EVs may be reducing the threat to health caused by tailpipe emissions, but they are also causing bigger health dangers in other areas according to an influential UK government advisor. To combat the issue of particulates from tyres he is also recommending a new EV tyre tax. 

Alastair Lewis is chairman of the government’s independent science advisory group on clean air and a professor of atmospheric chemistry at the University of York. He has stated that particulate matter emitted from tyres is a much bigger risk to public health than CO2 emissions coming from fuel cars.

Professor Lewis says that the amount of air pollution is growing because motorists are driving even larger vehicles with more substantial tyres. Electric vehicles are especially heavy and produce more tyre wear which accounts for up to 50% of air particulate emission from road transport. 

The professor believes that taxes may be required to encourage a shift away from heavy SUV type electric vehicles to lighter and smaller compact cars.