“Today’s announcement to delay the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030 to 2035 is unsurprising given the Government's inertia around driving EV adoption in the UK. This change will likely create further uncertainty for the industry, however, it does align the UK automotive industry with the European Union, its largest international trading partner, and automotive dealers support this,” said Sue Robinson Chief Executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), which represents car and commercial retailers across the UK.
As of today, Wednesday 20 September 2023, the Government has officially announced that the ban of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, has been pushed back to 2035.
When NFDA surveyed its members in August 2023, 60% of respondents supported an alignment with the European Union. This emphasises a lack of confidence in the Government's current plan to deliver the necessary support the industry needs in achieving the 2030 deadline.
Table 1: This survey recorded 67 responses, representing over 370 dealership sites across the UK.
Whilst the UK continues to hold some of the most ambitious climate commitment targets, it still lacks any credible up-front price incentives to support the transition to electric for less-affluent motorists. With the removal of the Plug-In Car Grant (PICG) last June and price parity yet to be reached between electric vehicles and their internal combustion engine counterparts, the Government must create a clear and positive message for motorists that they remain committed to their climate targets.
Sue Robinson added: “Our survey indicates that UK franchised dealers, the customer-facing section of the industry, did not think that the UK’s 2030 target was achievable within the existing EV incentive framework and supports a move towards aligning the UK market with the European Union.
“Our members will continue to invest heavily in helping the UK achieve this transition by training their staff to effectively sell, service and repair electric vehicles and help consumers find the right deal for their needs through schemes such as NFDA’s Electric Vehicle Approved (EVA).”
“Ultimately, the phasing out of ICE vehicles in the UK requires a clear strategy from the government to achieve it, it must be supported by forward thinking legislation and attractive initiatives to encourage motorists in making the shift. If the UK is to reach its 2050 net-zero targets it needs to support the automotive industry, now more than ever.”
ENDS -
NOTES TO EDITORS –
Adam Weeks, NFDA Communications Officer
Survey available upon request.
Direct: 020 7307 3413
Mobile: 0788 003 9897
Email: adam.weeks@rmif.co.uk
ABOUT NFDA
The National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) represents franchised car and commercial vehicle retailers in the UK. There are more than 4,500 franchise outlets in the UK and over 540,000 people working in the automotive retail sector.
We lobby on behalf of our members to ensure the voice of the dealers is heard and we support them with a number of issues that impact automotive retail businesses on a day to day basis. These include retailers’ relationships with their manufacturers, policy and legislation changes, and industry issues in key areas such as used cars, finance and insurance, aftersales and recruitment.
