Electric Vehicle Special Written by Gill Nowell, EVA England
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EV DRIVERS
Support for the transition to zero emission transport Gill Nowell from the newly formed Electric Vehicle Association (EVA) England discusses its recent research, which shows people in England are generally in support on phasing out petrol and diesel vehicles in pursuit of cleaner air Registrations of new electric vehicles are But what of charging skyrocketing in the UK. According to figures infrastructure? from the Society of Motor Manufacturers People with off-street parking tend to charge and Traders, July 2020 saw a 259 per cent at home, overnight. For the 40 per cent of increase in new registrations of fully electric households without access to off-street cars and vans, compared with the same time parking, charging hubs and on-street charging the previous year. The total car parc of electric solutions are emerging. Workplace and vehicles (both fully electric and plug-in hybrid) destination charging also have a key role to stands at nine per cent of all car sales in the play in the ‘charging mix’. Motorway service UK in July. Set against a backdrop of charging is set to become more a 97 per cent decline in overall reliable, with updated and new car sales in the UK over ‘partnered’ infrastructure 96 the same period, the appetite being planned to offer per cen for electric vehicles is as more charging stations of respo t ndents clear as the air that we across the UK. agree t hat an would all like to breathe. earlier phase o Electric vehicles u t d a are probably still a te petrol a nd dies of relatively new concept v e h el icles w to many people in the UK. Challenges in in bette ould result r pu perception remain, such health blic as those over range anxiety, cost and purported lack of public charging infrastructure. However, with the vast majority of automotive OEMs committing to electric drivetrains, and new makes and models being launched on an almost monthly basis, the UK has seen the number of electric car options catapult from just a handful a few years ago, to over 100 available to choose from today. In terms of numbers, back in 2013 there were just 3,500 electric cars on UK roads; today there are almost 250,000. Battery size and therefore range on a single charge is increasing, with the majority of models now offering between 100 to over 300 miles of range – with start-up companies such as Rivian in the US promising 400 miles’ electric range for its all-terrain vehicles. And watch out for Lucid Motors, with a purported range of 517 miles on a single charge for its forthcoming all-electric luxury sedan. Safe to say, that the majority of electric cars can now travel around 200 miles on a single charge, and when we consider that most people only drive an average of 25 miles each day, this is more than enough to satisfy most drivers.
DRIVING THE SWITCH TO CLEANER FLEETS | www.greenfleet.net
Electric fleets Fleets of course will have a hugely important role to play in the decarbonisation of road transport in the UK. With company car drivers paying zero Benefit in Kind for 2020-2021 if they choose to go electric, the incentive is demonstrably significant, and presents a great opportunity for fleets to make the switch. The rapidly increasing range and choice of EVs is also a key driver for the transition to zero tailpipe emission transport for fleets, as well as the steady improvement in charging infrastructure. It is evident too, that with the government’s Plug-in Car grant no longer available for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, more drivers will opt to move to EVs with the associated grant incentive. EVA England Mass adoption of electric vehicles in the UK is becoming a reality. With this in mind, Electric Vehicle Association (EVA) England has been set up. Inspired by similar associations in Scotland, Norway, the Netherlands, Canada and the USA, EVA England is committed to providing a voice for EV drivers in England, with a focus on personal car drivers. The founding group first met in March 2020 before being fully incorporated as a Community Interest Company in early June 2020. The founding Board of Directors is a diverse group from a range of professional and personal backgrounds, with over 15 years’ experience in the EV and automotive industry; all directors are united in the need for a consumer voice for EV drivers in England.
