Honda has decided not to continue to invest in its Swindon plant. One reason being that it makes internal combustion engine cars. Something that looks like it will be banned in the European Union by 2040. No, a battery powered car is not an ICE with a AA inside it. It’s an entirely different beast, engineered and built in a different manner. You don’t just switch a factory over. Might as well, in fact, build a new one.
So, in order to make sure that Honda continues to invest in its Swindon plant, the one soon to be entirely outdated, what should we do?
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] The government can help us build a thriving car industry fit for the realities of climate change, but certainty is key. If we are to cut carbon emissions and reap the economic benefits, the UK needs to be one of the best places in the world to make electric vehicles. The phase-out date for conventionally fuelled cars and vans set last year by UK government – 2040 – already looks hopelessly tardy. In this, the UK is far behind a whole host of nations, ranging from India, to our near neighbours Ireland and Norway. Like them, we should be bringing this date forward to 2030. [/perfectpullquote]We bring forward the date by which the Swindon factory is entirely outdated by a decade in order to boost investment in it?
Sorry, I don’t recall Rosie Rogers as being this damn thick? Should we be worried, has something happened to her?
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"..If we are to cut carbon emissions and reap the economic benefits, the UK needs to be one of the best places in the world to make electric vehicles...."
If we are to cut carbon emissions we will collapse our civilisation for no good reason, since CO2 does not have any measurable impact on the climate. There will be no economic benefits - rather, the reverse. Electric vehicles are incapable of running our civilisation, and will be for many years - indeed, may never be able to do so. The UK should invest strongly in developing diesel vehicles, because if the rest of the world cuts its throat there will be few remaining places to gain diesel design expertise.
Note that I am talking about design. Both China and India are going strong on coal power stations and diesel manufacturing, and will continue to do so (making a mockery of Western claims to be cutting back). It is unlikely that we can compete against their industrial base, but we can service their design requirements...