• • • NEWS • • •
he UK registered its one millionth electric car last month, despite a big drop in sales, new figures suggest.
One million electric cars sold in the UK since 2002 T
increase, with demand for BEVs growing by more than 40%.
New electric vehicle registrations by private buyers fell by a quarter in January, threatening to undermine the UK’s net zero promises. Overall new car sales to private customers fell by 16% in the same period, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. The figures have sparked more calls for tax cuts to boost uptake among buyers. More than 20,000 battery electric cars (BEVs) were registered in January, up by a fifth year-on-year and helped by generous tax incentives for company car users. It means that since 2002, one million of these cars have reached the road. Fleet buyers – companies purchasing more than 25 units in one go – have been entirely behind the
evec enhances
sustainability with solar- integrated EV charger
lectric vehicle users now have a new way of charging their vehicles, thanks to evec, which has launched a new solar-integrated EV charger, the solar VEC01.
E
The VEC01 EV charger is an excellent solution for those who want to charge their electric vehicles in a more environmentally friendly way. By harnessing the power of the sun, these chargers can provide a sustainable and cost-effective way to charge at home if your home already has access to solar panels. With advancements in technology, solar-integrated EV chargers are now becoming more efficient, and the cost of installation is decreasing, making them a more viable option for many people. The evec solar-integrated VEC01 is also a great option for those living in areas where traditional power sources may be limited or unreliable and follows on from the evec launch of the tethered solar integrated VEC03 launched in winter 2023. Tom Bloor, evec’s managing director, said: “There’s something really exciting about using renewable energy to power our vehicles. The launch of the evec solar-integrated chargers represents a step forward in sustainability. It offers a practical solution for those who want to reduce their carbon footprint while enjoying the convenience of an electric car.’
evec is continuing its partnership with several premium installer companies nationwide, and customers can now purchase the solar- integrated VEC01 charger through the evec website and will automatically be assigned a local installer.
But falling private registrations mean electric cars accounted for 14% of new vehicles sold in the UK in January – below the 2023 figure of 16.5%.
It has led to calls from the SMMT to renew calls for the government to use the upcoming budget to halve VAT on electric vehicles in order to boost demand from private buyers.
“It’s taken just over 20 years to reach our million EV milestone – but with the right policies, we can double down on that success in just another two,” SMMT boss Mike Hawes said.
“Manufacturers have been asked to supply the vehicles, we now ask government to help consumers buy the vehicles on which net zero depends.”
Last year Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed a ban on new petrol and diesel car sales was being pushed back five years from 2030 to 2035. The announcement met with a mixed response from carmakers, many of whom have begun investing heavily in electric vehicle production.
Electric car charger rollout remains stuck in the slow lane
M
ore than six million people live in areas where no public electric car charging points were installed in the final three months of 2023.
Analysis of the latest figures shows 75 constituencies in the UK had the same number at the end of last year as at the start of October.
In some areas where no more were installed, there are hardly any public charge points at all. In Bolton West, the number stayed stuck at 12 while there were six in Bootle in Liverpool and three in Castle Point in Essex and Sheffield Hallam.
The stark figures will spark fresh concerns that Britain’s electric car revolution is being held back by the lack of charging points as well as their uneven distribution. The figures, published on the Government’s own website, show the
6 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • FEBRUARY 2024
London boroughs of Hammersmith, Westminster and Chelsea and Fulham alone boast more than one in ten of all UK public chargers. And Westminster has more than six major cities in the North and Midlands combined. Ian Plummer, at Auto Trader, said:
“The rollout of electric vehicle infrastructure is in danger of becoming patchy and uneven, which won’t help the confidence of potential switchers if charging ‘deserts’ are allowed to develop.”
The Government wants 300,000 public charging points for electric installed by the end of the decade; at the start of this year, there were only 53,677 – it will require around 110 to be installed every day to reach the target, however, in 2023, only 46 per day were installed.
electricalengieneeringmagazine.co.uk
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