Fiat and Mazda warn UK drivers over 'sleepwalking' into 'crisis'

Major car brands have warned the UK is "sleepwalking" into "the cusp of a crisis" with an electric car sales slump. Fiat has warned the UK is on 'cusp of crisis' with electric cars as the country tries to phase out petrol and diesel by 2035.

Damien Dally, managing director at Fiat UK, said: “With confirmation that no electric car grant is going to be reintroduced, we would say the Government is now well and truly on the cusp of that crisis. Half a million electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles were registered during 2023, which is fantastic news.

“But, the EV market for private buyers is in real jeopardy, accounting for fewer than one in five (18.2 per cent) new electric cars registered in 2024. The Government says it is targeting its incentives where they have the most impact and deliver the greatest value for money.”

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Jeremy Thomson, managing director at Mazda UK, said it was disappointing not to see any incentives for private buyers of electric vehicles in the Spring Budget announcement last month. He warned: “We need to change the narrative around EVs, from range to usage and encourage home charging installation, better public charging infrastructure as well as government incentives that consider cost throughout the ownership cycle.

“As manufacturers, we have to build and sell electric cars that people want to buy at a price that gives them confidence to adopt EV technology." He added: "We have recently made price reduction changes to our MX-30 BEV to a starting price of £27,995 to make it the most affordable electric SUV on the market and on a par with many combustion-engine small family cars.

"With a £6,000 Mazda deposit contribution, the monthly cost is now just £199*. That makes it one of the most affordable EVs available in the UK today."