Latest news with #ZeroEmissionsVehicleMandate
The Independent
27-02-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Government to spend £120m to help van drivers and cabbies make the switch to EVs
The Department for Transport has announced it will spend £120m to support drivers, businesses and fleets make the switch to electric vehicles, as part of the government's £2.3b plan to encourage the UK's transition to zero emissions vehicles. Future of Roads minister Lilian Greenwood confirmed that DfT will extend the plug-in van grant for another year, with the goal of helping van drivers and businesses make the switch more easily. The grant offers drivers up to £5,000 for larger vans. Since launching in 2012 the scheme has helped to sell over 80,000 electric and zero emission vehicles. The department is also removing the additional training requirements for drivers of zero emission vans, which are heavier than their petrol and diesel equivalents, making it easier for fleet managers and businesses to find and hire qualified drivers. Future of Roads minister Lilian Greenwood, said: 'From van drivers and businesses, to drivers with accessibility needs, bikers and cabbies, we are making it easier, faster and cheaper for people to switch to electric vehicles.' Similar grants are being extended for another year to help taxi drivers and bikers make the switch to electric vehicles. Cabbies can continue to apply for £4,000 of support to buy a zero emission black cab, as well as other models. The plug-in wheelchair accessible vehicle grant cap is also being increased from £35,000 to £50,000, meaning drivers of accessible vehicles will have a greater choice of cars. The government will also continue to offer bikers a £500 grant towards an electric motorbike for another year. According to the DfT there were over 382,000 electric cars sold in 2024 – up 20 per cent on the previous year – while the public charging network gained an extra 20,000 charging points, taking the total to over 74,000 public chargers. The National Audit Office estimates the government is on track to deliver the 300,000 charging points needed by 2030 to support the nation's growing population of EV drivers. In February the government concluded a consultation on the proposed 2030 phase out of petrol and diesel cars, the findings of which are expected to be published later this year. Meanwhile, the Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate – which requires vehicle makers to grow the percentage of all-electric vehicles they sell each year or face fines – increased to 28 per cent in 2025 for cars and 16 per cent for vans.
The Independent
29-01-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Renault calls for government ad campaign to boost EV awareness
Renault Group UK managing director Adam Wood has called on the government to run an awareness campaign to boost confidence in electric cars and to improve understanding of government plans to transition new car buyers to electric vehicles by 2030. Wood returned to Renault UK at the end of last year after a stint as Vauxhall's UK boss, having started his career with the French brand. His timing coincided with a strong increase in sales for Renault in 2024 and a boost to its market share. Speaking as Renault's latest all-electric model, the multi-award-winning Renault 5 E-Tech, goes on sale in the UK, Wood told The Independent, 'does the public have enough awareness around EVs? I'd like to see some sort of ad campaign to dispel the myths and build confidence in EVs. 'Consumers had constant messaging about the digital radio switchover and the turn off of analogue radio,' says Wood. 'That did the job of raising awareness and increasing the take up of a new technology.' Wood is brand head for Renault in the UK but also responsible for other Group brands Dacia and Alpine. He confirmed that Renault's response to the government's consultation on its Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate and the 2030 switch was under way, and called on grants for EV buyers to help boost take up, which is lagging behind government targets. 'We welcome the consultation from the government – from our point of view it's a team game and we've all got to play our part. 'But we're not seeing the demand curve meet the mandate curve. I think a grant would be a clear signal of commitment that is easily understood. And we've seen the precedent in Europe for what incentives can do.' Wood is confident that Renault will meet the 2025 ZEV Mandate target of 28 per cent of sales being fully electric. 'Our intention is to comply with the legislation,' he said. The new Renault 5 arrives in showrooms in April, while the all-electric Scenic enters its first full year of sales in 2025. Last year, just 15 per cent of Renaults sold were fully electric, some way below the government's 2024 targets. However, with the Scenic only on sale in the second half of the year, 22 per cent of Renault's cars were then electric. The new Renault 5 was recently named 2025 European Car of the Year, What Car? Car of the Year and Top Gear Car of the Year. Renault already won the 2024 European Car of the Year with the Scenic E-Tech, and has the all-electric Mégane on sale. At the end of this year, another retro-modern electric Renault arrives in the shape of a reborn Renault 4. Value brand Dacia currently sells the Spring, Britain's cheapest new EV with prices starting at £14,995, while sporting brand Alpine will bring the A290 (a hot version of the new Renault 5) and the A390 coupé SUV to the UK this year.
