The Start of the Vehicle Zero Emission Quota

On 1st January this year, the final assault on private motorists began with the introduction of the zero emission vehicle mandate target. From the start of 2023, manufacturers must sell a certain percentage of electric vehicles. The figure for this year is 22%. This means car makers have to ensure 22% of the new cars they sell are electric, leaving 78% to be internal combustion engine vehicles.

If manufacturers exceed that 78% target for petrol and diesel cars, they face fines of £15,000 for every car over the limit sold. Some media outlets portray this as an opportunity where manufacturers will slash electric car prices to boost sales. However, I believe the opposite will happen. As fewer petrol and diesel cars can be sold, their prices will increase, especially towards the end of the year as quotas near their limits. Manufacturers will likely exploit desperate buyers wanting conventional cars that are becoming scarce.

The Start of a Ban on Petrol and Diesel Cars

This is just the beginning. The target rises to 28% next year, 33% in 2026, 38% in 2027, 52% in 2028, 66% in 2029 and 80% in 2030 where it remains for five more years. Finally in 2035, it reaches 100% meaning a complete ban on new petrol and diesel car sales.

Despite claims these targets will make electric cars affordable for the average motorist, I believe for many people across the UK they will remain impractical both financially and logistically. Where exactly are people living in flats and terraced houses with no off-street parking supposed to charge electric cars overnight? What about those in remote areas where charges are sparse or people working late unable to top up their car’s battery for an early start the next day?

An Excuse to Ban Most Private Cars

In my opinion, this push for electric cars is not really about emissions or the climate at all. It is about forcing most everyday motorists off the roads and making private transport unviable for ordinary people. It mirrors the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone in London last August which priced many poorer motorists off the roads while the wealthy could still drive their latest luxury SUVs unaffected.

If the mayor’s policies were truly about reducing emissions, they would have targeted gradual percentage drops across all vehicles over the next decade. For example, mandating that vehicles emitting over 250g/km be banned by 2025, reducing to 200g/km by 2030 and so on. Most cars would be replaced through natural ownership cycles and it would impact all motorists fairly based on emissions rather than ability to pay.

The Way Things Are Going

Instead, the current approach means those who can afford endless new cars are free to pollute as much as they want while anyone unable to keep buying the latest expensive electric model will soon find themselves forced off the road. The way things are progressing, for many people the only options will be taking the bus or forgoing travel beyond walking range if you cannot pay the exorbitant costs private motoring will entail over the coming years.

In Summary

– The UK has introduced a Zero Emission Vehicle mandate that requires a rising percentage of electric car sales each year, reaching 100% in 2035. This effectively bans new petrol and diesel cars.

– I believe instead of making electric cars affordable to average motorists as claimed, combustion engine vehicles will become more expensive as they are restricted.

– For many people, electric vehicles remain impractical and unviable due to financial constraints, lack of local charging facilities, limited range, and other logistical issues.

– These policies appear less about genuinely reducing emissions and more about forcing everyday private car drivers off the road.

– A fairer approach would have been gradual percentage emissions reductions targets applied evenly across all vehicles over 5-10 years.

– As things stand, the wealthy can continue polluting as much as they want while ordinary motorists will soon find private car ownership unaffordable.

– This amounts to another attack on individual transport freedom and mobility rights.

These electric car targets and bans are yet another attack on personal freedom of movement. What are your thoughts? Do you agree or disagree this is a fair and reasonable policy? I’m interested to hear people’s views in the comments below. Thank you for reading.