UK Sees Surge In Electric Car Sales And It’s No Surprise Why
According to the BBC, sales of used cars in the UK have spiked by 5.1% between January and March thanks to a larger number of electric cars on the market. In fact, the market for electric cars has more than doubled in size.
Mike Hawes, the chief executive of Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, stated:
"Zero emission vehicles [are] starting to filter through in larger numbers to consumers looking forward to driving the latest and greenest vehicles."
The sales of used battery electric vehicles (BEVs) that run solely on electric power, has grown from 6,625 to 14,586 in the first three months of the year, a rise of 120.2% from the previous year.
Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and hybrids (HEVs) which when combined make up a larger share of the used car market also saw a rise, totalling just under 50,000 vehicles.
It’s no surprise to see EV’s doing so well when there are never-ending petrol problems and crazy pump prices and if that isn’t enough to convince you, we’ve listed a few other reasons below.
The 2030 Ban
Boris Johnson’s extremely ambitious plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030. This is to improve the UK’s chances of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
While this doesn’t mean the end of used petrol and diesel cars being sold, is there a better time to consider making the switch to electric sooner rather than later.
EV Grants Available
Plug-in Car Grant
The plug-in car grant is run by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV). The purpose is to encourage the availability of electric vehicles in the UK by reducing the initial cost to drivers.
It offers £1,500 off the price of eligible new electric cars. £500 off the price of eligible motorcycles is also available, plus £150 off applicable mopeds, and up to £5,000 off eligible vans (£2,500 for small vans).
The grant is usually applied for by the car manufacturer on the customers behalf and acts as a discount off the listed price.
Home Charger Grant
According to the government website, the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) is a grant that provides a 75% contribution to the cost of one charge-point and its installation. A grant cap is set at £350 (including VAT) per installation.
To qualify for support you must own, lease, or have ordered an electric vehicle that’s eligible and have access to off-street parking at your property.
Workplace Charger Grants
The Workplace Charging Scheme is a voucher-based initiative designed to help businesses, charities and public sector organisations with the cost of buying and installing a charge-point.
Applicants can receive up to £350 of support without owning an electric vehicle.
Conclusion
This spike in electric vehicle sales is a welcome sight to see and likely to only increase with the approaching ban and extreme petrol prices. If you’d like to know more about electric vehicles you can see our extensive range of EV charging articles.