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Posted 10 months ago | 3 minute read
Millionth battery EV sold in UK
The number of pure battery electric cars sold in the UK has passed 1M, according to Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which says 2M could be reached within two years in rapid shift away from polluting fossil fuels
Announced on February 5, the industry body said between 2002 and the end of January 2024, buyers registered 1,001,677 of the vehicles in the UK. The number of electric cars on UK roads is still dwarfed by those using fossil fuels. There were 35.1m cars on UK roads in 2022, of which 650,000 were pure electric, according to the latest available data from the SMMT.
Carmakers sold 20,900 electric cars in January, up by 21% on the same month in 2023. The increase was driven by the fleet market, which rose by 29.9%, while private retail uptake fell -15.8%. Fleets accounted for more than six in 10 (63.2%) new cars registered, up from just over half (52.7%) last year.
Source: SMMT
The UK is planning to ban sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035, and manufacturers must sell an increasing proportion of electric cars or else face the prospect of large fines under a new zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate this year. But SMMT said it is “increasingly clear that private buyers need more support to switch”. Ahead of next month’s Budget, it is calling for government to support consumers by temporarily halving VAT on new BEV purchases. It estimated that this would cost the Treasury an average of just £1,125 per car and would put more than a quarter of a million electric cars on the road by the end of 2026, on top of those already expected. Not only would this cut CO2 by more than five million tonnes during that time, it would mean that the next million EVs could be delivered in just two years.
GridBeyond Head of EV Solutions Michael Kent said:
“Transitioning your fleet to battery-electric technology introduces a new set of challenges that go well beyond the vehicles. GridBeyond can help you optimise your EV fleet to meet your requirements now and as you expand your EV fleet for the future.
“We ensure that site demand can be kept below the grid connection limit to avoid penalties and your fleet is charged on the cheapest and cleanest energy and ready to drive whenever you need it. There’s no need for you to worry about when to charge – we’ll optimise it all for you in real time.
“With our AI-powered platform, you can even earn revenue from your EV fleet when it’s not in use increasing return on investment and reducing the costs of further fleet electrification. “Point“ Artificial Intelligence platform consolidates your fleet into your energy strategy to provide a truly tailored and responsive approach to energy markets. This takes into account AI Smart Forecasting, allowing assets to participate in the most lucrative markets in real time via decision models and solvers.”
EV implementation and optimisation smart solutions for fleets-GB
At GridBeyond, we offer a comprehensive solution for EV fleet owners, supporting them in the installation, operation, and intelligent management of their energy chain. Our award-winning platform also integrates batteries and renewables to provide a complete turnkey solution for EV fleets.
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