In a press conference on Wednesday, the prime minister announced that the introduction of a ban on the sale of new cars wholly powered by petrol or diesel will be pushed back, from 2030 to 2035.
Has the government had a change of heart? Was this their intention all along? And will it help UK citizens better prepare for a net zero future?
At the face of it delaying the sale of combustion engine vehicles by five years looks like the brakes have been firmly applied. In reality, we are now in line with the rest of Europe in terms of their plans to ban these vehicle sales. This to me suggests that the ambitious stance made by Boris prior to the COP26 Climate Talk was just another pitiful tactic by the British Government to draw in support at a time when they so desperately needed it.
In terms of the EV world, the UK has made great strides towards a greener way of motoring. Government grants have been in place for a few years now to assist with car and charge point purchases, albeit the last of these grants are coming to an end in March 2024, with no announcement yet of anything to replace them.
Salary sacrifice incentives continue to be a big driver in business when it comes to company car drivers taking the plunge into driving an EV. Driving an EV at a much cheaper tax rate than the petrol or diesel rival continues to be quite a difference. How much longer this will be the case, will be an interesting question for years to come.
Energy companies such as Octopus with their ‘Intelligent’ plan offer excellent charging rates that make charging an EV at home incredibly affordable. From next year public charge point manufacturers must adhere to a 99% average reliability rate or face fines. The regulation will only increase EV adoption as using a reliable charge point on a regular basis creates positive feelings and opinions about charging an EV.
Lastly, the government has continued to press ahead with the Zero Emissions Mandate which is due to come into force from 1st January. Car manufacturers must ensure that 22% of cars they sell have zero tailpipe emissions. That quota will rise year on year – reaching 80% by 2030. The punishment for not meeting these targets will result in heavy fines.
With all these incentives and regulations in place, the stance still remains that zero-emission driving is the future. The frustration is that the recent surge in the EV world has been halted slightly leaving charge point manufacturers and car makers with an uncertain immediate future.
Within the next 6 – 18 months it will be interesting to see if people’s attitudes have changed. Why wait for 2035 when the availability of EVs both new and second-hand has never been better? The charge point infrastructure continues to grow, with no immediate signs of slowing down.