Regardless of the introduction of the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ), Sophus3 believes more should be done to facilitate the purchase and ownership of electric cars (EVs) to drive down emission levels.
According to Sophus3, there has been growing interest in electric cars in the past 12 months. Online research into hybrid and pure EVs has doubled year-on-year, while online research into the four most popular pure EV models was up 109% in the same period. However, this interest is not yet matched on the car forecourts, Sophus3 said.
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This is due to various challenges, including an immature infrastructure, lack of incentives and perks, limited supply of EV cars on the market, and continued consumer confusion over EV ownership. Sophus3 believes this is stifling the market just as the ULEZ legislation is introduced.
“Based on the online car buyer research behaviour we see in the UK, Sophus3 believes that the ULEZ really puts the cart before the horse,” said Scott Gairns, managing director of Sophus3. “There is demand now for EVs and we would advise that serious consideration is given to promoting the Norway model of a range of perks and incentives combined with aggressive EV targets.”
London’s ULEZ comes into force on 8th April 2019, effectively pricing diesel vehicles older than 2015 off the roads of central London. It is estimated that the ULEZ will impact over 40,000 cars and 19,000 vans which travel into or through the central London zone each day.
Drivers with older, more polluting vehicles will face fines of up to £160 per day if they forget to pay the £12.50 daily charge and by 2021 this no-go area will be extended as far as the north and south circular, making it the largest chargeable low emissions zone in the world.
Gairns continued: “Our analysis shows that when electric vehicle ownership is presented by car company marketing activity as ‘easy’ and ‘normal’, sales demand increases. Meanwhile the Norway model – a combination of financial incentives, cheap electricity, and an aggressive target of zero emissions for all traffic by 2025 – is proving hugely successful. The best-selling car in Norway is the Nissan Leaf and is exported from Britain. The UK should import Norway’s EV incentive schemes.”
