Whatever you think of the new Labour government, it’s fair to say it’s facing quite a number of challenges – and climate is unquestionably one of the biggest. By extension, it’s a major consideration for the incoming Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh. During election season, Labour has been very clear about recommitting to the ban on petrol and diesel vehicles, with the intent for lots more drivers to go electric – ideally, drastically cutting down on the level of harmful emissions.
However, it looks like the kind of petrol and diesel cars that you’ll find in our online salvage car auctions aren’t going anywhere yet, as there’s still quite a few obstacles in the way of that at the moment, One of the most well-documented is that there are still not nearly enough charging points for the millions of drivers who’ll need them. What’s more though, it looks like drivers themselves aren’t fully convinced of the market yet. That’s according to a survey by Bridgestone, a global tyre manufacturer, who’ve called for more clarity from the government on the strategy to improve electric car uptake in the UK.
What does the survey say?
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has predicted that 414,000 EVs will be sold in the UK during 2024, but a study by Bridgestone found 27 percent of drivers do not intend buying an electric model.
Bridgestone surveyed 2000 motorists from across the country, and a worrying 64% of them were notably concerned about the lack of charging points. That’s probably linked to the 47% of respondents who cited having “range anxiety” – in other words, the worry about not having enough charge to make it to their destination.
Now, it’s worth noting that all this hasn’t been enough to turn off people from electric cars entirely. 51% of all the survey’s respondents said they had plans to buy one in the next five years. However, the understandable reservations that so many customers clearly have for them evidently need to be addressed, and quickly.
What has the government said?
The new Labour government, led by Sir Kier Starmer, acknowledged the urgency of the climate crisis in its manifesto in the run-up to the election, and made a couple of key pledges – for starters, the government promised to “support the transition to electric vehicles by accelerating the rollout of charge points”, as well as standardising the information supplied on batteries, helping to better support buyers of second-hand electric cars.
However, as is sometimes the case with government manifestos, industry observers have criticised the manifesto for being light on detail. There was no mention of reinstating the plug-in car grant for example, and businesses have gone on record with their concerns at the lack of assurances over fuel duty, or future “benefit in kind” (BIK) taxes.
But as voters (and politicians) have learned so many times before, making promises is easy – it’s delivering them that’s the tricky bit. One business leader perhaps summarised it best: “The time for blanket decarbonisation policies has been and gone,” said Gerry Keaney, chief executive of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA). “For the transition to be embraced by all sectors, targeted action is needed.”
As to whether the government will deliver it… well, for now, we’ll just have to wait and see!
One thing is for certain though – petrol and diesel cars aren’t going anywhere for the time being. So if you’re looking for spare parts to repair one of yours (or you’re even looking for a new secondhand car entirely), you can find exactly what you’re after right here at RAW2K.
We take pride in providing you with a huge range of salvage cars to choose from in our online car auctions, including not just models from the likes of Ford and Volkswagen, as well as a range of other world-famous brands like Mercedes, Honda, and Peugeot. Our auctions are refreshed on a daily and weekly basis, so there are always bargains to be found. Why not take a look around, and see what you can find?
