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Colin Walker

@colin-walker.bsky.social
2K followers 439 following 228 posts

Head of Transport at the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit @eciu.bsky.social Mainly talks about EVs, but interested in/very worried by all things climate changey

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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
My colleagues are running a really interesting briefing at 11am on how the issues of defence, security and climate intersect They've got some great speakers lined up - if you'd like to have a listen, just register using this link: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
us02web.zoom.us
Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Media briefing: Defence, security and climate . After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.
Who: Lt Gen Richard Nugee (retd) CB CVO CBE, former British Army officer who served as Defence Services Secretary, and Chief of Defence People; Camilla Toulmin, former Director of International Inst...
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 17/06/2025
"Greenwashing Rife In EU Aviation" "An analysis of 17 air carriers found many misled passengers by suggesting that flying was more eco-friendly than it really is" The EU launched a probe into airlines' greenwashing a year ago www.barrons.com/news/greenwa...
barrons.com
Greenwashing Rife In EU Aviation: Consumer Groups
The European aviation industry is awash with misleading climate-related claims, consumer groups said Tuesday, over a year after the EU launched a probe into airlines' greenwashing.
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 04/06/2025
"Think electric cars are expensive? My new EV costs me less than a couple of posh coffees a day" Nice piece on how cheap EVs can be to own and run t.co/7FIVkvjX9B
t.co
https://www.independent.co.uk/cars/electric-vehicles/electric-vehicle-costs-cheap-charging-b2762203.html
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 03/06/2025
"Tesla's European sales rout continues but new Model Y boosts Norway deliveries" Captures where Tesla is, and poses the million $$ question - will the new Model Y be enough to arrest Tesla's decline in Europe? All eyes on next month's sales figures www.reuters.com/business/aut...
reuters.com
Tesla's European sales rout continues but new Model Y boosts Norway deliveries
Tesla's car sales fell sharply in several European markets including Sweden and Portugal in May, a fifth consecutive monthly decline that has been blamed on CEO Elon Musk's political activities and an outdated model lineup.
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 30/05/2025
"UK’s shift on car sales rules may lead to higher emissions, says statutory adviser" Me in here, on how the Government's weakening of the ZEV mandate could see increased sales of dirtier and more expensive PHEVs, at the expense of cheaper and cleaner EVs www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
UK’s shift on car sales rules may lead to higher emissions, says statutory adviser
Up to 500,000 more plug-in hybrids could be sold because of government flexibility on the zero-emission mandate
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 29/05/2025
Good "EV charging points to be made faster to install as Labour cuts red tape" www.independent.co.uk/cars/electri...
independent.co.uk
EV charging points to be made faster to install as Labour cuts red tape
Changes to planning rules mean businesses and drivers can install EV chargers ‘faster and for less’
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 28/05/2025
"Dieselgate pollution killed 16,000 people in UK" Economic damage in UK estimated at £96bn so far To think the car industry actually installed devices to cheat emissions tests 🤯 And to see what the consequences of that cheating have been www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Dieselgate pollution killed 16,000 people in UK, study estimates
Experts decry lack of UK government action and warn a further 6,000 early deaths could occur
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 28/05/2025
Latest in 'no-one wants an EV' news: Data from ACEA - The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association - shows that EV sales across Europe have increased 28% in the first 4 months of 2025, compared to the first 4 months of 2024 www.acea.auto/files/Press_...
