SFU study aims to find ways to get drivers to move away from traditional fuels
Posted March 6, 2016 11:35 am.
Last Updated March 6, 2016 11:47 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Different types of alternative fuel vehicles have been around for three decades, but none of them have managed to completely catch on.
An SFU study that looked at trends over the last 30 years is hoping to help government capitalize on the hype surrounding electric cars now.
Whether its methanol, hydrogen cell or electric, Environmental Professor Jonn Axsen says the trends follow a pattern and believes government needs to take advantage of the enthusiasm when it’s happening.
“[After the initial excitement] there becomes a disappointment phase when the technology is not really proving out to have all the benefits it was promised and then there is a failure [phase], where there is really an abandonment of that technology. We see that again and again.”
He adds government could do better by bringing in permanent help so drivers see this as more than a passing fad. “Some of the politicians and government get so excited by technology they think it’s just going to happen by itself, but the mistake is the government is just thinking that will just happen, and they don’t need any policies.”
