7 August 2017
In one of the biggest moves to tackle air pollution in the UK, news was announced recently that the sale of new diesel and petrol vehicles will be banned from 2040. The move is part of the government’s £3bn clean air strategy to have almost every vehicle on Britain’s roads at zero emissions by 2050.
Although some environmental groups have criticised the time-frame as too long (Norway is aiming for 2025), and others are lamenting the death of the internal combustion engine, there is little doubt that the plans will change the face of Britain’s roads and consequently the motor and fuelling industries over the next 20 years.
There are serious hurdles to overcome in implementing the plans with concerns over the sheer volume of electricity needed to cope with the new practicalities of powering every new car on Britain’s roads. Conservative estimates cite the need for at least ten new power stations to cope with the demand (or 10,000 new wind turbines). The national grid is also warning we may lack the infrastructure to cope with the demands at new peak times when cars will be charged. Some forecasts estimate that 45 million charging points will be required to manage the battery usage, but that the vast majority of these would be in homes rather than on street charging stations.
A major concern for the British car manufacturing industry is centred around the question: ‘what if the rest of the world doesn’t follow suit?’ There would be practical consequences if Britain continues to manufacture luxury cars for foreign markets with diesel and petrol engines. Chief executive of Aston Martin, Andy Palmer made the argument in the Financial Times this week that the plans had glaring holes for UK car manufactures who would suddenly find themselves unable to test their own vehicles on home soil.
One thing is certain: changes to the way that the country drives, fuels, manufactures and sells cars will be inevitable in the years to come.
If you wish to discuss this blog or find out more about the services we provide to the sector, please contact me or your local UHY automotive expert.
Read more on the subject
Could hydrogen (rather than electricity) turn out to be the automotive fuel of the future? In another blog on the subject, Mike Carney shares his views.