acea.auto
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
While this data from EV Firesafe in Australia found that EVs are 80x less likely to set on fire It would be helpful if articles about EVs and fires included this kind of context Would help make them less ill-informed and scaremongery 4/4 t.co/iZdGoHcAb7
t.co
https://www.evfiresafe.com/ev-fire-faqs
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
Also, the article makes no reference to the fact that EVs are MUCH less likely to catch fire than petrols or diesels For example, data from the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency found that EV fires are 20x less likely to happen than ICE car fires 3/4 t.co/1eoOEuSj2B
t.co
https://www.topgear.com/car-news/mythbusting-evs/mythbusting-world-evs-are-electric-cars-susceptible-catching-fire
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
Taking the figures quoted in this article, and UK Motorparc data from the SMMT, it's very easy to quickly work out that, in 2022, there were 19.7 EV fires for every 100,000 EVs In 2024, that figure had dropped to 17 2/4 t.co/wZ5ABM133z
t.co
https://www.smmt.co.uk/more-than-a-million-evs-on-uk-roads-as-vehicle-ownership-reaches-new-high/
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
Here's some A-grade EV misinformation from the @telegraphnews.bsky.social "EV fires up 77% in two years!!!" What the Telegraph fails to mention is that the number of EVs on our roads has gone up 105% in those 2 years Which means the frequency of EV fires has actually gone down! 1/4
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
Taking the figures quoted in this article, and UK Motorparc data from the SMMT, it's very easy to quickly work out that, in 2022, there were 19.7 EV fires for every 100,000 EVs In 2024, that figure had dropped to 17 t.co/wZ5ABM133z
t.co
https://www.smmt.co.uk/more-than-a-million-evs-on-uk-roads-as-vehicle-ownership-reaches-new-high/
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
"Tesla misses out on European EV growth as Model Y fails to revive sales" Tesla's sales in Europe in April 2025 fell 49% on April 2024, even though overall European EV sales rose 27.8% www.reuters.com/business/aut...
reuters.com
Car sales in Europe dip slightly in April, Tesla's 49% drop tempers EV gains
Tesla's sales in Europe fell 49% in April from a year earlier, even as battery-electric sales rose by 27.8%, as the U.S. EV maker's upgrade of its Model Y shows little sign of improving the brand's tarnished image in the region.
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 23/05/2025
"BYD sells more EVs in Europe than Tesla for first time "BYD registered 7,231 fully electric cars in Europe last month compared with 7,165 registrations for Tesla "Tesla’s monthly volume was down 49% year-on-year, while BYD reported a 169% jump" www.ft.com/content/53ec...
ft.com
BYD sells more electric vehicles in Europe than Tesla for first time
Chinese car group has been pushing to expand into overseas markets for past few years
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
Another 'Net Zero & economic growth can quite happily walk hand in hand' example “The UK company making 'cutting edge' EV supercar tech" "YASA, an Oxfordshire company, is leading the way in developing electric motors for high-end sports cars” www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
The Oxfordshire company making 'cutting edge' EV supercar tech
YASA, based in Oxfordshire, supplies it's axial flow motor to high-end companies, such as Ferrari.
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
Net Zero & economic growth can quite happily walk hand in hand "Electric plane tech centre to be built near Glasgow Airport" "Facility to develop & manufacture fuel cells for small electric planes could be in operation by 2028 creating around 350 jobs" www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Electric plane tech centre to be built near Glasgow Airport
US start-up ZeroAvia says 350 jobs could be created at new centre to develop hydrogen fuel cells for planes.
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
Latest in 'there's no consumer demand for EVs' news: "Global sales of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles rose 29% year-on-year in April, with stable growth in China and Europe despite trade tensions" (Data courtesy of @rhomotion.bsky.social) www.reuters.com/business/aut...
reuters.com
Global EV sales rise in April despite trade disruptions, research finds
Global sales of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles rose 29% year-on-year in April, with stable growth in China and Europe despite trade tensions, while North America recorded the first fall since last September, data showed on Wednesday.
