The Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has reported that the increasing adoption of electric vehicles in the UK has resulted in a 2.1% reduction in carbon emissions from cars. This data, drawn from the SMMT’s Motorparc analysis based on DVLA records, highlights the positive impact of EV’s on the environment.
Key Findings:
- Reduction in Emissions: The average car’s carbon emissions dropped by 2.1%, while emissions from company cars fell by a significant 11.5%. This reduction is attributed to attractive fiscal incentives for fleets to invest in EV’s and substantial investments by manufacturers in lower and zero-emission models.
- Record Number of Vehicles: The number of vehicles on UK roads hit a record high in 2023, increasing by 1.7% to 41,404,589. Plug-in vehicles have driven the most significant growth in car ownership since 2016.
- Growth in EV Numbers: The number of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) registered during 2023 saw a significant increase, contributing to a 1.6% rise in the total number of cars on the road. BEVs alone saw a 47.3% increase compared to 2022, now accounting for 2.7% of all cars, up from 1.9% the previous year.
- Vehicle Longevity: The implied scrapage rates of older vehicles have reached record lows, with British motorists keeping their cars longer. The average car age on the road is now nine years, over a year older than in 2019.
- Zero-Emission Commercial Vehicles: BEV van volumes increased by 43.5% in 2022, with 61,161 zero-emission vans now accounting for 1.2% of all vans on UK roads. The number of electric buses also rose by 159.4% to 1,922 units, making the UK the largest market in Europe for zero-emission buses and coaches. Electric heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) grew by 146.4% in 2023, although they still represent only 0.4% of the fleet.
Consistent Growth
SMMT’s monthly reports consistently reflect a trend of increasing EV registrations. March 2024 saw the highest number of new BEV registrations for the month since 2019, marking the 20th consecutive month of growth for new EV registrations. This surge was driven primarily by fleet investments, which rose by 29.6% as the sector continued to recover from previous supply constraints.
Challenges in Charging Infrastructure:
Despite the growth in EV adoption, the rollout of charging infrastructure in the UK remains slow. Although 2023 was the best year for public chargepoint installations, there is still only one standard public charger available for every 35 plug-in cars on the road, a slight improvement from one per 36 cars the previous year.
Research by chargepoint operator indicates that many local authorities are lagging in their EV infrastructure plans. In 2022, 20% of surveyed councils aimed to roll out local charging infrastructure within a year, and 72% within three years. However, by 2024, none had fully implemented their plans. Additionally, 13% do not expect to do so anytime soon, and 47% now believe it will take more than three years.
This delay in infrastructure development poses a challenge to the UK government’s target of 300,000 charge points by 2030.
The data underscores the significant environmental benefits of EV adoption but also highlights the urgent need for accelerated investment in charging infrastructure to support this transition.
