In the event of a serious electricity shortage, the Confederation provides for the possibility of drastically limiting the use of electric cars. The measure is greeted with skepticism by those who have decided to abandon the gasoline engine.
Stephan Zwettler turned to electric six years ago, when replacing his previous vehicle which had reached the end of its life. “The choice of the electric car is a story of costs”, he underlines Monday in the 7:30 p.m. of the RTS. “There are the taxes, but also the maintenance of the car which is much, much cheaper.”
But this driver could pay for his decision in the event of a severe electricity shortage this winter. He could then only use his car for what is strictly necessary, for example work and shopping, according to what the Confederation provides.
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And the fact that the roof of his house produces heat and electricity changes nothing. “We have invested in solar panels on the roof, we produce as much electricity as we consume over the year and we have the restriction”, he laments.
An echo even in the foreign press
These measures concerning electric cars in Switzerland have even made the foreign press react, with titles such as “Why does Switzerland want to ban electric vehicles?”, “Switzerland could ban electric vehicles during the energy crisis” or even “Switzerland is considering driving bans for electric cars.”
In reality, there would be no prohibition but a restriction which would only come into force at the third level of measures of the Confederation. In this situation, it will also no longer be possible to watch DVDs or streaming videos and you will have to do without video games.
Charging the batteries overnight?
But for advocates of electromobility, the measures aimed at electric cars go too far.
“We can decide to recharge it only between midnight and 6 a.m.,” points out Olivier Bourgeois, president of the Romande Association of Electric Vehicle Users. “Even in the periods that will potentially be the most tense this winter, it is not in the middle of the night that it will be tense. It will only be during certain time slots such as between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.
The time “plays no role” according to Bern
The federal administration, however, does not share this analysis: “If people with electric cars use them less and therefore recharge them less, this contributes to the energy being able to be used elsewhere”, replies the Federal Office for economic supply of the country. “The moment when electric vehicles are recharged does not play a role”, he assures.
Be that as it may, these vehicles are still relatively rare in Switzerland: only one car in fifty runs solely on electricity.
Phileas Authier/oang