The Government has announced a raft of new measures that it claims will help fleets to electrify.
What are they, and how will they help? We look at them in detail.
Funding for more chargepoints
The Government says it will be investing over £395 million for the installation of more EV chargepoints and enhanced infrastructure across the country to support the rollout of electric vehicles.
The Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure fund, worth £381 million, is available to local authorities in England so they can plan and deliver chargepoint infrastructure for residents without off-street parking.
Alongside this, it has said there is a further £15 million for the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme which is intended to help with the funding, alongside private sector investment, to install tens of thousands of new chargers across the country.
However, critics have claimed that the Government has cut its funding for this sector of chargepoint rollout, after the Department for Transport (DfT) said in its Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy last year it would invest at least a further £500m (including the £450m LEVI Fund) until 2025 to help local authorities deliver local public charging infrastructure.
Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate
The Government’s planned Zero Emission Mandate (ZEM) will force manufacturers to ensure a proportion of all cars sold are electric vehicles, or face fines.
The proposals are currently under consultation, but would demand 22% of all cars sold in 2024 are EVs, rising to 80% in 2030. For vans, the Government wants to put in place a 10% target for 2024, up to 70% in 2030.
Announcing the consultation, it said: “The proposed mandate makes the UK’s path to zero emission vehicles the fastest in Europe.”
Manufacturers will be able to bank credits in years where they sell more than the target amount to offset years when they miss it. If manufacturers do not meet their yearly numbers, they could face possible fines of up to £18,000 for every vehicle they miss their target by.
Technology and Decarbonisation Minister, Jesse Norman said: “As today’s announcements show, the government is doing more than ever to help the UK move away from petrol and diesel and towards electric vehicles.
“That means investing in charging infrastructure and giving a clear direction to manufacturers, so they can roll out new electric vehicles faster and more efficiently. Overall, the UK is leading the way in decarbonising transport, a sector that is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases.”
Gerry Keaney, BVRLA Chief Executive said the ZEV mandate was a critical tool in the UK meeting its ambitious net zero targets.
He added it “will give fleets and motorists the confidence to continue their decarbonisation journey and accelerate the transition to zero emission transport.
“This mandate brings long-term certainty to the new and used EV markets and will help firms across the automotive supply chain plan for the phase out of petrol and diesel vehicle sales. We look forward to working with the government as it implements this mandate and monitors the impact on the new vehicle market.”
Cheaper, more secure energy
Fleets are now needing to consider energy security and electricity production as the shift to EVs happens, and the Government has claimed that by 2035 the UK will have the cheapest energy prices in Europe – which would transform the cost of running electric vehicles.
Central to this is the launch of Great British Nuclear, which is tasked with pushing forward the implementation of new nuclear power stations. Its first role is to instigate a competition to select the best small modular reactor technologies – one of the most advanced nuclear power technologies in the world – for development by this autumn.
Simon Bowen, Great British Nuclear, Interim Chair said: “GBN will drive the delivery of a successful programme of nuclear new build projects faster offering real value for money and providing a more stable energy future for our country.”
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