Speed bumps on the road to the future

Welcome to The Strawman, the daily climate newsletter that's like a matcha latte - a green mean energising machine. Today we’re talking ambitious targets, practical issues, and a new phenomena in the land of the green - let’s jump in.

America pushes to electrify

Regulators - always pushing us to do better.

Yesterday, the EPA dropped a bomb - proposing new emissions limits that would make 67% of American car models electric by 2032. That's a significant leap from a measly 7% EV market share in 2022.

It's like expecting a kid who just learned to ride a tricycle to start winning the Tour de France. The good thing is we’ve got 10 years to get this in place, but there remain a tonne of questions about electric vehicle infrastructure.

Charging gets left behind

Imagine finally taking home your shiny new electric vehicle, only to discover that finding a working charger is like searching for a needle in a haystack.

That's the reality for many EV drivers, as governments worldwide struggle to deploy reliable charging networks at the pace needed. From broken stations to long queues, charging anxiety is becoming the new thing.

In Europe, sales of electric cars have grown almost three times faster than charging points over the past seven years, leaving carmakers to warn that the lack of charging stations is "severely hampering" green vehicle growth. In California there are other issues with quality. Despite investment in public charging points, a recent study found 23% of these to be faulty.

Countries like the UK and Australia are also feeling the heat, with drivers griping about the sorry state of roadside charging. The pressure is on for governments to step up their game and ensure that EV adoption doesn't stall due to a lack of charging options.

Green-botching - when intentions aren’t enough

The FT recently coined the term Green-botching, and The Strawman is a big fan. It’s not enough to want to do the right thing - implementing it badly can do more harm than good.

Think of it like trying to save water by only showering once a month – sure, you're conserving resources, but also you should stay far away from me. Electric vehicle charging is a prime example of green-botching: the intentions are good, but the execution is more tangled than a plate of spaghetti.

If you wanna bring someone else on your new green ride, why not share this with a friend? They’ll probably love you for it.

Til next time,

The Strawman