The Independent asks “Is the Government’s EV Grant working?” Electric Vehicles UK invites your views ahead of its education X test drives activation at The Labour Party Conference in Liverpool on 29th and 30th September🌹.
It’s too early to draw definitive conclusions. While 26.8% of new car sales in 🇬🇧 in August were battery electric, the ECG scheme has drawn stinging criticism from some OEMS including the latest rebuke from Hyundai Motor Company’s Xavier Martinet:
“It’s destroying the market, it’s unfair, because our products are very competitive & we’re doing all we can to offer the best EVs to our customers, & also to reduce the carbon footprint of the company … you cannot change something overnight. It takes some time & there was no consultation.”🤬
Renault Group’s recent poll – to commemorate the opening of its new Rnlt store at 🏭Battersea Power Station – showed: ‘Nationally, 55% of respondents expect to buy an electric car within the next 2 years, indicating a big acceleration in consumer intent. So far in 2025, 21.9 % of new car registrations have been for🔋EVs.’
The poll also illuminated that Londoners are more likely, as are men, & younger generations too. Almost as if he was reiterating EVUK talking points, championship-winning racing driver, Jason Plato said:
“While we have to respect people’s concerns, many of them are looking outdated as some of the latest cars to be launched offer incredible technology at great value.”👏🏼
#CheaperBetterBatteryElectric
Whether the EV Grant has really changed the weather remains to be seen, & spring 2026 might be a better time to check the barometer, but there’s one area in which we believe it’s unlikely to have the required impact, & that’s with the ‘private buyer’.
Truth is those individuals are like ‘hens’ teeth’ because of long-term car market dynamics. The majority of the market is used – BEVs beating all records in that market btw – after all at the moment a £65k new car can be acquired for £40k after 5,000 miles🤯 Begging the Q, why buy new?
Meanwhile, the majority of the new market is dominated by financing of some sort or another, with salary sacrifice carrying the torch for new BEV sales in 🇬🇧 but we *must* breakthrough to the mass market consumer too, and from Electric Vehicles UK viewpoint this necessitates, an educational campaign incl. test drives.
We believe grants are a short-term sugar rush; 🇬🇧 consumers need the long-term nutritional value of a steady diet of clear, concise, accurate info to move electric en masse, & to build the ‘value proposition’ around BEVs.
EVUK’s 16-point programme starts soon, and the very biggest brands are partnering with us.
You can meet EVUK & drive almost Everything Electric at B2B EV DAY Farnborough International on 10th Oct (B2C days on the 11th & 12th).
