Car dealers are concerned about the future of the 2030 petrol and diesel car ban and whether it will actually go ahead, amid calls for Labour to make a decision as soon as possible.
New research has found that 78 per cent of dealers aren’t confident that the ban on new petrol and diesel vehicle sales will go ahead at the end of the decade.
Of those who believe there will be a delay in banning internal combustion engine vehicles, 73 per cent said there was a lack of time to improve charging infrastructure around the UK.
There are currently 75,675 public charging points around the UK, with many expecting that 300,000 chargers will be installed by the end of the decade to help motorists have confidence in EVs.
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Dealers have admitted that they are not certain whether the petrol and diesel car ban will happen in 2030
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A further two-thirds of dealers believe there is a lack of consumer interest in switching to EVs, with 17 per cent thinking there is too much confusion over the deadline.
At the start of the year, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander spoke to the House of Commons about the future of petrol and diesel sales and the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate.
At the time, the Government’s ZEV mandate was ongoing, which looked at how the rules should be moved forward, with manufacturers expected to have 28 per cent of sales come from zero emission vehicles by the end of the year.
The Labour MP for Swindon South slammed the previous Conservative Government for its decision to delay the ban on new petrol and diesel sales until 2035, saying it put “billions of pounds of committed investment” at risk.
She confirmed that no new petrol or diesel cars would be sold after 2030, with all new cars and vans being 100 per cent zero emission by 2035.
Experts now assume the Government will allow the sale of certain hybrid vehicles between 2030 and 2035 to allow motorists to gradually move towards electric vehicles.
However, the delay in feedback from the Department for Transport could see dealers focus more on what consumers demand until a decision is announced.
John Cassidy, managing director of sales at Close Brothers Motor Finance, said there was a “clear disconnect” between policy ambitions and confidence among dealers.
He added: “While the shift toward electric vehicles remains a vital component of reducing carbon emissions and combatting climate change, significant investments in infrastructure, affordability, and consumer education will be crucial.
“Ahead of the Spring Statement, many will be hoping the Government addresses these concerns.”
He noted that there could be a boost to the number of EV chargers around the UK through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, but said it was “nowhere near the required level needed”.
While the battery range of electric vehicles continues to improve every year, and more EV chargers are installed, some drivers still have range anxiety.
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An update on the future of the ZEV mandate is expected soon
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Data from Close Brothers Motor Finance reported that more than one in five have issues with EV chargers when they visit a public charging station.
Cassidy said: “If the Government targets are to be realistic, it’s crucial that the infrastructure gets the levels of investment needed to really make EVs an attractive proposition.”