Electric car makers demand regulator to increase charger coverage Business

Hybrids will no longer be available for purchase from 2035 as the government aims to meet its legally binding decarbonisation targets.

Mike Hawes, Managing Director of SMMT, said: “The automotive industry is ready to take up the challenge of a zero-emission new car and van market by 2035. Realizing this ambition – an ambition that would place the Kingdom United ahead of all major markets in the world – needs more than automotive investment.

“It needs the commensurate engagement of all other stakeholders, especially the charging industry, as surveys show range anxiety has been replaced by charging anxiety.”

The SMMT argues that greater national coordination and binding targets are needed to avoid the current situation where the car to charger ratio in the north of England is 52 to one compared to 30 to one in the south.

Last year, sales of battery and hybrid cars rose 59% to more than 450,000 cars, more than a quarter of all sold.

Buyers have taken advantage of employer-run wage sacrifice programs, which allow pre-tax electric vehicle leasing, slashing the rental price of vehicles by up to 60%, and although it has been significantly reduced in recent months , electric car buyers can also make use of a £1,500 grant on a new electric car worth up to £32,000.

While electricity prices are skyrocketing, the cost per kilometer of an electric car is still about one-third that of a gasoline-powered vehicle, as gasoline prices are also rising.

But the extra expense of an electric car can also eventually discourage buyers, especially those who won’t drive enough miles to make up the difference.

Automakers are increasingly dealing with consumer concerns, designing premium vehicles with multiples of the typical range offered today, such as the 620-mile Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX project unveiled earlier this year.

Home charging is also more difficult for those who live in adjoining accommodation without a car or apartment, where they may not have a parking space.

A government spokesperson said: “We want as many people across the country as possible to switch to electric vehicles. This government is providing over £1.3billion to support the continued roll out of the charging stations in homes, businesses and residential streets across the UK, enhancing our charging station offering while supporting the roll-out of fast charging stations on motorways and major A roads in England.”