The car company BMW has been censured by the UK’s advertising watchdog for claiming an electric car equipped with a small petrol engine was “clean” and “zero emissions”, in a ruling that could have a knock-on effect on other electric car advertising. That model is unusual among electric vehicles, as in addition to the electric drive, it also has a small petrol engine. In the Facebook ad the car was described as “a clean car and helps to give back to the environment”. A complainant suggested that the presence of a petrol engine meant this statement was incorrect. Electric vehicles produce no emissions at the point of use, but the power they consume does produce greenhouse gases if it comes from fossil fuels, such as coal or gas-fired power stations.

Source: The Guardian December 06, 2017 10:41 UTC