The increase in electric vehicles (EVs) is gathering pace all the time. But why is this happening and what is the industry saying about it? Here, independent motoring journalist Richard Aucock explains all.
Sooner or later, we are all going to see a change in the cars we drive. The drive towards net zero is behind this, and as road transport is one of the biggest emitters of CO2, the move towards zero emissions cars is now underway. But what does this mean for motorists in the UK, and how will it impact the choices people make when choosing their next vehicle?
Here, we aim to tell you what you need to know about the rise in EVs.
Exciting EVs
Motorists who have made the switch agree that swapping into an electric car is an exciting change. The latest models are capable and interesting vehicles which are genuinely desirable in their own right. Many of them are award-winning models.
Electric driving range is improving all the time as well. Many EVs can easily now travel more than 300 miles between charges – and the fast-growing public rapid-charge technology cuts the recharge time when you do need to top up on the move.
EVs may be more convenient for many Motability Scheme customers. If you have off-street parking, the Motability Scheme will arrange for someone to install a home chargepoint as a part of your lease package. It means you can easily plug in and recharge your EV battery at home, and will never have to bother visiting a fuelling station ever again.
Charging at home is also far cheaper than paying for petrol or diesel. Many people who have made the switch say driving an EV is saving them a fortune.
Why is there an increase in EVs?
Here in the UK, the move to EVs has been underway for some time now. This reflects the fact that the world’s big car makers have almost all decided that the future is electric. They are investing huge sums of money to develop the future range of electric cars, as engineering time and attention shifts away from petrol and diesel models.
There are external factors too. Petrol and diesel cars (also known as internal combustion engine vehicles, or ICE) produce CO2 emissions from their exhausts. Legislation has long been in place to tighten CO2 emissions, and the limits get stricter every year. Soon, the only way to comply with legal CO2 limits will be with hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric cars.
What’s more, the UK has something called the ZEV Mandate. You may have read about it in the news; it means that starting from 1 January 2024, car manufacturers must sell an ever-increasing number of EVs each year or face huge fines of up to £15,000 per car. In 2024, the target is for 22% of new cars to be EVs, rising to 80% by 2030. This is going to dramatically alter the UK new car market and really put the focus on new EVs.
Car manufacturers are already responding. Because they don’t want to face fines, they are putting processes in place that will reduce the number of ICE vehicles they sell. EVs will increasingly come to the forefront, and you will start to see them prioritised on car manufacturer websites. The landscape for those searching for a new car is already changing as ordering for ICE vehicles declines and EVs rise in importance.
While there has recently been debate following the shift of the 2030 deadline to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars to 2035, in reality, little has changed. The ZEV Mandate means 4 in 5 new cars sold by 2030 must be EV. And by 2035, current law states that every new car sold in the UK must be fully electric.
What the industry is saying about it
Many major carmakers have committed to an EV deadline. Ford aims to have a pure electric range of new cars by 2030, as does Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroen, MINI, Renault and Volvo. Some new brands launching in the UK, such as BYD and GWM ORA, only sell EVs.
“Greater uptake of the latest, long-range electric vehicles will help us improve air quality, give greater energy security, lower our fuel costs and reduce climate change,” says motoring expert and former Top Gear star Quentin Willson, who has founded national campaign organisation FairCharge. “Electric cars and vans are the beginning of the process of transitioning from polluting fossil fuels to renewable energy – a once-in-a-generation opportunity to stop burning hydrocarbons.”
What’s more, at the recent COP28 Summit, a landmark deal to transition away from fossil fuels was agreed. Labelled the ‘UAE consensus’, this will only help reinforce the shift towards electric cars.
Motoring is moving towards an electric future. As the car industry evolves, work is underway in the UK to make it increasingly desirable to motorists – from ever-more chargepoints, to other benefits that incentivise EVs. More and more exciting electric cars are coming all the time and, sooner or later, the time will be right for you to consider an EV as your next vehicle.
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