'Mr Bean' actor Rowan Atkinson finds himself at the centre of a blame game regarding the sluggish sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in the UK. The accusation emerged during a meeting of the UK's House of Lords, specifically, the environment and climate change committee, where the think tank Green Alliance presented its findings on obstacles hindering the government's plan to phase out petrol and diesel cars by 2035.
According to Sky News, the committee pointed fingers at Atkinson, citing a comment piece he penned in The Guardian back in June 2023 as a significant factor contributing to the EV sales slump. The think tank labelled the article as damaging to the cause and claimed it had been thoroughly debunked.
"Unfortunately, fact checks never reach the same breadth of audience as the original false claim, emphasising the need to ensure high editorial standards around the net-zero transition," remarked the Green Alliance during the session at the Upper House of the UK's Parliament.
Atkinson's controversial article, titled 'I love electric vehicles - and was an early adopter. But increasingly I feel duped,' criticised EVs as "a bit soulless" and took issue with the use of lithium-ion batteries. The 69-year-old actor's sentiments drew widespread criticism from EV advocates, including Simon Evans of the Carbon Brief website.
"Mr Atkinson's biggest mistake is his failure to recognise that electric vehicles already offer significant global environmental benefits compared with combustion-engine cars," remarked Evans, according to The Telegraph.
The actor, who holds degrees in electrical engineering and control systems, has not yet responded to the accusations.
While Atkinson's critique takes centre stage, Tuesday's report before the UK's Parliament identified other deterrents to EV adoption. These included higher purchase costs, insufficient charging infrastructure, and mixed messaging, presenting a multifaceted challenge for the government's ambitious transition away from traditional fuel-powered vehicles.
The report highlights the urgency of addressing these issues to successfully achieve the goals outlined in the plan to phase out internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035.
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