According to the Green Alliance, the government should introduce an emission-free vehicle mandate in order to promote the acceptance of electric cars with batteries and to develop the used market more strongly.
The think tank’s report says this move, already successfully implemented in California, would oblige manufacturers to increase the proportion of battery electric vehicles they sell, with preliminary targets to be met by 2035.
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Government Could “Vehicle Revolution Within Next Five Years” With E …Drive the Ultra Low Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV on a London street. Such low-emission vehicles can cost as little as 2p a mile, and some electric cars and vans have a range of up to 700 miles. 2016 Image by Getty Images
Drive the Ultra Low Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV on a London street. Such low-emission vehicles can cost as little as 2p a mile, and some electric cars and vans have a range of up to 700 miles. 2016 Image by Getty ImagesLast year, the government announced a 2030 phase-out date for sales of new gasoline and diesel vehicles to encourage the transition to electric vehicles and stated that only zero-emission vehicles such as battery-electric cars will be allowed to be sold after 2035.
According to the Green Alliance, battery electric vehicles are cheaper to operate and have fewer parts than conventional vehicles despite higher up-front costs, which reduces their maintenance costs. This means that they offer great savings to owners once they reach the used market, where upfront costs are lower.
The report estimates that a new mid-size battery electric car purchased today will save its owner up to £ 2,300 versus a gasoline or diesel equivalent once it hits the used car market, and for used cars, the estimated savings are even higher, up to £ 5,600.
It adds that lower-income households are much less likely to buy new vehicles, but there is a limited supply of used electric vehicles.
Caterina Brandmayr, Head of Climate Policy at the Green Alliance, said: “The government has given automakers a strong signal regarding the direction of travel. She now needs to make sure they accelerate the transition and help us all move across the road through more electric vehicles.
“This is particularly important to ensure that people on lower incomes can benefit from cleaner cars sooner, as well as lowering CO2 emissions and cleaning our air.”
The report says that making manufacturers’ commitment to sell an increasing proportion of battery electric vehicles will also help expand the range of models on offer in the market, making it easier for car buyers to switch, as there is currently seven times more conventional gasoline – and diesel models are electric cars as batteries.
The dynamic behind electric vehicles continues. Leeds-based supermarket chain Asda has announced that it will provide customers with free electric vehicle charging points in a number of West Yorkshire stores following a new partnership with Engie.
Customers have 24/7 access to free charging points in 19 retail stores including Bradford, Killingbeck, Wakefield, Huddersfield and Middleton, Asda’s sustainability store.
In North Yorkshire, the Selby County Council has announced plans for two new charging points for electric vehicles in the South Parade car park in Selby.
Earlier this month the government said the UK was “continuing to accelerate towards a greener transport future” when it was found that there are now over half a million low-emission vehicles on roads across the country.
