Switzerland Is Considering Banning EVs, Here's Why

 

• The proposed ban is one of a series of tough measures designed to avoid an energy crisis this winter 'due to the country's reliance on imports to sustain it in the colder months'.

You must have come across a report on the internet which suggested a ban on Electric Vehicles (EVs) in Switzerland. But has the country really banned EVs? Not really. Switzerland has only drafted emergency resolutions to deal with the energy crisis this winter.

The basis of these reports is the 'Ordinance on the Prohibition and Prohibition of the Use of Electric Energy'. Currently, the ordinance is only a draft that the Swiss Federal Council is preparing to adopt to address potential energy shortages in the country. It outlines four stages of growth if the county faces an energy crisis. Restrictions on e-mobility apply only at the third level of escalation.

The draft states, "Private use of electric cars is permitted only for absolutely essential trips (such as using one's profession, shopping, going to the doctor, attending religious functions, attending court appointments) " It is likely that there will be a partial ban, rather than an umbrella ban on EVs in Switzerland. The ordinance aims to regulate "restrictions and prohibitions on the use of electrical energy to secure the country's electricity supply".

This Covid lockdown-style plan, reports The Telegraph, is aimed at tackling potential energy shortages. Sixty percent of Switzerland's energy supply depends on hydroelectric power. The proposed ban is one of a series of tough measures designed to avoid an energy crisis this winter, 'due to the country's reliance on imports to sustain it through the colder months.'

Among other measures, the Swiss government may limit the heating of public buildings to no more than 20 °C. It may also ask citizens to limit their washing machines to a maximum temperature of 40°C. If the situation worsens, shops in Switzerland will be asked to close two hours earlier. Extreme measures, on the other hand, would include a ban on sporting matches, concerts and theater performances.