Health benefits for electric cars estimated to be NOK 47 billion

electric car parkingElectric car charging. Photo: pixabay.com

The Environmentalists in Bellona has used EU models and is estimate that the health benefits from switching to electric vehicles to be NOK 47 billion a year.

– We have used the EU’s figures and calculation models and estimated what Norwegian fossil cars cost the state in health expenses each year. The annual health cost forNorway’s state is NOK 47 billion. These are the costs you can disregard using electric vehicles according to Bellona’s transport expert at their Brussels office, Teodora Serafimova.

– What have you measured?

– The cost includes ill health, reduced productivity due to sick-leave and premature death due to emissions from fossil cars.

– Electric cars also contribute to pollution through dust though?

– Road particles are not included in these estimates. These figures only concerns exhaust emissions that electric cars do not have.

– Our estimates are conservative. We have not included the cost of noise pollution, reduction in fuel transports, damage from corrosion or climate effect. Therefore our numbers are not the final answer, but a means to start a useful debate. We also want to put pressure on the authorities to make their own calculations before making decisions in transport matters, says Serafimova.

The European Environmental Agency has estimated that emissions from cars contribute to 467,000 premature deaths in Europe annually.

Climate policy is also health policy

Minister for Climate and Environmental Issues, Vidar Helgesen (Conservatives), says they are aware that electric car investment will cut health costs.

– I can not provide exact figures, but climate policy is also health policy. We want to continue the electric car benefits as pollution from traffic must be drastically reduced. It will lead to good results for climate, public health and health spending, he says.

 

Source: vg.no / Norway Today