logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2023
18m 15s

The electric car race

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Countries around the world are racing to achieve targets on the ban of new petrol and diesel cars - but they are hitting stumbling blocks, meaning some are pulling back on their commitments.

Although global sales of electric cars are rising, some countries are struggling to persuade drivers to make the switch. Reasons given include insufficient or unsuitable charging points, and the price tag: criticism is often put to governments that the shift to electric cars is hardest for the least well off.

In this edition of Business Daily, Rick Kelsey looks at one country which is well ahead of the rest: Norway. The country's aim is that all new car sales in 2025 will be of electric vehicles - a plan being supported by financial incentives and policy changes.

He also speaks to business leaders in the car industry, including a man known as "the Godfather of EV", to find out what's needed if countries are to phase out internal combustion engines.

(Picture: An electric car being charged. Credit: PA/John Walton)

Presented and produced by Rick Kelsey

Up next
Yesterday
Taking Stock: China Gains in AI race
Rahul Tandon is joined by Walter Todd in the US and Rebecca Choong Wilkins in Singapore to discuss whether China is rapidly catching up with the United States in the race to dominate artificial intelligence, following a week of sharp moves in AI-related markets and growing questi ... Show More
24m 19s
Apr 7
Headspace: from mindfulness app to military partner
Headspace started life as a mindfulness app. Now it's partnering with the US Navy and investing in artificial intelligence for mental health support.The company's CEO Tom Pickett speaks to us about therapy, the increasing role of technology, and tackling burnout at scale.If you'd ... Show More
17m 28s
Apr 7
Anthropic: the $300bn AI firm at war with the White House
Anthropic’s rise from startup to one of the world’s leading players in artificial intelligence has been staggering, but so in recent weeks has been its row with the US Government.Today, we look at that journey to becoming a 380 billion dollar company, ask why Claude has become on ... Show More
17m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2021
Special Episode: Electric Vehicles, Pt 1 – Follow the Fleet
<p>Price, charging infrastructure and dirty battery production are limiting the impact of EVs, but look to fleet operations to lead the way to broader adoption.</p> 
9m 37s
Jun 2024
The Electric Vehicle Revolution Isn’t Dead—It’s Just Recharging
<p>Brian Collie, BCG’s global leader for the automotive and mobility sector, explains that price and range anxiety remain as barriers to adoption of electric vehicles. Even so, recent BCG research in the US found that nearly 40% of surveyed consumers are considering a switch to e ... Show More
19m 30s
Feb 2025
What the EV Industry’s Challenges Reveal About Innovation and Regulation
Many consumers are buying electric vehicles, thanks to sportscar-like performance, government incentives, and personal motivations to minimize climate change. But the EV industry overall has revved and sputtered in unpredictable ways and offers a case study in managing innovation ... Show More
26m 24s
Aug 2023
Leading the Charge. Rory meets Nic Thomas from Nissan.
As we head towards one million electric cars on Britain’s roads, Marketing Director Nic Thomas discusses Nissan’s drive towards a totally electric range in 2030. Nic addresses the ‘charging’ challenge faced by the whole EV industry and why he’s calling for destination charging to ... Show More
59m 36s
Jan 2022
The Electric Car Race! Vroom, Vroom!
Electric cars can help reduce greenhouse gases and companies are taking note — racing to become the next Tesla. Today on the show, guest host Dan Charles talks with business reporter Camila Domonoske about how serious the country is about this big switch from gas to electric cars ... Show More
14m 24s