The UK government is asking the car industry for advice on how to phase out petrol and diesel cars by 2030. The plan to stop selling these cars was first extended to 2035 under the Conservative government, but the Labour party wants to bring it back to 2030.
Now, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is seeking opinions from experts to make sure the transition is clear and achievable.
Car industry leaders have raised concerns that not enough people are switching to electric vehicles (EVs) in time to meet the 2030 deadline. They point to high prices for EVs and a lack of charging stations as major barriers.
For example, Ford UK recently said that without more demand for EVs, the government’s push for more electric cars “won’t work” and called for government-backed incentives to help.
The UK has over 72,000 public charging points, with plans for another 100,000. However, there are still problems, especially in rural areas and places where people don’t have private parking to charge their cars. The price of EVs is also an issue since even the cheapest models are more expensive than petrol or diesel cars.
The government says that one in four cars sold in the UK are electric, and many used EVs are priced under £20,000. However, not all drivers are convinced. For instance, Kaylan Evans from London said the cost of EVs is “crazy” and the charging infrastructure isn’t ready.
She and her husband plan to stick with their petrol car for now. Another Londoner, Angelina, lives in a flat without charging options and is concerned about how her electricity bill would change if she installed a charging point.
The government’s consultation is part of a broader effort to make EV charging more affordable and accessible. It will also look at how to support car manufacturers in meeting the targets for zero-emission vehicles, which include electric cars and vans.
For example, in 2024, carmakers must sell 22% electric cars and 10% electric vans. They will face penalties if they don’t meet these targets, but can buy “credits” from other companies that exceed their targets.
Despite these efforts, car production in the UK fell sharply in October 2024, partly because of lower demand for electric vehicles.
The decline in electric and hybrid car production was even worse, dropping by a third. The government hopes that these measures will create new jobs and make the UK a leader in clean energy and electric vehicles.
This story was reported by BBC.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y7x3jgw7no