Rowan Atkinson, the world-renowned actor famous for his love of high-performance cars and racing, has been named in a House of Lords inquiry for contributing to a “plunge” in electric vehicle (EV) sales.

The Blackadder star, 69, famously described EVs as “a bit soulless” in a 2023 opinion piece. The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee has since suggested that Atkinson’s comments were partly responsible for “damaging” public perception of the technology.

The “Honeymoon” is Over

The controversy stems from an article Rowan Atkinson penned for The Guardian in June 2023. Despite being an early adopter of electric tech, Atkinson wrote: “Increasingly, I feel a little duped… I’m feeling that our honeymoon with electric cars is coming to an end, and that’s no bad thing.” While Atkinson is best known for his comedic roles, he holds a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and a Master’s in Control Systems. He used this technical background to argue that while EVs are “wonderful mechanisms,” the environmental cost of their lithium-ion batteries and the speed at which they are being pushed on the public, should be more closely scrutinized.

Debunked or Discerning?

The Green Alliance pressure group hit back during the House of Lords inquiry, stating: “One of the most damaging articles was a comment piece written by Rowan Atkinson in The Guardian, which has been roundly debunked.” EV advocates, including Simon Evans of Carbon Brief, accused the actor of misrepresenting the lifecycle benefits of batteries. Evans noted: “Mr. Atkinson’s biggest mistake is his failure to recognize that electric vehicles already offer significant global environmental benefits compared with combustion-engine cars.”

A Growing Scepticism

However, many consumers appear to align more with Rowan Atkinson than the committee. Rising purchase costs, a lack of charging infrastructure, and mixed messaging from the government have all played a role in cooling the market.

Baroness Parminter, chair of the inquiry, pointed out that transport remains the UK’s highest-emitting sector for CO2. She argued that the government’s failure to provide “clear and consistent messaging” created a vacuum that allowed “inaccurate reporting” to take hold.

The Counter-Argument

Not everyone in Parliament agrees with blaming a celebrity for the market’s shift. Greg Smith, a member of the Commons Transport Committee, delivered a scathing defense of consumer choice:

“It’s total hypocrisy for people who don’t even drive EVs themselves to have the bare-faced cheek to tell others they should drop an absolute ton of money on one. People should be free to choose what cars they buy and drive. The reliability issues with battery electric cars are real, and to try and sweep that under the carpet is just potty.”

As the 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars approaches, the debate between enthusiast “soul” and environmental strategy continues to accelerate.

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