UK to be Euro EV leader
June 30th, 2010 by Richard Aucock
UK motorists will play a key role in the electric car future as makers say our market has the most potential in Europe.
Various Government incentives have already created a fertile environment for electric cars, and the benefits of this are starting to hit our roads.
‘The UK electric car market is going to drive the rest of Europe,’ said an industry insider. ‘The necessary long-term investment has already started being established here, and the benefits of this will be felt in future years.’
One example of this comes from electric recharge bay supplier Elektromotive. The Brighton firm reckons there will be 1000 intelligent recharging points for use by the public by the end of the year – and, by this time next year, that will have doubled again.
Initiatives such as the Plugged In Places scheme are helping incentivise their installation; under this, three districts (North East, Milton Keynes, London) have agreed to install charging bays. The North East tender is for 640 installations by the end of the year!
Car makers retail EVs
Brands are rolling out cars, too. Nissan is to sell the electric LEAF to UK buyers, while Mitsubishi is also retailing an electric model. MINI, smart and various others are also conducting electric car trials with UK motorists.
Vauxhall is the latest car brand to start promoting its electric car in the UK. It has just conducted the longest ever electric car journey in the UK – from its HQ in Luton, to the Vauxhall Astra plant in Ellesmere Port, 175 miles away.
Why Ellesmere Port? Because the Vauxhall Ampera is based on the Vauxhall Astra – and production there remains a possibility for the groundbreaking Vauxhall.
With such gathering momentum, it seems the day of the electric car may not be far away… with the British motorist at the centre of the revolution!
One question remains amongst car makers, though. What about the all-important £5k electric car grant? Will it continue? Hopefully, things will become clearer in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, what are your views on the potential of the UK electric car market?
By Richard Aucock
Tags: ampera, europe, ev, green, mitsubishi, Nissan, trend, Vauxhall