Electric cars will cost the same to make as conventional cars, with internal combustion engines, by 2024 and an acceleration in the shift away from fossil fuel vehicles may be imminent, according to new research. The extra cost of manufacturing battery electric cars versus their fossil fuel equivalents will diminish to just $1,900 (£1,470) per car by 2022, and disappear completely by 2024, according to research by the investment bank UBS. The research is based on detailed analysis of batteries from the seven largest manufacturers. Reaching cost parity with the internal combustion engine (ICE) is seen as a key milestone in the world’s transition away from burning fossil fuels.
Guardian 21st Oct 2020 read more »
A no-deal Brexit would add almost £3,000 to the price of an electric car in the UK, effectively wiping out the Government subsidy for buying one, according to a leading motoring group. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has claimed a ‘no deal’ would result in the immediate imposition of blanket tariffs under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.
iNews 22nd Oct 2020 read more »
Times 23rd Oct 2020 read more »
Over the spring and summer of 2020, the role of the electric car in our future has been further solidified. Not only because the government has confirmed plans to potentially ban sales of new petrol and diesel cars by as early as 2030, but also thanks to a summer in lockdown further emphasising the benefits of improved localised air quality. It’s no surprise, then, that the SMMT recorded over 21,000 sales of pure electric cars in September 2020 – a 184% rise on September 2019, and a big jump even given the dire economic state this year. But, will the transition to electric cars require a compromise from the consumer, or can the EV charging infrastructure improve enough over the next five to ten years that we’ll be able to drive to the extremities of the UK and Europe without a hint of charging anxiety? ‘Project Rapid’ is part of the government’s £500 million investment dedicated to enabling the transition to pure electric travel. Announced in May 2020, it specifies that there should be 2500 ultra-fast charging hubs offering charging speeds of 150 – 350kW across the country by 2030.
Telegraph 22nd Oct 2020 read more »