Rowan Atkinson has faced criticism for his comments which have been seen as detrimental to the sales and reputation of electric cars (EVs).
During a recent House of Lords’ environment and climate change committee hearing, the actor, known for his roles in Mr. Bean and Johnny English, was specifically mentioned for his comments made in June 2023. These comments were highlighted as damaging to the government’s efforts to phase out petrol and diesel cars by 2035, according to thinktank Green Alliance.
Green Alliance stated in a letter to peers that Atkinson’s comment piece in The Guardian had been “roundly debunked,” and emphasized the need for high editorial standards around the net zero transition.
In his now infamous piece, Atkinson criticized EVs as “a bit soulless” and expressed concerns about the use of lithium-ion batteries. He suggested that people retain their cars longer and use more synthetic fuel rather than switching to EVs.
However, Simon Evans, deputy editor of Carbon Brief, wrote a rebuttal to Atkinson’s claims in The Guardian, pointing out that electric vehicles already offer significant global environmental benefits.
The committee meeting also addressed the need for more charging stations, lower EV costs, and the lack of clear and consistent messaging from the government as additional challenges facing the transition to EVs.