Hybrid and electric cars... the solution to Madrid's pollution problems?

The people of Madrid, like the inhabitants of many cities around the world, are exposed to very high levels of pollution. So much so that in recent days it has become necessary to activate the protocol for action against the well-known Madrid “haze”. This problem stems from the excess of polluting gas emissions, mainly from vehicles, so acting to find urban mobility solutions seems to be the most appropriate option.

Large cities are crowded with thousands of vehicles that release polluting gases into the atmosphere, causing serious health problems. From allergies to asthma, including skin problems and other complications that are both troublesome and dangerous. But are there solutions available to deal with these risky situations?

The main solution could be the use of public transport, an option that is usually encouraged in large cities. The introduction of vehicles powered by alternative fuels, which are less harmful to the environment and have lower emissions, helps reduce this pollution. The metro and buses are very suitable means of getting around the city, so it is very practical to use them.

Electric cars could be a solution for urban mobility and avoid excessive pollution

The arrival of electric vehicles, hybrids or vehicles running on automotive gas may reduce the incidence of CO2 and NOx in cities, but their presence in the car fleet is still very limited. Most of them are confined to large company fleets. Taxis, courier services and light transport are the main users of these technologies, which helps considerably, but their presence is still very scarce.

The problem is, as always, the high price of an electric car compared with a combustion-engined one of similar performance. The lack of charging points, although they are multiplying in cities, is still very significant, and we consumers find it hard to dare to buy one of these cars. Fortunately, hybrids seem to enjoy greater acceptance, and Toyota report that some 50,000 units of their hybrid vehicles have been sold.

A figure that is by no means negligible and may indicate a certain trend towards less polluting cars, even though their price is above average. The presence of these vehicles for urban journeys should increase, as opposed to those fitted with a petrol or diesel engine. Urban bus fleets already use, in many of their units, cleaner engines, although there is still a long way to go.

Public transport can offer solutions for getting around the city

What is the solution to avoid the pollution that Madrid is suffering? Rationalising car use in the city seems to be essential. In the Spanish capital, for example, the maximum speed has been limited to 70 km/h and parking in the city centre has been banned, except for residents, in an effort to reduce emissions. Companies that rent 100% electric urban cars have seen a market niche and are promoting their services, reaching agreements with the city council to be able to park in the green and blue zones.

This is a delicate problem, one that will need to be discussed at length and, above all, coherent and feasible proposals must be put forward so that city traffic can be managed more efficiently and risky situations like the one Madrid is currently experiencing are avoided. Among the options being considered in Madrid, once the current alert situation has passed, are boosting public transport, restricting traffic in the centre, as has been done in cities such as London or Paris, and creating pedestrian zones. Do you think this will be enough?