It won’t have escaped anybody’s notice that the present government plans to ban the sale of new fossil-fuel powered cars from 2030. The key word here is new: One or two commentators have construed this as meaning all petrol or diesel motors already on the road prior to that date, but this is not so. If a customer buys a fossil-fuel car in 2029, by rights that person can continue to drive as before. As with any major social change, it takes a very, very long time for the full effects to be felt.
So motorists who are uncertain about the ban, or the value of their vehicle, should not worry. It’s a long way off and, as 2020 has shown, the future is never certain. Let’s have a review of the facts as things stand now:
Electric Cars Have Range Issues
Increasingly, this is not so. EV charging is improving every quarter year and the battery technology is upgrading fast too, extending the range of electric cars. How far will they go by 2030? Remember too that for most motorists, the vast majority of our car journeys are short, as little as an average of eight miles. The need to refuel half way through a road trip is rare. Obviously, some people drive for a living, but range should not be an issue overall. One charge could last a week. They should be cheaper to service too, having less moving parts.
Of course, to back up their plan, our government needs to greatly ramp up the speed of public charging access. Homeowners with drives can install a fast charger, those who live in terrace houses or flats for example, have more of a problem but society is aware of this and we should expect that capacity will increase exponentially and solutions found.
Electric Cars Are Boring
Yes, to someone who loves a V8 engine with a stick shift or a beloved classic car this may well be true. For most of us though, the many rules of the road mean that the way we use our cars has changed. With considerable infotainment options onboard, they are more of a lifestyle choice these days and this is largely how they are marketed.
In fact, the performance of the average EV is pretty brisk and rather fun. With no clutch and gears to worry about, driving becomes simple. In terms of usability, they are just as practical as any other motor.
Industry Facts
It is true that the manufacture of electric cars and their batteries generates similar amounts of factory emissions as their conventional counterparts but where they score is locally; in your area. There will be less local pollution at the road side. No exhaust fumes to be concerned about.
Further, the car industry is on the job. Not just electric cars but hydrogen-powered vehicles are under increasing development. Right now the latter uses twice as much electricity as the former in manufacture but that will comes down as the technology develops and that is the point. The UK car industry knows this. One CEO is quoted as saying, “Creating an environment where engineers are innovating through competition is Britain’s opportunity to become a global leader in zero carbon transport. Governments’ should define the problem and let engineers innovate the solution”.
Our 2030 Driving Future
The main point is, don’t worry about it. Although fossil-fuel cars will be phased out in the not-so-near future there is nothing to say, as things stand now, that such cars will substantially lose value. There will remain a second-hand car market, because not everyone can afford to buy new. That has always been the case.
Nobody likes to be compelled to do something but most folk accept that there is a climate issue. How grave it is depends upon any given point of view but the will seems to be there to clean up the planet. Electric cars will phase in over time and it is something we will all get used to. Driving an EV is simple and enjoyable. That is how motoring should be.