The Swiss government has announced it will ban the use of electric cars for "non-essential" travel if the country's energy runs out this winter. .In an effort to curb the use of electricity this winter, an emergency plan has been drawn up to reduce consumption of electric power should the country be hit with blackouts, said reports from the UK's Daily Mail. .Not only will the government look to limit the use of electric vehicles, other "crisis measures" would include the reduction of shop hours by up to two hours per day, heating systems in nightclubs being shut off, and temperature limits in buildings. .Other measures could include limits to streaming services, video game use, and Christmas lights, along with the potential closure of all sports stadiums and leisure facilities. .Switzerland gets approximately 60% of its energy from hydroelectric power stations, but is highly dependent on exports of energy through the winter months. .And, although the country relies on nuclear power for roughly a third of its power, the Swiss government said it's committed to phasing it out. .Generally, Switzerland can produce enough energy to supply the country, but supply can be volatile as hydropower drops off through colder months. Thus, it means the Swiss have to rely on neighbouring nations in the winter. An exceptionally dry summer in Europe is also contributing to a suspected energy crisis..It's also feared the Russia-Ukraine war will contribute to energy shortages in Europe, and as the Swiss rely heavily on German energy exports, Germany was hugely reliant on Russian energy supplies. Switzerland also looks to France for energy, but the country is currently dealing with issues with its nuclear reactors. .Switzerland's emergency plan has two categories — emergency and crisis — and will operate like COVID-19 lockdowns with three degrees of restrictions that will be triggered based on available energy supply. .The least-extreme 'emergency' measures will cap the heating of most buildings to 20C and limit heat used for washing machines. Under the next level of emergency measures, indoor heating will be required to drop to 19C and streaming services will be forced to limit streams to standard and not HD. Under the next level of restrictions, shops will be required to reduce opening times and electric vehicles will be limited to essential travel only. .Under the "crisis" measures, steps will range from shutting off hot water in public bathrooms, the use of Christmas lights will be banned, and sporting, recreation, and entertainment facilities will be required to shut..In the heat of August, California residents were warned not to charge their electric vehicles during a Flex Alert due to an extreme heatwave. .READ MORE: California warns residents, don't charge EVs due to heat taxing power grid.The Flex Alert urged consumers to reduce their energy consumption by setting thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, avoiding the use of electric appliances and electric vehicles, and turning off any unnecessary lights.
