New cars and vans powered wholly by petrol and diesel will not be sold in the UK from 2030. The UK Prime Minister has confirmed that the government is bringing forward its ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel-engined cars and vans from 2040 to 2030, although some hybrids will be allowed until 2035. The ban is part of a 10-point plan that The Government has set out to make the UK carbon-neutral by 2050.
Borris Johnson the UK’s Prime Minister has said;
“Our green industrial revolution will be powered by the wind turbines of Scotland and the northeast, propelled by the electric vehicles made in the Midlands and advanced by the latest technologies developed in Wales, so we can look ahead to a more prosperous, greener future.”
It has been documented that there are a number of great benefits for electric vehicles over the conventional petrol/diesel cars some of which are documented below;
Cheaper to run
Owners of an EV have the advantage of lower running costs. With the average UK electricity price sitting at around 14p per kWh, if you assume an electric car will travel 3.5 miles per kWh on average, to travel 100 miles would cost around £4 or 4p per mile.
Cheaper to maintain
A battery electric vehicle (BEV) has a lot less moving parts than that of a conventional petrol/diesel vehicle. There is relatively little servicing and no expensive exhaust systems, starter motors, fuel injection systems, radiators and many other parts that aren’t present in an EV. However, it is worth remembering that batteries do wear out so replacement batteries will eventually be needed. Most car manufacturers warrant EV batteries for around 8 years.
Considering the costs
Initially transitioning to an electric fleet seems expensive as electric vehicles are upfront more costly than their petrol or diesel counterparts. However, instead of looking at these upfront costs, consider the whole life cost, like running and service and maintenance costs. Electric vehicles are cheaper to run over the course of their lifespan One of the biggest reasons is that they require less maintenance, saving you up to approximately 49% in maintenance related costs compared to petrol and diesel run cars.
There is no road tax on electric cars. London drivers are exempt from congestion charges and ultra-low emission zone charges. These zones are being introduced in other major cites as well, so this benefit will soon spread across the UK. It is expected that Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone will come into operation in June 2021. You can find out if you will be charged by inputting your vehicle registration details into the Government vehicle checker. https://www.gov.uk/check-clean-air-zone-charge
Environmentally Friendly
By choosing to drive an electric vehicle you are helping to reduce harmful air pollution from exhaust emissions. EV’s emit less greenhouse gases and air pollutants over their lifespan than that of a petrol or diesel car. This is even after the production of the vehicle and the generation of the electricity required to fuel them is considered.
Taking all of the above into account, you may be at the point of investigating the possibility of adding hybrid and EV vehicles to your fleet. There are several different ways to fund plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles. However, with varying financing and tax incentives, there’s a lot to consider. Here at runyourfleet we can help you decide which leasing option is best for your business. Our team can source the best deals through our contract hire and short lease services and ensure you are taking full advantage of all the options open to you.
Give us a call today and let us help you, your business and together our future.
03445 733 111
Further information can be found on GOV.UK