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 13/05/2025
"Nissan to axe 20,000 jobs worldwide" Nissan is a notable laggard when it comes to EVs (only 5% EV sales in UK in 2025) You're likely to see more news like this in the years ahead from manufacturers who've dropped the ball in making the shift to EVs www.telegraph.co.uk/business/202...
telegraph.co.uk
Nissan to axe 20,000 jobs worldwide
Japanese car giant is in crisis mode as electric car shift leaves it behind
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
Great video from @tuc.org.uk Building EVs means jobs Pushing back against net zero, and the technologies needed to achieve it, means opportunities for economic growth and good quality jobs are lost
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
A great, and 'passionate', thread from Doug Parr of Greenpeace on the flaws in the Net Zero report that;'s just been released by the Tony Blair Institute
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
"Labour told to speed up transition away from petrol and diesel cars" www.express.co.uk/life-style/c...
express.co.uk
Labour told to speed up transition away from petrol and diesel cars
Experts have demanded Labour act quickly to speed up the transition away from combustion petrol and diesel vehicles sooner rather than later.
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
Interesting 'Big Read' in the @financialtimes.com (behind a paywall) "Europe helped teach China to make cars. Now the tables are turning" Talks about how EU is trading market access for expertise in key technologies, just as Beijing once did www.ft.com/content/9de3...
ft.com
Europe helped teach China to make cars. Now the tables are turning
The EU is trading market access for expertise in key technologies, just as Beijing once did
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 15/04/2025
Delighted to join Liz Allen (@fullcircleci.bsky.social) on her latest Electric Evolution podcast We discuss the changes the Government has made to the ZEV Mandate - changes I believe weaken the mandate and could slow EV sales Do have a listen if interested fullcircleci.co.uk/episode-136-...
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
ah, I remember doing Drum and Bass on a bike at Silverstone in my British Cycling days! A great day out
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Reposted by Colin Walker
Jess Ralston @jessralston.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
🚨Some major errors & misleading claims from experienced presenter Nick Robinson on BBC Radio 4 Today, when discussing British Steel with Treasury Minister James Murray I hope these are corrected on tomorrow's programme, and Robinson sticks to the facts in future. Here's what he got wrong... 🧵
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Reposted by Colin Walker
Henry Mance @henrymance.ft.com · 14/04/2025
Very important point. It's not green energy that is making UK electricity expensive: it's mostly gas
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
"Polestar boss attacks decision to ease emission targets "UK chief of the electric carmaker accuses ministers of ‘doing the opposite’ of encouraging people to buy greener cars" Quite www.thetimes.com/business-mon...
thetimes.com
Polestar boss attacks decision to ease emission targets
UK chief of the electric carmaker accuses ministers of ‘doing the opposite’ of encouraging people to buy greener cars
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 10/04/2025
A reminder that, with all this talk of tariffs being paused, Trump's 25% tariffs on automotive imports remain www.reuters.com/business/aut...
reuters.com
Trump does not pause 25% US auto tariffs, drawing criticism from Michigan business and auto groups
President Donald Trump on Wednesday paused for 90 days many tariffs but is not halting 25% tariffs on automotive imports and looming tariffs on auto parts, drawing criticism from Michigan business and auto groups.
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
"Up to 25k jobs in UK motor industry at risk from US tariffs" @IPPR urges Gov and auto sector to double down on EVs to counteract impact of tariffs As the report we did with @CBI_Economics found, embracing EVs will best secure our car industry's future www.thetimes.com/business-mon...
thetimes.com
Up to 25,000 jobs in UK motor industry at risk from US tariffs
Think tank urges the government and auto sector to double down on electric vehicles and the ‘niche’ production of green aircraft and trains
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
"Tesla car sales in France, Sweden drop to lowest first-quarter in four years" We saw a strong bounce back from Tesla in the UK in February, so that could till happen in these countries But still, ouch t.co/PUenuOwkA6
t.co
https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/france-car-registrations-down-1454-march-tesla-sales-fall-3683-2025-04-01/
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 25/03/2025
Those who were trying to pin the blame for the power outage at Heathrow on net zero were overreaching a tad Not everything can be blamed on net zero - trying to associate it with every single thing that goes wrong gets seen through pretty quickly t.co/zBXBcz5d8Q
t.co
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdjy4m0n1exo
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
The @iea.org's latest Global Energy Review might disappoint the EV naysayers Global EV sales up over 25% in 2024 "EV sales in the UK surged, driven by the ZEV mandate" "Very rapid deployment of EVs" cited as a reason for slowing growth in global oil demand t.co/YCuZcIduXR
t.co
https://www.iea.org/news/growth-in-global-energy-demand-surged-in-2024-to-almost-twice-its-recent-average
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Reposted by Colin Walker
Adam Vaughan @adamvaughan.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
Britain could become an exporter of floating wind farms to the rest of the world, according to the head of state-owned GB Energy. Dan McGrail said he was weighing ­investing some of his £8.3 billion budget in the technologies to boost energy generation. www.thetimes.com/uk/environme...
