The British government has said it will ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030—with hybrid cars to follow by 2035—leaving motorists with only one option: electric cars.
But in February this year Conservative MP Steve Brine told a special debate in Westminster Hall “supply and cost are major barriers right now” to people switching over to electric vehicles, and he said he felt the current target—that all new vehicles would emit zero emissions by 2035—may be “beyond us.”
They found the biggest concerns were the initial expense of buying the car and then the difficulty with charging it.
The report found there were only nine models on sale in the UK for less than £30,000, compared to 11 models in 2022.
‘More Work to be Done to Achieve Mass Transition’
Ian Plummer, commercial director at Auto Trader, said: “There is still much more work to be done to achieve a mass transition to electric vehicles before the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel models and ensure no driver is left behind.”“Support from the tax system to put the used EV market on a more sustainable footing is vital for the sustainability of the entire EV market and our chances of successfully transitioning to EVs by 2030.”
Mr. Ingram said: “I’m not convinced the transition to electric is going to do much to change who can or can’t afford a new car. It’s true that there are fewer ‘cheap’ EVs than there are petrol or diesel cars, but even a Ford Focus will set you back more than £27,000 in today’s market. An all-electric MG4, offering similar space, practicality, and convenience features, actually starts from a few hundred pounds less.”
Auto Trader’s report seemed to bear out Mr. Ingram’s forecast.
It found a quarter of all second-hand EVs were priced under £20,000 in August—up from 7 percent a year earlier—and the price of EVs between three and five years old had fallen by 40 percent, making a used Nissan Leaf cheaper than its petrol or diesel equivalent for the first time.
Auto Trader’s report also found significant areas of ignorance among motorists about EVs.
Public Charging More Expensive Than at Home
Mr. Plummer said: “Consumers are still worried about affordability and charging, which is why we need a clear statement of intent from the Government. Penalising drivers who have to charge in public with higher VAT is simply unfair. We need to end this charging injustice.”“Those charging their EVs at home can save £142 per 1,000 miles, compared to a £41 saving for EV drivers using public charging points. There are real benefits to be had but they need to be shared more widely across society,” he said.
“We plan to roll out hundreds of hubs this decade in places EV drivers need them—urban areas, on trunk roads and motorways and at destinations such as restaurants, retail parks and hotels,” she added.
