- It's going to be difficult. Everyone needs to roll up their sleeves in order for us to do this, says energy strategist Anna Säfvestad Albinsson, who works with renewable fuels at the Biofuel Region in Västerbotten - one of the County Board's partners in the Fossil-Free Transport project in the north.

Although modern cars consume less soup than before, we drive more and more cars. In Västerbotten, almost all passenger cars are currently fueled by fossil fuels - as much as 95 percent, according to figures from Statistics Sweden.

To be able to reduce emissions at the required rate, several gas stations are needed to build climate-smart fuels. Then it's not just about charging poles for electric cars, but also gas stations for biogas, renewable diesel and hydrogen. There, Västerbotten is lagging behind in comparison with other counties.

- If we do not have it in place, people cannot buy cars and then we will not get a change of the vehicle fleet at all, says Anna Säfvestad Albinsson.

Hope the state will pay

According to Johan Edqvist, project manager for Fossil-free transport in the north, there is a fairly good expansion of charging infrastructure in Västerbotten. But this applies mainly to Umeå, Skellefteå and Lycksele.

In the hinterland it looks different. And the question is who will pay for the expansion there. Sorsele, where you drive most of the car in the county, hopes for the state.

- I don't think the market will take that cost because it's not profitable to build in Sorsele, says municipal councilor Kjell Öjeryd (V).

At the same time, emissions in the larger cities are the worst. Umeå, Skellefteå and Lycksele account for 70 percent of carbon dioxide emissions from the transport sector, according to Anna Säfvestad Albinsson. There, a changeover has the greatest effect.

Don't want it to be a class issue

She points out that the transition must not become a class issue. Existing gasoline and diesel vehicles must also be handled in ten years. Some diesel cars are already approved by manufacturers today to run on completely renewable diesel, known as the HVO100, but the filling stations are few.

- It is important to find roads ahead even for those who cannot afford to buy a new electric car. It must not be a rich man's question. That's the solution we have to work with, ”says Anna Säfvestad Albinsson.