Nissan green guru slams "bullshit" electric car criticism

Nissan boss defends electric vehicle against criticism of its green credentials

The global head of Nissan's low-carbon vehicle programme has launched a withering attack on critics of electric cars, dismissing the accusation that the technology's green credentials are compromised by its reliance on electricity generated using fossil fuel power stations as "complete bullshit".

Critics of electric cars, including high-profile motoring journalist Jeremy Clarkson, have repeatedly argued that electric car manufacturers claims that their vehicles are lower carbon than conventional vehicles are undermined by the fact they are recharged using power from a grid that is still largely produced from carbon intensive power plants.

But in an exclusive interview with BusinessGreen.com, Andy Palmer, the man in charge of Nissan's ambitious plans to become a leading provider of mainstream electric vehicles, said that the criticism was completely unfounded.

He said that Nissan research had shown that while the carbon footprint of its forthcoming Leaf electric vehicle – which was unveiled last month and is slated to launch in late 2010 – will vary based on the mix of energy sources of the country it is recharged in, it will always deliver significant carbon cuts compared to conventional cars.

For example, he said that in the UK the carbon footprint of the Leaf, including the emissions associated with recharging the vehicle's battery, would be just 37 per cent of the emissions of a comparable conventional vehicle – a figure that will fall further as the UK installs more renewable power capacity.

Meanwhile in France, where 80 per cent of power comes from low-carbon nuclear power plants, the footprint of the car will fall to just seven per cent of its conventional rivals.

Palmer added that even in countries like the US, China and India, where the bulk of the energy is generated by carbon intensive coal-fired power plants, the Leaf's emissions would still deliver cuts in emission of between 24 and 54 per cent compared with traditional cars.

He also reiterated the Japanese firms commitment to the electric car segment, confirming that the Leaf would be followed by two more electric vehicles that are currently in development and promise to be "sexy and different" to its first electric offering.