The Swedes are driving more than they have since 1999, and the government is now encouraging the use of electric cars because of it. In 2017 alone, the country’s citizens drove 68 billion kilometers collectively – the rough equivalent of 1.7 million circumnavigations around the globe. Swedish authorities were alarmed when this report came out as it is not sustainable, leads to gridlocks on Sweden’s streets, and causes a lot of noise in the capital and other big cities. Different initiatives like the Stockholm congestion charge are addressing the problem and simultaneously helping improve air quality. Stockholm also announced its ambition to become a leading clean vehicle city by 2030 by encouraging the use of electric vehicles.
A Better Future
Electric car sales around the country have experienced a surge – a good sign not only for Stockholm, but for Sweden as a whole. Electric vehicles come in various sizes with varying capabilities, but all of these cars share a common feature – their owners will need to plug them in to charge. The city government says that there is a need for good urban planning to nurture the clean vehicle market. Stockholm also knows that incentives will play a crucial role in sustaining the sale and resale of these cars.
The program for making Stockholm a clean vehicle city will reduce the carbon footprint of Stockholm residents, and it will result in quieter roads with fewer pollutants. All Electric Vehicles (AEVs) are encouraged as they run on electricity alone and do not consume petrol. It is safe to say that electric vehicles are the future when it comes to car ownership in the city, but Stockholm will need to work on its infrastructure to make room for charging stations. While the infrastructural requirements are being fulfilled in preparation for its 2030 goal, residents can opt for hybrid electric vehicles that run on both petrol and electricity. This kind of flexibility allows electric vehicle owners to use clean energy while driving and still have a petrol-fueled backup if ever needed.
A Steady Growth
There were 30,000 electric cars registered in Sweden in 2019, a huge growth compared to the 2,271 fully electric vehicles, 12,000 hybrid electrics, and 11,000 plug-in hybrids that were recorded the year before. Stockholm is leading the EV revolution because the year before, the city already had a total of 649 charging stations, and the number has grown since then. This is not surprising, as Stockholm is known to care about the environment. Since electric cars do not produce greenhouse gas emissions, Stockholm residents and its leaders know that these vehicles play a significant role in reducing global warming. This is despite the fact that its environmental benefits become markedly smaller when used in coal-intensive countries. The good news is, Sweden is the third country in Europe that ordered a phase-out of all of its coal power plants, which means that the lifetime emissions of the electric cars on its roads are significantly lower than the carbon emissions of the average car.
Supporting the use of electric cars will bring Stockholm and the rest of Sweden a better chance of reducing its emissions in the future.
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