The UK automotive sector and electric vehicle policies featured prominently in the run up to last week’s general election.
In fact, EVs and the infrastructure to support them have caused robust debate for a few years now, leading to a fall in consumer demand in recent months.
With Labour now in power with a significant majority, its plans for electric vehicles and the phasing out of petrol and diesel models are in the spotlight. Here are three key policies we should expect to see introduced in the coming months.
Reintroduce the 2030 deadline for the end of new ICE car sales
Labour’s manifesto includes various policies that will impact the automotive industry, including those designed to speed up the adoption of electric and other alternatively fuelled vehicles. It intends to reinstate the 2030 deadline for prohibiting the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, previously pushed back to 2035 by Rishi Sunak last year.
With these plans already outlined, Labour also pledged to expand funding for EV infrastructure – such as charge points – to ensure it is more evenly distributed across the UK. Currently, there are many areas which are lacking sufficient charge points while there’s an abundance in some locations. The plan is to make access to infrastructure more consistent across the UK and to help support the transition for as many drivers as possible.
Part-financing of new gigafactories
Further to the 2030 deadline, Labour also plans to align EV manufacturing in the UK with battery production, by promising to part-finance new gigafactories through the National Wealth Fund. The National Wealth Fund, set to be introduced by Labour and supported by the UK Infrastructure Bank and the British Business Bank, will bolster investment in new industries of the future.
The investment is expected to create 80,000 jobs, power two million EVs and add £30 billion to the UK economy, while also making the UK a well-suited location for EV production by securing domestic battery supply chains.
Electric car labelling and battery health certification
Labour has also pledged to boost consumer confidence in electric vehicles by introducing accurate labelling. The labels will include information on a vehicle’s carbon footprint, battery range and expected lifespan. There will also be a standardised battery health certification for used EVs to ensure transparency and a strong second-hand electric vehicle market.
The Labour Party is emphasising the importance of providing the public with accessible information on electric vehicles that is easy to understand. Paired with developing clear battery standards, the government hopes that the public awareness of EVs will be significantly improved ahead of 2030.
With the new government’s pledges potentially being implemented soon, the speed of the transition to alternatively fuelled vehicles may increase. Motor Assist is embracing the adoption of emission-free vehicles, having introduced its EV-for-EV guarantee and its latest initiative, EValuate, which provides petrol and diesel car drivers with the opportunity to select an EV as their replacement vehicle following an incident. It will help give a far better, real-world experience of EV ownership compared to a standard test drive.
