Feature

‘The Great De-Electrification’: Have the wheels come off EVs?

January 2024 marked an exciting milestone for the UK automotive industry, with the millionth electric vehicle (EV) hitting our roads – an achievement more than 20 years in the making. However, the uptake of EVs has hit several speed bumps over the past few months, making the future of sustainable transport uncertain…

03/07/2024 10:44:15

The good news is that the EV market continues to grow – albeit not as quickly as originally hoped. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations saw a modest increase of 6.2 percent in May, achieving a market share of 17.6 percent. However, this still falls short of the target put forward by the Government's Vehicle Emissions Trading Scheme, which requires that 22 percent of new vehicles sold this year be zero-emission.

Moreover, the increase is primarily being driven by businesses, rather than individual consumers: while fleet registrations rose by 10.7 percent, private retail volumes actually fell by 2.0 percent. Even industry giant Tesla recently reported an 8.5 percent decrease in deliveries – the company’s first decline since 2020. So, why have consumers slammed on the brakes?

Read the full article in DPA's July 2024 issue

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.