Rowan Atkinson was blamed for low electric car sales in a report by the House of Lords.
Atkinson, known for TV series Mr Bean and Blackadder, found himself at the center of a real-life drama on Tuesday.
The Lords’ environment and climate change committee was told the 69-year-old actor was partly at fault for “damaging” public perception of electric vehicles (EVs).
New petrol and diesel cars are planned to be banned from 2035 as part of the Prime Minister’s net zero strategy. This ban is expected to encourage drivers to buy electric vehicles, but adoption has been slower than proponents of the strategy had hoped.
“One of the most damaging articles was a completely debunked opinion piece by Rowan Atkinson in the Guardian,” the Green Alliance pressure group told colleagues.
Atkinson calls EVs ‘soulless’
Atkinson, who has degrees in electrical engineering and control systems, described EVs as “a little soulless” but “wonderful contraptions” in a June 2023 opinion piece.
He wrote: “But increasingly I feel a little cheated… I feel like our honeymoon with electric cars is coming to an end, and that’s not a bad thing.”
His article sparked a backlash from EV advocates, who accused him of misrepresenting the current state of battery technology.
Simon Evans of the website Carbon Brief wrote: “Mr Atkinson’s biggest mistake is his failure to recognize that electric vehicles already offer significant global environmental benefits compared to internal combustion engine cars.”
In Tuesday’s report, colleagues warned that high purchase costs, inadequate charging infrastructure and mixed messages were deterring some drivers from switching to electric vehicles.
Road transport is the UK’s most emitting sector
Baroness Parminter, who chairs the committee’s EV inquiry, said: “Road transport is the largest CO2-emitting sector in the UK, with passenger cars responsible for more than half of these emissions.
“The evidence we have received shows the Government needs to do more, and quickly, to get people to adopt electric vehicles,” he continued.
“If it ignores our advice the UK will not reap the significant benefits of better air quality and will remain in the slow lane in tackling climate change.”
Witnesses who gave evidence to the committee about the EV rollout “expressed concern about the lack of a clear and consistent message from the Government” and allegedly “provided an opening for inaccurate press reporting to fill the gap.”
In support of this claim, the committee’s 128-page report cited a statement from the Green Alliance pressure group that sought to directly blame the Blackadder star for the poor public perception of EVs.
The presentation, which accused the actor of “damaging” the public’s view of EVs, was cited by his colleagues as evidence of misleading reporting about the drawbacks of electric cars and battery technology.
Two committee members drive electric vehicles
Although only two members of the committee said they used electric vehicles themselves, the report warned that the Government’s target of achieving “collective ownership” of electric vehicles risked being delayed.
The president, Baroness Parminter, drives an electric vehicle, as does Labour’s Lord Grantchester. His political colleague Lord Whitty drives a hybrid car, making him the only one of the committee’s 13 members to drive a vehicle that is not petrol or diesel.
Commons transport committee member Greg Smith said politicians backing expensive electric cars were “not operating in the real world”.
He added: “It’s completely hypocritical for people who don’t drive electric vehicles themselves to tell others that they absolutely have to pay a ton of money for an electric vehicle.”
“People should be free to choose which car to buy and drive. The reliability issues with battery electric cars are real and trying to sweep it under the rug is just potty.
“EVs are expensive, unproven and environmentally questionable given the carbon footprint of construction and disposal. Let people choose for themselves.”
Mike Hawes, CEO of the Association of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said: “Many of the recommendations have already been highlighted by the industry, such as making a charging point available before it is needed, matching VAT on public charging with home charging and the importance of purchasing incentives that can be provided through VAT relief.”
VAT is charged at 5 percent on domestic electricity bills, but supplies for businesses, such as charging points at motorway service stations, are taxed at 20 percent.
Critics say this discourages drivers from using public charging points because it increases the cost of charging their batteries.
Atkinson’s manager has been contacted for comment.