Dear mid-60s Buick owners observing an ominous future unfolding,
Hemming's has a chilling piece on their blog:
https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2018/12/07/aston-martin-joins-jaguar-in-building-future-proof-reversible-electric-classic-cars/Aston Martin has joined Jaguar in developing a scheme to convert classic cars to run using an electric motor. In the case of Aston Martin, they have created a "cassette" that is a electric motor and battery assembly that replaces the engine. The idea is that a classic car own would remove the engine and keep it for the historical value, but would be able to drive their classic even in places where internal combustion engines would be banned.
What is particularly chilling is the list of places that have bans already in law. Quoting from the article:
"Oslo, Norway, is poised to prohibit all gasoline and diesel vehicles from its city center beginning in 2019, and by 2030 this list will include Auckland, New Zealand; Barcelona, Spain; Brussels, Belgium; Cape Town, South Africa; Copenhagen, Denmark; Heidelberg, Germany; London, England; Los Angeles, California; Milan, Italy; Oxford, England (by 2020); Quito, Ecuador; Seattle, Washington; and Vancouver, British Columbia."What is deeply troubling about this list is that it is a list of cities. Comparatively local governments can hardly be expected to understand the complex issues associated greenhouse gas emissions and the truly insignificant effect that classic car use has on those emissions. Alas as Aston Martin has resigned itself to, reason and science has increasingly little influence on public policy anymore. Such are the circumstances we find ourselves in.
Edouard
