Here is an article by Fiona Harvey and Jasper Jolly published last month on what the consequences would be if the government were to relax its EV targets, as the Guardian today reports now seems inevitable. (See 9.26am.)U-turn on EV policy could stall UK’s take-up of EVs | Fiona Harvey and Jasper JollyRead moreAnd here is an extract. double quotation markThe end goal of 2035 is likely to remain, but under a consultation that ended on Friday, the 2030 targets could be weakened to 70% or even as low as 50% of new cars. Taken with previous watering down of the policy to allow more sales of hybrid cars – which use both electric and combustion engines – that change would lead to emissions greater than burning all the gas in the Jackdaw field, according to the ECIU [Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit]. If the mandate were cut more drastically to require only 50% of sales to be EVs by 2030, this could mean an additional 147 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, which would equate to about 58% of the likely emissions from burning the oil produced by the Rosebank field. Jess Ralston, an analyst at the ECIU, said weakening the target would not solve the problems for manufacturers, who are already facing intensified competition from China as increasing numbers of people opt for EVs.
It would also not benefit the public because EVs can be £1,750 a year cheaper to run, and potentially more with oil prices rising.
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