Conventional petrol and diesel cars are run by internal combustion engines, whereby fuel is burned

with air producing a hot gas that drives pistons and allows the vehicle to move. Electric cars run on
electrical energy stored as chemical energy in lithium-ion batteries. These batteries provide the
energy to drive an electric motor allowing the car to move. – FROM INTRO

As mentioned in the introduction, the UK has already seen changes in its own weather patterns and
signs point to climate change being at the heart of these changes. The MetOffice states, “UK winters
are projected to become warmer and wetter on average. Summers are projected to become hotter
and are more likely to be drier”.1 – FROM FIRST SECTION

In 2019, the UK produced 455 million tonnes of greenhouse gases, of which 351.5 million tonnes was
carbon dioxide.2 Over a third of this (122 million tonnes) was produced by domestic vehicles,
including cars, vans, trucks and buses. This made transport the UK’s highest greenhouse gas-emitting
sector, contributing 27%3 of total UK emissions in 2019.4

displayed in figure 1, the UK governments ‘2019 Greenhouse Gas emissions, Final Figures’ showed in
2019 the UK produced 455 million tonnes of greenhouse gases and 351.5 million tonnes of carbon
dioxide. Of this 351.5 million tonnes, 122 million tonnes of carbon dioxide was produced by
domestic transport, as shown in figure 2. This included cars, vans, trucks and buses. This made
transport the UK’s highest greenhouse gas emitting sector, contributing 27% of total UK emissions in
2019, as shown in figure 3.5

From Section 3:

1
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/climate-change/effects-of-climate-change
2
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/875485/
2019_UK_greenhouse_gas_emissions_provisional_figures_statistical_release.pdf
3
(122/455)x100 = 27%
4
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/984685/
transport-and-environment-statistics-2021.pdf
5
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/984685/
transport-and-environment-statistics-2021.pdf
 As previously conveyed, annual carbon dioxide emissions from domestic transport could fall by
around 82% if a compulsory shift from petrol and diesel cars to electric ones was to occur. This could
equate to 100 million tonnes less carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere. Although the
thought of decreasing our emissions by 100 million tonnes is very exciting, this change cannot come
about overnight.

Battery EVs in 2019 represented 39% of total ULEVs in the UK. 6 This sounds great until this figure is
put into context: ULEVs comprised only a paltry 0.7% of total registered vehicles in the UK in 2019.
The 39% figure is inclusive of all battery EVs and so, the figure for the number of electric cars on the
road in 2019 is even lower.

These dismal figures show how far the UK has yet to go if net zero is to be achieved through
methods including reducing greenhouse gas emissions from domestic transport - the highest
emitting sector in the UK. However, looking towards the end of 2020 and the start of 2021, new
figures from the UK government seem very promising.

As displayed in figure 1, the UK governments ‘2019 Greenhouse Gas emissions, Final Figures’ showed
in 2019 the UK produced 455 million tonnes of greenhouse gases and 351.5 million tonnes of carbon
dioxide. Of this 351.5 million tonnes, 122 million tonnes of carbon dioxide was produced by
domestic transport, as shown in figure 2. This included cars, vans, trucks and buses. This made
transport the UK’s highest greenhouse gas emitting sector, contributing 27% of total UK emissions in
2019, as shown in figure 3.7

Figure 1: Figure 2:

6
Ultra low emission vehicles (ULEV) include Battery Electric vehicles (BEV) and Plug-in Hybrid vehicles (PHEV).
ULEV’s are vehicles that emit 75g/km of carbon dioxide or less.
7
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/984685/
transport-and-environment-statistics-2021.pdf
In 2019, the UK produced 455 million tonnes of greenhouse gases, of which 351.5 million tonnes was
carbon dioxide.8 Over a third of this (122 million tonnes) was produced by domestic vehicles,
including cars, vans, trucks and buses. This made transport the UK’s highest greenhouse gas-emitting
sector, contributing 27% of total UK emissions in 2019. 9 – FROM SECTION 1

8
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/875485/
2019_UK_greenhouse_gas_emissions_provisional_figures_statistical_release.pdf
9
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/984685/
transport-and-environment-statistics-2021.pdf