thetimes.com
UK can be world leader on floating wind farms, says GB Energy boss
Dan McGrail, the company’s interim chief executive, said he is considering investing some of his £8.3 billion budget in floating wind farms
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
Conversely, if we put our foot down, and accelerate our car industry's transition to building EVs, we will have the best chance of securing its future, its profitability, and the jobs its sustains
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
As the CBI report has shown, if we take our foot off the accelerator when it comes to helping our car industry make its transition to building EVs, we will just accelerate its demise
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
Or do you do what the Chinese have done? Invest today in the technologies of the future - ensuring you've secured a corner of the market that becomes increasingly profitable as the technology continues to mature and economies of scale continue to kick in?
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
The question here is whether one looks at the short term or the long term Do you maximise short-term profits (by, say, continuing to build petrol cars) at the expense of securing a long-term future (in which you are unable to build and sell the EVs the world is moving to?)
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
Yes, technological transitions are hard - and investments need to be made for them to happen Yes, new technologies often generate less in profit in their early days than the more mature technologies they are replacing
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
Pretty stark stuff And rather undermines the argument that we hear, all too often, that the transition to building and selling EVs is a threat to our car industry As this report has shown, the reality is quite the opposite
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
Economic output could crash by 73%, with over £34bn being lost to our economy 400,000 jobs - almost three-quarters of the workforce - could also disappear
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
Also, 167,000 new jobs would be created - which would be rather nice Conversely, go slow, and get stuck building petrol and diesel cars, and the car industry could collapse
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
They then modelled a number of scenarios for the speed at which the UK's car industry makes the transition to building EVs If the industry, supported by Government, is able to make a rapid transition, then its economic output would actually increase by 35%, or £16bn
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
This has all been laid out in stark detail in a report published last year by the CBI They found that the UK's car industry currently generates £46.8bn in excess of economic output, and employs 552,000 full-time equivalent jobs t.co/Tg6IU4dijy
t.co
https://www.cbi.org.uk/articles/the-uk-auto-industry-path-to-electrification/
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
Until, quite suddenly, there'll be no market at all This will result in our car industry being decimated Factories will close, hundreds of thousands of jobs will be lost, billions of pounds will be lost to our economy
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
Companies from competitor countries like China are well aware of this - and racing ahead to build the vehicles that will meet this shift in demand If we stick with building petrol and diesel cars, the market for these vehicles will just get smaller and smaller
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
80% of the cars built in the UK are exported And global EV sales are only going in one direction - up, by 25% in 2024 The reality, whether people like it or not, is that the world is shifting to EVs t.co/aSzkqgr5w2
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
In this article, Steve Rigby suggests Net Zero and the shift to EVs could see the UK lose its car industry I'm afraid a report by the CBI found the complete opposite - going slow in making the move to building EVs represents the biggest threat A thread
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
And the SMMT are predicting the industry will hit 23.7% So, far from struggling to meet its ZEV mandate targets, the industry is on course to exceed them
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Colin Walker @colin-walker.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
In fact, New Automotive has calculated that the car industry as a whole only needs to hit 22.9% EV sales in 2025 to comply with the mandate Well, the car industry is already at 23% (and sales typically get stronger as the year goes on)
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