Sir, – Your article on the costs of running an electric car by Neil Briscoe (Motors, April 28th) omits a very important possible additional contribution to reducing the cost: the possibility of generating the electricity required using photovoltaic (PV) panels. My wife and I recently considered the possibility of installing a PV system and had a lengthy meeting with a possible contractor. On considering our use of electricity, he advised that the only way in which such a system would be economically sensible for us was if we had an electric car. Even then, the cost of installation of the PV system would be too high to justify its installation if one also needed to install a battery storage system. This extra cost could be avoided if the supplier of electricity, in our case Electric Ireland, we're to pay a full retail rate for unused electricity returned to the grid rather than just the wholesale rate. The Government might consider subsidising the difference between the wholesale and retail prices so the feedback payment equals the retail price. A high feedback tariff of this type would encourage householders to consider installing PV systems and hence to contribute to the country's renewable energy production. Such an arrangement would also encourage the use of electric vehicles as recharging could be carried out at any time of day or night. – Yours, etc,
JULIAN ROSS,
Kinvara,
Co Galway.