New AutoMotive publish third annual State of the Switch report

New AutoMotive, whose raison d’etre is to encourage clean energy transition within road transport, have published their 2024 State of the Switch report in which they predict there will be 25% more EVs on the UK’s roads by next year.

The report examines the progress that has been made in transition the UK towards zero emission vehicles over the last 12 months, as well as highlighting areas in which we ‘could do better.’

In terms of where we are now, the reports reveals that the UK has nearly 15 times as many chargers as fuel pumps, when home, workplace and public network chargers are all taken into account. 

EV cars sales climbed 18.5% during 2023, while sales of electric HGVs more than doubled.  All this despite, as the report states, 2023 being the last year in which the sale of EVs were not subject to a ZEV mandate sales target.

Notably, the share of ‘zero emission car miles driven’ rose 50% last year.

The report quantifies the total cost of ownership of electric cars and vans, highlighting that EVs charged on a standard tariff were approximately 30% cheaper per mile to run than a diesel vehicle and 36% cheaper than a petrol vehicle. When charging a car on an overnight or EV-specific charger, these savings leap to around 80%.

Looking ahead, State of the Switch predicts that by 2025 the number of EVs on the road will have risen from around one million now to around 1.24m, aided by cheaper new cars that should be a consequence of the ZEV mandate kicking in.

It also envisages the cost of home charging dropping by a possible 22% and a 30-40% increase in public charge points. 

Ben Nelmes, CEO of New AutoMotive, said: ‘Reports of the demise of EVs are wildly overstated. With EV registrations at record levels, EV chargers rolling out at a rapid pace, and the ZEV mandate in full force – it’s clear we’re now in the midst of the EV revolution.

‘We still have hurdles to overcome – EV misinformation is rife, and it’s now up to government and industry to dispel common EV myths and highlight the cost benefits of going electric with comparison tools.

‘The price of public EV charging needs to come down to match home tariffs, and through simple policy changes we can make charging more affordable for all – not just those with off-street parking.

‘Despite these setbacks, the direction of travel has been set. The UK should be proud of its world-leading EV policy, and if the recommendations outlined in our report are implemented, I’m confident we’ll see even more good news for the country’s EV transition.’