More Environmental friendly cars in Sweden
Yesterday the Swedish minister for Environment, Andreas Carlgren, together with the car manufactures organisation in Sweden, presented the figures for the sale of cars for the first half year 2007. This year, 23 058 environmental friendly cars has been sold the first six months. That means 25 % more than last year the same time, which means that 15, 2 % of all sold cars in Sweden were Environmental friendly cars, e.g. less emissions of CO2 than 120 g/km. But, still Sweden is only at the sixth place among the European-15 countries. Belgium, Spain, France, Italy and Portugal are ahead of Sweden in the way of selling environmental friendly cars, or small cars using less fuel. In 2005 all the other 9 countries were also ahead of Sweden, so of course that’s why the Minister wanted to have a press conference about the figures this year. He also wanted to show what the premium of 10 000 SEK who all persons buying an environmental friendly car gets, has meant for the sale figures. By the way this year there are more cars registered in total, 152 049, than last year the same time, an increase with 5, 4 %, is that a step in the right direction? There were also 25 318 heavy vehicles registered the first six months, an increase by 9, 8 % compared with last year. Sweden is a rather elongated country with a great demand of transports. I have just read an abstract of a book from a Swedish author about “What future does the car have”. He, Per Kageson, reviews which technical solutions that are most sustainable and presumable for the future. He discusses the hybrid cars, the electric cars as good possibilities but it takes some technical steps ahead before they are competitive enough. Maybe the diesel engine isn’t that bad in the long run, he say’s? What do you think?