Electric vehicle sales stay buoyant during lockdown
Despite a 97% drop in total vehicles sales the EV market has remained buoyant throughout the Covid-19. Battery electric vehicle sales dropped by just 9.7% – but a road safety expert warns that this could risk the safety of vulnerable road users.
Indicating that the plug-in market has been significantly less affected by Covid-19 the latest figures show that even in the current period of uncertainty, the market share of electrical vehicles is currently at an all-time high during an all-time low of car sales.
Whilst a promising sign of people becoming more environmentally-conscious, Chris Hanson-Abbott OBE of Brigade Electronics says drivers thinking of making the change must be aware of their dangers.
The popularity of electric vehicles in the UK has been on the rise in recent years – with only last year’s figures showing that 228,742 EV registrations on UK road, up 48 per cent from the previous year.
With clean air zones set to progressively be introduced in cities across the UK, the country is on the cusp of an electric vehicle influx as it lays the foundations to become carbon neutral by 2050 – putting the new era of electric vehicles into fifth gear.
Further the government’s announcement that it is doubling its EV charger funding to £10 million, with a focus on residential chargers, in a bid to encourage more urban dwellers to go electric will undoubtedly fuel the market further.
According to a new poll conducted by Venson Automotive Solutions, reported that 45 per cent of UK drivers claimed that they would consider swapping their current vehicle for an electric alternative in the wake of the pandemic.
Chris said: “The electric vehicle market has experienced a sustained period of growth in recent years and as the global climate emergency has gained momentum, so too have calls for increased use of EV’s as an alternative transport option on a larger scale.
“The market is likely to be further shaped by the upcoming clean air zones coupled with the increase in charging points.
“The market’s resilience during this crisis is therefore the beginnings of a clear indication of where the vehicle market is heading.
“Whilst their impact to the environment is positive, drivers must be wary of their safety limitations. The average person struggles to hear electric and hybrid cars approach at speeds of up to 20kmh (12.5mph) – especially in noisy urban environments.
“Leaving children, the unwary, cyclists, those with hearing or vision disabilities most at risk.
“It’s no secret that the Covid-19 pandemic is set to shape public response to climate change.
“The current crisis is sure to be a catalyst for this prediction as more people become environmentally-conscious.
“But this will also pose an unprecedented danger to the surge of walkers and cyclists that take to the streets following the government’s pledge of a £2bn cycle and walk to work plan.”
