UK government defends move to focus on battery-only EVs

摘要

The UK government has come out in defense of the withdrawal of its hybrid plug-in vehicle incentive program, following some criticism from the industry last week. The government is now more focused on the battery-only EV market, pouring ￡37 million ($46 million) into a variety of charging and infrastructure projects. As such there is no longer a ￡2,500 incentive for plug-in hybrid buyers. According to data last week from the UK’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), June sales of battery-only electric cars were up 62% year on year, from a low base, to 2,461 units; while plug- in hybrid sales continued to plummet, dropping 50% year on year and taking total growth in sales of alternative-fuel vehicles into negative territory for the first time since early 2017. EVs and plug-in hybrids have a combined UK market share of around 2%.