Driving Towards a Net Zero Future with Electric Vehicles

Driving Towards a Net Zero Future with Electric Vehicles

As the government brings forward the ban on the sale of diesel and petrol-fuelled cars to 2030, electric cars are looking more attractive. Professional Energy Purchasing investigates what incentives are available and how businesses can gear up for it.

Whilst carbon dioxide emissions are falling for transport it still remains the largest source in the UK accounting for 34 per cent in 2019.  Over half of transport emissions come from cars, HGVs and vans each account for 15%, while buses and rail emit less than 5% each. International aviation and shipping are accounted for separately.

Electric vehicles are going to be a crucial step in decarbonising and achieving the governments’ Net Zero target.

Benefits of Electric Vehicles

Initial prices for new cars vary with hybrids still charging a premium price over pure electric, diesel, or gas.

Electricity is cheaper than petrol or diesel though so the running costs for pure electric cars is much lower. The ongoing maintenance is also said to be less as the engines are simpler, creating further savings annually.  The other knock-on effect is that consumers will have more money in their pockets to spend on other things.

The government is giving businesses a tax break on electric and plug-in hybrid models  which could amount to a tax relief of £7,600 on a £40,000 car in the first year, plus there is no road tax to pay on fully electric and hydrogen-fuelled cars.

As well as the green benefit of going electric, switching to electric is also forecast to add thousands of jobs to society across the energy sector, battery manufacturing, charging infrastructure, and service industries.

Increasing Electric Vehicle Use Across the UK

The current ban on the sale of diesel and petrol-fuelled cars (including hybrids) has just been brought forward to 2035 from 2040.

Greenpeace UK has called for the deadline to be brought even further forward to 2030, claiming it would increase employment and see higher levels of economic activity, providing the government with a £1.9billion net increase in revenue in a decade’s time.

As we move from petrol and diesel-fuelled vehicles the demand for electricity will increase.  There are many ways the government and the energy industry are investing in renewable energy to allow for this growth.

One of these is the use of battery storage which will help to balance supply and demand for electricity for the National Grid and reduce the need to import power.  The UK’s largest battery has recently gone live right here in South Yorkshire which is fantastic news for the region.

Having nationwide access to charging is also going to be imperative to ensure confidence in purchasing electric vehicles.

What Grants are Available?

You can get a discount on the price of new low-emission vehicles through a government grant given to vehicle dealerships and manufacturers which will be included in the price.

The grant is up to £3000 and includes cars, vans, and trucks that have been approved by the government.

Homeowners can also take advantage of the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme which 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. The main requirement is that a person owns, leases, or has ordered a qualifying vehicle and has dedicated off-street parking at their property.

Getting Ahead in Business

Whilst there are clearly many benefits to purchasing electric-powered vehicles, adequate charging facilities at home, at workplaces and in transit to destinations need to be in place.

The Department for Transport has quoted over 18,000 electric car charging points across the UK which has overtaken the number of petrol stations. Local governments are also investing in charging points at a local level.

With all these initiatives driving the growth of green vehicles, companies will need to support this with the installation of onsite charging points. Whether they have large fleets, operate across multi-sites, or have small teams who want to buy green vehicles, this will help the country move towards its Net Zero target.

Professional Energy Purchasing is the Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber Energy Partner and provides a full EV charging installation service for businesses.

Get in touch to find out how they can help you with your green energy journey.

• 0114 327 2645
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