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Letter: Get rid of petrol vehicles now

So people are being killed by petrol-engine pollution ("Taipei Air Pollution alarming: scientists," page 2, May 4). The only real surprise here is that it took until this year for somebody to actually notice, but the solution is extremely simple. Get rid of petrol vehicles.

Not after the elections; not after more studies; now, today.

If you don't believe it's possible, take a look at Phoenix Motorcars electric trucks (www.phoenixmotorcars.com), the electric sports cars from Tesla and Venturi (www.teslamotors.com, and www.venturi.fr) and Zap scooters (www.zapworld.com).

Modern electric vehicles (EVs) outperform petrol vehicles in fuel efficiency, performance and reliability, and they can recharge in minutes.

They're not entirely non-polluting, because their electricity ultimately comes from power stations.

However, they do have an effective fuel efficiency 10 times to 20 times better than petrol engines for city driving, and pollution from power stations is more easily scrubbed than car exhaust smoke.

The EVs mentioned above are designed in the US and Europe.

Why is Taiwan not leading the world with this technology?

Dense cities, short freeways and personal preference for small transport such as scooters make EVs a natural choice.

Cheap supplies of motors and lithium cells from China, and a large readymade domestic market would make EVs affordable for everyone.

Two things are lacking: superstar designers who can produce the kind of eye-catching products that (for example) the French and Italians are famous for; and a government willing to defy big oil and big corporations.

Despite many people having a college degree in Taiwan, there are few outstanding engineers, artists and designers, and the little talent there is get no respect.

Taiwanese corporations are still obsessed with being cheaper, not better.

There is no excuse for this. Government reticence is more understandable: refusing to import American SUVs would almost certainly cause reprisals.

However, with care and statesmanship, it could be done.

Imports of US cars would be replaced by imports of US know-how and high-tech materials, and the US might be reminded of their insistence that "less developed" countries cut their carbon emissions.

The process could start gently, with electric buses and taxis.

Taxis could be banned from customer-trawling and taxi call points installed at convenient locations.

Cars would be next; they take up far too much space and are responsible for most road deaths.

Heavy fuel tax and VAT on petrol cars could subsidize electric scooters and public park-and-charge installations.

Existing petrol cars would fall apart after 10 years to 15 years and EVs would naturally take over.

The next stage would be to get the drivers off the roads, eliminating road accidents as well as pollution.

Electric vehicles are very amenable to automatic control; again, because of Taiwan's unique geography and demographics, it would be especially easy to implement.

Of course, it won't happen.

Automatic EVs would reduce Taiwan's dependence on foreign oil, cut vehicle pollution and scrap-vehicle waste, make commuting more efficient, reduce the need for more MRT services, and massively reduce health-service costs.

Would these measures win votes? No.

Tony Weir

Taipei
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