The automotive industry issued renewed pleas for electric car purchase incentives after new figures showed a decline in the vehicles’ market share.
Under the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, at least 22% of new cars sold by each manufacturer in the UK this year must be zero-emission, which in most cases means they are pure electrics.Manufacturers who fail to comply or make use of flexibilities – such as carrying over allowances from previous years or purchasing credits from rival companies – will be required to pay the Government £15,000 per polluting vehicle sold above the limits.That is an increase of 10.4% compared with March 2023.
“While the fleet side of the market is driving the growth, more needs to be done to stimulate electric vehicle demand among private buyers where affordability remains a barrier.