The UK government will set tough new targets for electric vehicle (EV) sales in the coming weeks as part of its plan to phase out traditional cars. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is reportedly committed to banning the sale of new internal combustion engine vehicles by 2030.
These new targets were reinforced by a £600 million investment by BMW in its Oxfordshire factory, which came on the condition that annual sales quotas for electric vehicles would not be relaxed. The Department for Transport has advised Downing Street not to make any significant changes to the rules and has set a target for 22% of all cars sold to be electric in 2022, rising to 50% by 2028.
Although BMW did not make these targets a condition of its investment, they called on ministers to provide clarity on future rules. Companies want security to make informed decisions and investments. The UK government hopes these targets will give businesses confidence to invest in more charging points, with 3,870 charging points installed in the last three months.
However, there was resistance from various groups. The Sun Online revealed the current chaos over electric vehicle charging in rural areas, where more than 12 million people are fighting over a few thousand chargers. The Give Us a Brake campaign has called for the ban to be postponed until proper charging infrastructure is in place, and the government has also faced criticism from its own MPs.
Despite the challenges ahead, the UK government remains committed to stopping the sale of new petrol and diesel cars. They are committed to the industry and work closely with companies as they advance their plans.
