With the significant availability of electric cars and ever-increasing consumer demand, it’s no wonder electric cars are more popular now than they ever have been in the UK.
Sales of electric vehicles are booming, and one of the main reasons might surprise you: the Covid-19 global pandemic happened. Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, gasoline car sales have been down across the board.
This, in combination with government support, has led to electric vehicles making exceptional progress in sales and market shares.
The continued popularity of electric cars since the pandemic more-or-less died down likely has a lot to do with the sort of “once you go electric, you never go back” mindset satisfied consumers proudly stand by.
Not only are electric cars more versatile than gasoline cars — but they are also significantly more versatile. For example, take the new Kia electric car. With its gorgeous exterior and more-features-than-a-spaceship interior, the Kia EV6 is certainly at the top of our list when it comes to top-notch electric cars.
Electric cars are having their moment in the UK, but how exactly did they get so popular in the first place? This article will cover everything you ever wanted to know about the rise of electric cars in the UK, so let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Supply and Demand
Demand for alternative powertrains is ever-increasing, which essentially means the government must give the people what they want! In 2020, many plug-in hybrid cars, battery electric cars, and hydrogen fuel cell cars became eligible for government grants.
These understandably pleased motorists, along with the fact that there is quite a wide range of electric car models available in the UK today. Car shopping can be tedious and occasionally frustrating, but electric cars ended up being a refreshing and easily accessible option for UK customers.
Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions
One of the main reasons UK motorists tend to opt for electric cars over gasoline cars is that they are considering the environment as well as the size of their own carbon footprint. In order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, we must shift away from gasoline cars and embrace the electric car in a way that can make a real difference.
In fact, the inevitable shift to electric cars is widely considered to be necessary if we are going to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Everyone wants to do their part in saving the planet, and going electric is a great way to do that!
A Global Pandemic Happened
The year 2020 was a difficult and frankly life-changing time for most. Not many people like to look back on it, which is definitely understandable. Looking back, most would agree that the surreal sadness of the COVID-19 pandemic changed who they were as a person — for better or for worst (but mostly for better).
People had to put their lives on hold for more than two years, which led to suddenly out-of-work millennials moving in with their parents, and work-from-home parents homeschooling their toddlers.
Interestingly, the sales of gasoline cars also plummeted in 2020. New vehicle sales decreased by 97% — meaning we witnessed the lowest number of car sales since the end of the second world war due to the Covid-19 global lockdown. It makes sense if you think about it.
People didn’t need to leave their houses as often and therefore didn’t have much use for new cars. Car showrooms were not allowed to stay open due to the Covid-19 limitations put in place at the time.
Electric cars, however, are generally much less reliant on sales made in showrooms. Battery electric cars made up about 32% of all car sales, and the lack of carbon dioxide emissions actually made a huge difference. With fewer people driving gas-guzzling cars, people were able to notice a visual change in the environment.
Nature flourished. The air felt cleaner (because it was). This memory of breathing cleaner air stuck with people, and so did the popularity of electric cars in the UK.
Impending Ban on Petrol and Diesel Cars
Yes, it’s true! One of the big reasons carmakers have started producing electric cars in such large volumes has to do with the EU proposing an effective ban on the sale of new diesel and petrol cars in 2035.
This is so far just a proposal, but most people agree that the switch to zero-emission electric cars is likely going to play a huge part in effectively battling against global warming.
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