More than 80 per cent of the new cars sold around the world last year were petrol guzzlers, and Pat Symonds reckons that should be a reminder to anyone who thinks electric vehicles can single-handedly get the world to net zero by 2050.

“The lifespan of vehicles is increasing. In Western Europe it’s around 17 years at the moment. In Eastern Europe, it’s around 25 years,” he told the Tech Zero podcast.