The electrification of the UK’s car industry has reached a new milestone, with one in five car sales now being battery electric…

Rising Battery Electric Sales

According to new data, compiled by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), one in five UK car sales are now battery electric. The rising figure is largely a product of a more diverse range of models being available to consumers; with the total number increasing 15-fold over the last decade. Overall, there are now 140 battery electric models available in the UK market; and the figure will rise by another 50 over the course of 2022.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, commented on the milestone. He said, “the ever-increasing number of electric-vehicle models launched by manufacturers since 2011 shows just how far Britain has come; with industry investment stimulating innovation at an ever-faster rate”.

He added, “with almost 200 electrified models expected to be available by the end of the year, manufacturers are turning ambitions for zero and ultra-low-emissions mobility into a reality, while motorists’ demand for these vehicles increases month by month”. 

Despite the rising number of models, uptake is still seemingly failing to match demand. This is largely due to global semiconductor and parts shortages.

A Joint Effort 

Notably, Hawes has emphasised that range anxiety has effectively been overcome. Now, he claims, drivers face ‘charging anxiety’ – a fear that there’s an insufficient amount of public chargers. Indeed, some 75% of the nation’s motorists believe that there isn’t enough to make the transition accessible. 

Hawes has emphasised that a joint effort, between the car industry and the government, will be needed to address the issue. He explained, “to turn this nascent demand into a mass market, however, motorists need choice, affordability and the confidence to charge. The UK has an ambitious timescale to deliver net-zero, and road transport must shoulder the biggest burden delivering that goal”. 

Just A Quarter Of Councils Have An EV Transition Strategy – https://autoserve.co.uk/motoring-news/just-a-quarter-of-councils-have-an-ev-transition-strategy/

Duty Of Care: What Your Fleet Needs To Do – https://autoservefleet.co.uk/latest-news/duty-of-care-what-your-fleet-needs-to-do/

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