The move to electric vehicles being spearheaded on Wearside could lead to a rise in greenhouses gases, claims a new report.
The Environmental Transport Association (ETA), which campaigns for sustainable transport, says a move to zero-emission vehicles has to be matched with changes to the way electricity is generated and energy use is taxed.
But leaders in the North Ea
st, who are pioneering the move to low-carbon vehicles with the establishment of a dedicated research centre next to Nissan's Wearside plant and a series of on-road trials of cars, buses and vans, have hit back.
The ETA is warning that under the current EU emissions trading system, sales of electric cars are likely to result in higher overall CO2 emissions and oil consumption.
"While the report is not intended to dampen enthusiasm for electric vehicles, their introduction should not be viewed as a panacea," said ETA director Andrew Davis.
"Significant changes to the way we produce and tax power are needed before we will reap any benefits."
The ETA's research looked at not just emissions from electric vehicles themselves, but at how environmentally-friendly the process of generating the electricity they use is.
The report concludes that while electric cars powered by wind or solar energy are obviously superior, hybrid vehicles are actually better for the environment.
It is also predicting that although improvements in cost and performance will happen in the medium term, it could be 20 years before electric vehicles are able to compete head-to-head with conventional cars.
But a One North East spokesman said: "An influential report by Arup and Cenex last year concluded that electric vehicles have the potential to produce significant reductions in carbon emissions, compared to conventional vehicles.
"Based on the current UK electricity grid, the report found that switching to an electric vehicle would result in an emissions reduction of 40 per cent.
"A range of low-carbon vehicle fuels are being developed and manufactured in the region, which also include bio-ethanol, bio-methane, bio-diesel and hydrogen. All of these will find a place in the region's low-carbon economy as the technology develops and manufacturers bring new products to market."
