18 June 2019
4 Mins read

Government ‘needs to get electric vehicle strategy back on track’

Government ‘needs to get electric vehicle strategy back on track’

The government needs to place more emphasis on its electric vehicle strategy if it is to meet its new pledge to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

This is according to new analysis from the British Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association (BVRLA), which found issues with taxation, charging point availability and vehicle supply are negatively affecting new electric vehicle registration.

Last year, the government published a 'Road to Zero' plan, which pledges to make almost every car and van zero emission within the next 31 years.

However, the BVRLA discovered in its Road to Zero Report Card that there is currently a lack of clarity concerning what taxes will be applied on such vehicles in the future.

Furthermore, the organisation found there are still too many blackspots for rapid charging points and not enough capability to move between different charging networks.

Therefore, although the UK was described as a 'front-runner' in some categories of the report, it received a number of red warnings in areas vital to adoption.

BVRLA chief executive Gerry Keaney said the government needs to 'super-charge' its electric vehicle strategy, adding that people are "desperate for clarity" and "frustrated" about electric vehicle availability.

To address the shortcomings, the BVRLA recommended providing a five-year roadmap for electric vehicle incentives and taxation; setting a national quota for new car registrations that gradually increases; and mandating universal methods of access and payment for public charging points.

Vehicle emissions are becoming an increasingly important point of focus for governments across the world as they attempt to address climate change, with electric vehicles potentially providing a solution to the problem.

In April 2019, the European Parliament set new carbon dioxide emission standards for cars and vans, which will apply from January 1st 2020. Legislation also states the greenhouse gas intensity of vehicle fuels must be cut by up to ten per cent by the same deadline.