Transition to electric cars is ‘unequal’ says industry expert

The current transition to electric cars is ‘unequal’ and doesn’t favour all groups of people from making the switch to a fully electric vehicle.

That’s according to Marc Palmer, brand director at Auto Trader, who told a House of Lords inquiry today that the current switchover to electric vehicles was ‘fragile’ although there was significant progress in the fleet market.

Palmer stated, however, that the changeover process is ‘unequal’, with the vast majority of electric cars driven by those in more affluent areas with access to off-street parking, which allows for easier charging.

“There are three core groups being left behind – those over 55, women and those lower-income households. We see a real risk of them being left behind in the transition.”

He added that ‘a change in lifestyle is what’s holding a lot of people back’.

He was speaking as part of a panel during the Environment and Climate Change Committee Inquiry into Electric Vehicles today (September 6) alongside other industry leaders from outfits such as Motors.co.uk, the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association and Zipcar.

Palmer said that current government targets were ‘achievable but it’ll require action’, adding that they were seeing progress in the sales of electric vehicles overall. A new mandate is set to be enforced soon that will require manufacturers to sell a certain proportion of fully electric vehicles – 22 per cent by 2024, 80 per cent by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2035.

Demand for electrified vehicles grew in August, with figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders showing that nearly two out of every five of the 85,657 new vehicles sold during the month was a battery-powered model.