A book aimed at debunking the lies that have held back the development of electric vehicles and the ecological transition over recent years. Every week, exclusively on LifeGate, we'll reveal a new chapter.
How many are the main lies that have slowed the rise of electric vehicles and the journey towards the ecological transition? There are at least ten: they range from the limited range of plug-in vehicles to the negligible role of human activity in climate change, from the supposed impossibility of recycling batteries to the alleged non-existent link between human health and air quality. With the book Bugie! we have tried to counter the misinformation that in recent years has hampered the path towards the adoption of more sustainable lifestyles.
Is it really true that electric is a new technology and therefore unreliable? And that plug-in vehicles don't guarantee sufficient range? Through interviews with researchers and experts, and drawing on data from authoritative and official sources, the book focuses on ten fake news stories, touching on the themes of circular economy, battery recycling, autonomous driving and the sensations of getting behind the wheel of an electric vehicle; the work also extends to the climate crisis, renewable energy and the link between human health and air quality. Complex issues, compounded by recent geopolitical crises, tariffs on cars and trade wars that risk delaying the ecological transition. Issues, moreover, that should be reported "only through data. Never starting from a preconceived thesis, using only figures drawn from official international sources, without selecting them on the basis of what one wishes to prove," as Marco Cobianchi, an economic journalist and one of the book's authors, explains in the volume.
On the ecological transition in general, and on electric mobility in particular, many fake news stories have been circulating in recent years. "The issue is not so much about fake news as it is about fake truths — that is, false truths; those pieces of information through which only half a truth is conveyed, which makes it even harder for a user to navigate that message," explains Francesco Naso, secretary general of the Motus-E association, in the introduction.
"Specifically, with regard to the ecological transition and the electrification of mobility," Naso continues, "a great deal of plausible-sounding news is circulating: the problem is that it often consists of false truths that highlight only certain aspects — those that serve the interests of whoever is spreading them. At this stage of the transition, information is of paramount importance, but I would stress again that rather than fake news, which is easier to identify and unmask, we need to be wary of half-truths, which are far more dangerous. The only way to avoid falling into this trap is to seek information by selecting reliable sources."
This is why, from the false news stories and half-truths that are holding back the ecological transition and electric mobility, we have selected ten. Ten lies that we will seek to counter with the support of ten experts and on the basis of data drawn from official sources. Ten lies taken from the ten chapters of the book Bugie!, which we will present here one at a time. One per week. To understand what lies behind the profound and complex journey towards vehicle electrification? And what are the inevitable connections and interactions with climate impacts. The central role of energy, the social impacts on the supply chain, the invisible transformation driven by the circular economy. And further still, the environmental consequences of the transition, the growing weight of artificial intelligence, the psychology of choice and the fear of change.
As Roberto Sposini, journalist and Chief mobility editor of LifeGate, highlights in the book's afterword: "In the space of just a few years, the automotive world appears radically changed. Every hesitation about the technological shifts that will allow the sector to complete its ecological transition seems to have disappeared. Today the green transformation trend permeates every aspect of this industry, while research is also being steered by increasingly ambitious policy drivers. Let us think 'only' of that 2035 deadline and the fears generated by the possible farewell to fossil fuels, and the many second thoughts of the European Commission, still far from a definitive solution. In short, what we will offer you will be a synthesis of the long journey undertaken by the authors across the more than 200 pages of Bugie!, from which the decisive and now indispensable role of the ecological transition linked to the car and to mobility in all its forms emerges with clarity.
Pages that will show you how an "ecological transition" is no longer merely a programmatic expression, but an urgent and non-deferrable necessity. Environmental and climate indicators demonstrate the unprecedented acceleration of extreme events: rising temperatures, floods and droughts that devastate territories, economies and human lives. Within the context of this new course, as you will read chapter by chapter, fake news after fake news, the ecological transition intertwines with technological innovation and a growing focus on sustainable mobility. And this brings us to the goal we hope this volume has achieved: bringing clarity!
And those who work in information can make a great contribution. Indeed, they must. Because only the data journalism approach — precise and objective journalism — can serve as an effective tool for offering a narrative grounded in objective and verified data, capable of portraying reality transparently, without succumbing to prepackaged or partial readings. Nor to partisan positions. And if, as you will discover in the ten chapters of Bugie!, electric vehicles do not yet represent the ideal solution for all consumers (though for many they do), this does not mean that the transition is an unattainable goal — rather, that it must be approached with a realistic and inclusive mindset, capable of meeting the needs of those who can already benefit from it — such as corporate fleets or families with domestic photovoltaic systems — without discouraging those who instead require even more accessible and affordable solutions, a need to which the various degrees of vehicle electrification can provide a concrete response.
In the hope that republishing here the contributions gathered in Bugie! can make a concrete difference — can truly put things in black and white, dispel doubts and shed light on the matter — all that remains is to wish you happy reading and to once again thank the co-authors, fellow journalists and experts whose dedication and expertise were fundamental to the creation of this work: their contribution made it possible to build a narrative journey that is both rigorous and accessible, capable of tackling complex topics in clear and (we hope) engaging language. Every week we will unveil a new chapter and unmask a new lie. A journey into innovation awaits you — often complex and invisible — which we have tried to make understandable and clear to everyone, free from ideological bias. Because, if it is true that "zero emissions", "zero accidents" and "zero ownership" are the pillars driving the mobility revolution, awareness, tenacity and quality journalism are needed to understand their value.
Have we piqued your curiosity? If you don't want to wait for the upcoming "previews", the complete edition of Bugie! in e-book format, exclusively for our readers, is available at this link.