Telephone 01543 270270
Organisations and investors spearheading the roll out of charging infrastructure across the UK, have issued a coordinated call on the Government to urgently recommit to existing electric vehicle (EV) sales targets.
The UK trade association for manufacturers and providers of energy infrastructure, Beama, ChargeUK, the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA) and the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (UKSIF), is warning the Government to stick to selling a minimum of 22% zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) in 2024, rising to 80% in 2030 and 100% in 2035.
A swift, decisive and public confirmation by Government that EV sales targets will remain unchanged, they say, is needed for private investors to fund rapid rollout of charging infrastructure, and to reassure consumers that their next vehicle should be zero emission.
As outlined in a recent National Audit Office report, the EV charging industry is currently on track to exceed 300,000 public chargers by 2030.
ChargeUK says that, on average, one new public charger being deployed every 25 minutes. This charging growth has been funded principally by private investment, with £6 billion already committed through the UK’s charge point operators (CPOs).
Some 143,000 jobs are also supported by the renewables sector in the UK.
Worryingly, 57 of the 100 largest UK transport companies, representing £900bn in turnover, have moved or plan on moving investments out of the UK to a market that is more supportive of their sustainability goals.
Furthermore, Beama’s Market Pulse tracking the manufacturing supply chain for electrical infrastructure, demonstrates a fall in positivity for investment intentions for the next 12 months in Q3 2024. This does not reflect the electrification needs for the UK.
It suggests that the previous Government’s decision to move the phase out date for new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035, dented both investor and consumer confidence.
Yselkla Farmer, CEO of Beama, said: “We cannot underestimate the impact moving the goal posts again could have on UK investment and pace of electrification.
“We recently published our plans for a UK Industrial Strategy which makes a strong case for the growth opportunities stemming from this sector.
“A decision to back track on the ZEV mandate will be entirely counter to the UK’s longer term ambition to drive inward investment for manufacturing.”
Vicky Read, CEO of ChargeUK, added: “The ZEV Mandate is working. More and more new and used EVs are being sold as drivers embrace the switch to electric vehicles.
“ChargeUK members are keeping ahead of demand by rolling out the infrastructure to ensure drivers have access to the right charging solution in the right place.
“But this hasn’t happened by accident, our members have been able to put in the hard work confident the Government backed their efforts.
“We need ministers to reconfirm that they will stand by the current ZEV mandate or they risk fatally spooking the very investors they say they are so keen to attract to the UK.”
