Warning over new UK car laws which '90 per cent are not prepared for'
90 per cent of road users think the UK is unprepared for a 2030 petrol ban. A new study has found that a large majority of Brits have concerns about electric vehicles, with 90 per cent saying the country is not prepared.
Greg Wilson, CEO of the car insurance comparison site Quotezone.co.uk, explained: "The reluctance to switch is understandable. The cost of purchasing an EV is expensive and the lack of public charging points make the reality a challenge.
"Sixteen per cent of the motorists we quizzed said this was one of their biggest concerns. There has been considerable investment recently in the infrastructure. In the last 12 months, the number of charging points increased by 38 per cent, with the Government’s goal set at 300,000 public charging stations by 2030."
READ MORE: Drivers of these cars will see car tax double in April
READ MORE: Millions of motorists break the Highway Code by parking on their driveway
READ MORE Foreign Office warns Brits 'barricade yourself in' and 'put phone on silent'
He added: "There are other concerns to address around low mileage, the costs of parts and repairs, the expense of installing home chargers and resale prices. The future may well be electric - but we’re quite a way off making it a realistic option for the majority of UK households."
It comes as sales of petrol and diesel vehicles reached 44 million, which is the lowest figure for four years and down more than two million (4.5 per cent) compared to 2023. A number of countries have seen a huge spike in sales of battery electric vehicle vehicles between 2023 and 2024, with Chile (259 per cent), Brazil (219 per cent), Singapore (164 per cent) and Malta (117 per cent) all growing substantially.
Internal combustion engine vehicles are the only fuel type vehicle around the world to see sales decrease as more drivers make the switch to zero emission motoring. According to the Allianz Risk Barometer report, political issues including trade disputes, civil unrest or military conflicts, could threaten supply chain stability for certain vehicles.
It added: "High-tech and green energy sectors, which have been the subject of trade wars and protectionism, are particularly at risk. For example, in 2023 China restricted the export of graphite, an essential component for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles.
"Analysis by Allianz and others shows that within the last decade export restrictions on critical raw materials increased by a factor of five. Some products in electric vehicles and consumer goods are as much as 91 per cent dependent on China."