Rowan Atkinson has been accused of adversely affecting the image of electric vehicles (EVs) and contributing to sluggish sales. The House of Lords' environment and climate change committee, in its Tuesday meeting, referenced the actor, famous for Mr Bean, in connection with this matter. The Green Alliance thinktank shared its perspective on the primary hurdles faced by the government in its effort to phase out petrol and diesel cars before 2035. According to the thinktank, a commentary authored by Rowan Atkinson in June 2023, which criticised EVs, was detrimental to the cause.
In a letter to peers, the pressure group stated, "One of the most damaging articles was a comment piece written by Rowan Atkinson in The Guardian, which has been roundly 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." Atkinson's piece, titled "I love electric vehicles - and was an early adopter. But increasingly I feel duped," expressed his concerns about EVs being "a bit soulless" and criticised the use of lithium-ion batteries. He proposed alternatives such as prolonged car ownership and increased use of synthetic fuel to obviate the necessity for EVs, stating, "Increasingly, I'm feeling that our honeymoon with electric cars is coming to an end, and that's no bad thing."
The 69-year-old actor, with a degree in electrical and electronic engineering, advised friends to postpone adopting EVs unless they owned an old diesel vehicle. The Guardian published a response from Simon Evans, deputy editor and senior policy editor of climate news site Carbon Brief, refuting Atkinson's claims the following week. Evans argued, "Atkinson's biggest mistake is his failure to recognise that electric vehicles already offer significant global environmental benefits, compared with combustion-engine cars."
Atkinson's views were used to illustrate a broader concern about "misleading" reports hampering EV sales. Additional challenges highlighted during the committee meeting included a shortage of charging points, higher prices for EVs, and a "lack of clear and consistent messaging from the government."