destined for oblivion within a few years. However, green fundamentalism still leaves many perplexed, clashing with everyday life and concrete data, aimed at suggesting a different reality.
Petrol and diesel vehicles on the rise
The full electric boom remains a utopia, while registrations of petrol and diesel vehicles are increasing almost throughout the entire Old Continent. Also and above all for this reason several manufacturers have decided to slow down the pace, after having proclaimed great plans. Take, as a reference, the case of Mercedes, where first Olä Kallenius, CEO of Stella, announced the dawn of a new era, only to then partially recant. Yes, the transition will take place, but at a gradual pace. Sharply cutting internal combustion vehicles from the range would mean losing several customers.
Indeed, the production of ICE engines could moving forward beyond 2030, based on various variables. However, if demand requires it, they will leave room for classic power systems. This applies mainly to developing markets, characterized by a poor diffusion of BEV charging infrastructures. This does not mean that, by 2025, all new architectures will be 100% electric, and the idea is to offer a complete battery-powered product portfolio.
A light of hope filters through
Battery-powered cars have received little reception in Italy. Some timid signs arrived on Monday, when the eco-bonuses for electric cars sold out in a few hours. Attracted by the generous benefits granted by the Government, up to 13,750 with scrapping and ISEE income of less than 30,000 euros, many have expressed interest. But it is also true that, if we examine the ranking of the best-selling cars in May 2024, it remains a niche.
Although elsewhere things are a little better, the example of Norway It’s a story in itself, at least in the Old Continent. Because local politics moved well ahead of its neighbors. Already in the 1990s it had begun to support local small and medium-sized businesses to invest in electric cars. It is not a “miracle” that the vehicles on tap are numerically superior to their traditional counterparts, but it was the result of thirty years of work.
Elsewhere the situation is different and our peninsula is a clear demonstration of this. In 2023, Ferrari sold 13,663 examples, generating a turnover of 6 billion euros. Put another way, it placed more than 1,100 units per month. In the same period, Stellantis sold just 100 electric Fiat 500s across the country in April. Alarming figures, especially considering that it is one of our most popular zero-emission small cars.
