Electric Cars: What They Really Mean for You

Original version

BBC One Yorks & Lincs HD

What They Really Mean for You

Documentaries

Factual: Science & Nature

What will it take to reach net zero energy?

How people drive, heat their homes and keep the lights on needs massive change. But what will it take to make it happen?

Electric Cars

BBC Two

BBC One London

London

BBC One region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

BBC One East Midlands HD

The BBC East region started on 1st May 1959 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One East.

BBC One East HD

BBC One North West HD

Simulcast of network BBC One in high definition. From 03/11/2010

BBC One HD

BBC One Oxfordshire HD

BBC One Cambridgeshire HD

BBC One Nightlight

BBC One Cambridgeshire

BBC One East Midlands

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region. Separated as BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One London HD

The BBC South West region started on 20th April 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South West.

BBC One South West

BBC One North West

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region that included London and part of the South region. Separated from BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One South East

The BBC South region started on 5th January 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South.

BBC One South

BBC One Yorkshire HD

BBC One South West HD

The BBC North East & Cumbria region started in 1959 (tbc) as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One North East & Cumbria.

BBC One North East & Cumbria

BBC One North East & Cumbria HD

BBC One Channel Islands

The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

BBC One West

BBC One Yorks & Lincs

BBC One East

BBC One South East HD

BBC One West Midlands

BBC One Oxfordshire

BBC One West Midlands HD

BBC One Channel Islands HD

BBC One West HD

BBC One South HD

BBC One Yorkshire

Simulcast of BBC One Scotland in high definition. From 14/01/2013

BBC One Scotland HD

BBC One Scotland

Scotland

Simulcast of BBC One Northern Ireland in high definition. From 24/10/2012

BBC One Northern Ireland HD

BBC Northern Ireland region started on 19th April 1955 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One Northern Ireland.

BBC One Northern Ireland

Simulcast of BBC One Wales in high definition. From 29/01/2013

BBC One Wales HD

BBC One Wales

Wales

Simulcast of BBC Two Wales in high definition

BBC Two Wales HD

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

BBC Two England

England

Simulcast of network BBC Two in high definition.

BBC Two HD

BBC Two Northern Ireland

Simulcast of BBC Two Northern Ireland in high definition

BBC Two Northern Ireland HD

Justin Rowlatt

Michelle Ackerley

Tara Shine

Tim Usborne

Sam Bagnall

Andrew Shaw

What They Really Mean for You: Series 1: Electric Cars

Series 1

BBC One - What They Really Mean for You, Series 1, Electric Cars

Driving will never be the same again. But are we on the right road?

Investigating the controversial plans to change the cars we drive. Is it possible and what will it take?

Cars are an essential part of life for many of us. But new petrol and diesel cars will be banned from sale in 2030 to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Electric cars are selling fast, but are not without controversy.

Justin Rowlatt, the BBC’s climate editor, explores if the UK is on track to hit the government’s targets to stop emitting greenhouse gases by 2050. He investigates electric cars to see if they are good enough to replace petrol. He meets an ex-petrolhead who converts classic cars to electric for a living. Justin puts a converted VW Beetle to the test in the glorious Welsh countryside and heads to Ford’s Dagenham plant to see what the change to electric means for the UK’s car industry.

Presenter Michelle Ackerley investigates the frustrations people face trying to charge their electric cars. She explores the difficulties in building the UK’s charging infrastructure and why it’s not happening fast enough. Michelle meets the companies building the charging network and questions if it’s possible to meet the government’s targets and the needs of electric car drivers. She discovers the future of car charging and the problems of superfast chargers.

Environmental scientist Dr Tara Shine questions the cost of electric cars and meets battery experts to understand the global forces that will affect prices for decades to come. She investigates alternatives to electric cars, such as synthetic fuel which can replace petrol, and puts a hydrogen-powered car to the test.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

What They Really Mean for You

Series 1

Electric Cars

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Brand

Series

BBC One Yorks & Lincs HD

About BBC One