Former Newsnight reporter and Number 10 spinner, Allegra Stratton, has caused a bit of a stir by raising questions about the current feasibility of electric cars and the lack of infrastructure to support them. This has been accentuated by her current role in handling the PR for the Glasgow UN climate change conference. When asked about her getting an electric car she said she didn’t fancy one yet and preferred her diesel Golf.

She made good points about their range and the need on long journeys to stop every so often to top the batteries up assuming that a charging point is available, will accept your plastic, and not take too long to boost the distance it will travel.

The best e-vehicle when you are travelling locally alone is surely the e-bike which gets nothing like the attention of battery-powered cars. I’ve had one for four years which, as I get older, keeps me cycling outdoors and is a great form of transport.

As for cars I’m not yet convinced. I drive a UK-built Toyota hybrid which gives me real MPG figures of 60+ and operates mostly in EV mode when driving in urban areas. It also requires much less lithium for its batteries.

I just wonder as well whether hydrogen-powered cars will prove to be much better for the environment than standard EVs.

Mike Smithson