An old car must be worth more

What is best if you have a 15 year old car? To replace it with a new car or to make it able to drive for a few more years?

Some researchers claim that the gain is greatest if you keep the old car alive, precisely because the CO₂ costs of a new one are so great. There is controversy about the way it is calculated, but it is probably always a good idea to let old cars last a little longer.

Therefore it can be good for the environment to reward those who maintain old cars, whether they are electric or fossil-fuel cars, for example by allowing the re-registration of old cars to be free, letting them avoid road tax and by giving a refund of VAT on repairs.

This carrot can encourage people to take care of old cars a little longer, so that we reduce the need for new cars, thus saving nature.

The industries would rather we get paid for scrapping old cars. They make money from use and disposal, not from us using the cars anymore.

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Because it is not as simple as electric cars producing zero emissions, while fossil-fuel cars pollute. All cars have a CO₂ footprint from production. Because of the battery pack, the production of an electric car leaves a larger footprint than a fossil car, and it has to drive quite a bit before it “catch up” with the fossil car and becomes CO₂-profitable – some claim over half the lifetime. It means that if you drive little, a fossil car gives a better climate result than an electric car of the same size.

Because car production takes place outside Norway, some claim that it does not belong in our climate accounting, much like when the ostrich sticks its head in the sand. Others look at emissions in a global context and say that all production must be taken into account.

Now have new ones categories of electric cars emerged, such as shorter-range mini and microcars powered by small battery packs. And in the future, the calculation will change as recycling from car wrecks and old batteries improves and new technology for electric cars sees the light of day. It gives reason to wait in anticipation.