Electric car pioneer calls for relaxation of transition target

The UK should slow down its transition to electric vehicles, the man described as the godfather of the technology has said. In a proposal that has divided the industry, Dr Andy Palmer, the British executive who led the launch of the Nissan Leaf, the first mass-market electric car , said that a 2030 target should be relaxed to help the petrol and diesel car industry. Most commented 1 Deadly strike on Ukraine homes ‘was birthday gift for Putin’ Russia-Ukraine war 74 comments Under the government’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate by 2035 all car sales must be fully electric with manufacturers expected to sell an increasing percentage of electric vehicles every year or face fines. The aim is for EVs to be 80 per cent of all new car sales by 2030, the same time when the sale of new petrol and diesel cars ends. This timeline is currently under review with parts of the industry arguing it is unachievable and costs too much when consumer demand is lacking. Palmer suggested cutting the 80 per cent figure to 60 per cent. In return, he said the government should get tougher on hybrid vehicles in four years’ time, banning the sales of any which do not have a plug to charge the car. Top stories 1 How American billionaires are shaping the future of warfare Technology With the government consultation under way, Palmer, the former chief executive at Aston Martin and now heavily involved in the EV transition, called for a compromise. “Eighty per cent by 2030 was always going to be a struggle in the showroom,” he said. “Sixty per cent is a target industry can hit profitably and a profitable industry invests. But a lower target has to buy something. A hybrid without a plug is a petrol car with a battery bolted on. It burns fuel every mile it drives, so it has no place in a zero-emission transition.” Advertisement Palmer said that the 2030 target for electric sales should be reduced Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images He said that, as part of this, full hybrids without a plug should not be sold after 2030. Hybrids with a plug should stay on sale only if they deliver at least 60 miles of electric range and dealers should be forced to give tutorials to every hybrid customer on how to charge their cars. Top stories 1 What would UK look like with proportional representation voting? Politics 2 China came for Congo’s gold. Then Ebola struck Africa 3 Our tower block caught fire — why are we still paying £1,500 a month? Mortgages 4 My daughter works part-time — can she rescue her retirement? Ask Times Money 5 Three popular money rules that you should rethink Saving & Investing “The dealers want the target cut as low as 50 per cent. I’m offering 60 per cent and I’m asking them for ten minutes with every customer who drives away in a hybrid with a plug. A tutorial at handover costs nothing and changes how that car is used for its whole life,” he said. “This is a trade. Industry gets a target it can meet. Government gets emissions cuts that are real, not theoretical. Drivers get cars that save them money at the pump.” Palmer has been described as the “godfather of EVs” within the industry because of his key role in the launch of the Nissan Leaf which launched in 2010 as the first affordable mass market vehicle you could charge at home. He now runs a battery energy storage business. Electric vehicles will only succeed when people truly want them Advertisement His idea has divided the EV industry, with many wanting the government to stick to its original plans to ensure industry certainty. John Walton/PA Ginny Buckley, the founder and editor-in-chief of Electrifying.com, the electric car buying and advice site, said: “Andy is right to call for tougher rules on hybrids. Where I differ is on cutting the zero-emission target to 60 per cent. Drivers and industry need certainty, not another round of moving the goalposts. Give manufacturers that need it more flexibility, but keep the 80 per cent ambition.” This year the target is 33 per cent, rising to 38 per cent next year and continuing to escalate. The government’s review into the ZEV mandate for cars is looking at if the 80 per cent ZEV sales target could be maintained or be reduced to as low as 50 per cent. A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “It has never been easier or cheaper to own an EV, with sales up by 36 per cent in September supported by our £7.5bn investment in the market, with nearly two million EV drivers saving up to £1,400 a year in running costs. “Drivers are being given the flexibility to choose hybrids and plug-in hybrids until 2035, providing a stepping stone to full EV ownership through vehicles which are cleaner than the average petrol and diesel car. Advertisement “We are reviewing the mandate to ensure it continues to deliver for British consumers and industry.”