The UK Government has set a net-zero emissions target for 2050. To meet this goal, all cars in the UK will need to be 100% battery- or hydrogen-powered by this date.
The first steps towards this target have been announced. As of 2035, it will be illegal to sell brand-new petrol and diesel cars (ICEs). This means many manufacturers will phase out their ICE models in favour of electric cars (EVs) within the next few years.
The market share of electric cars is already growing but, as a result of these deadlines, they are likely to take the majority share within the decade. Vauxhall has already committed to being fully electric by 2028 while every new Volvo model is available as a fully electric car as well as a hybrid, petrol or diesel.
As of March 2024, there has been no legislation outlawing the sale of second-hand vehicles in the future. This means you will still be able to buy a second-hand petrol or diesel car after 2035. The same applies for second-hand hybrid cars.
As there is such a big EV drive, you might feel some pressure to buy an electric car right now. However, electric cars don't suit every driver. It may not be affordable or practical for you to drive one in 2024.
If you are considering EV ownership, you need to weigh up all the positives and negatives of driving an electric car. These include:
However, the main consideration should be how you can afford an electric car. Currently, they are quite expensive and even the cheapest electric car will set you back more than £20,000.
Yes, electric cars will get cheaper. At the minute, the batteries are the most expensive element and, as they get cheaper to produce, the end product will be cheaper to buy.
What’s more, electric cars will get cheaper as demand for them grows. As we mentioned earlier, they only have a small market share in 2024. As this grows, prices will reduce.
If you are looking for a cheap electric car right now, you might want to consider buying a second-hand model.
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