The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has called for better support for private retail uptake of EVs, following new figures.
The website transportandenergy.com reports that the SMMT says the data shows that businesses are twice as likely as consumers to make the switch from petrol or diesel at present. SMMT analysis of new car registrations in 2020 shows just 4.6% of privately bought cars were battery electric vehicles (BEVs). This is compared to 8.7% for businesses and large fleets. In total, consumers registered 34,324 BEVs in 2020, compared to 73,881 corporate registrations.
SMMT has now revealed a blueprint to deliver greater retail uptake with a call for government and stakeholders to prioritise overcoming retail consumer concerns through fairer incentives and a commitment to an expanded public charging infrastructure.
Consumer acceptance remains low because of concerns over affordability, charge point availability and infrastructure reliability, the SMMT claims, with around one in three households have no dedicated off-street parking. Businesses and company car drivers currently receive stronger and longer-lasting incentives through reduced purchase taxes and fiscal incentives compared to retail consumers. Both groups also felt the cut to the Plug-in Car Grant (PiCG) announced by the government, which will add £500 to the cost of every BEV under £35,000, and £3,000 to those costing more than £35,000, as the grant is removed from electric vehicles over that price. By comparison, private buyers in Germany receive a €9,000 grant towards a new BEV, while Dutch drivers do not pay VAT on BEV purchases, equivalent to a purchase cost saving of around a sixth.
(Picture – Highways News)
