This morning, I read an article in the Express. Now it is true, that the express is strongly leaning towards Conservative thinking point, but this argument is absurd. According to the article 2/3 of UK drivers want this ban pushed further into the future.
Why is this?
I have never liked the amount of money that it costs to fuel a car wtih petrol. £40, £60, £80 even £100. Am I the only person who thinks that this money could be put to better use?
The paper goes on to argue that 75% of people say they simply cant afford to switch to electric cars by this deadline! I would argue that this means 75% of people need educating. A recent study in Germany found that battery electric cars now have a price advantage over combustion engine cars – and while Germany still has some subsidies, they account for less than 10% of the cost of the car.
As such, it would be true that if 75% of people can not afford an electric car, they also would not be able to afford any other type of car either. Now if these people always buy used cars (clearly the only option, if electric cars and combustion cars have the same price) then the ban will not effect them.
It is worth noting, however, that when I bought a used electric car, the cost of servicing the loan for the car, plus the cost of fuelling our electric is a bit less than it would have cost to continue to fill our old car with petrol. While loans may not be as available to older people, this would likely be a simple thing to fix – offer small loans to these people, and require payback over a time scale which means cost is lower than driving their old car. If they die before paying off the loan, the sale of the car can cover any remaining debt.
According to the research 80% of uk over 55s feel they can’t afford to switch, even though 43% of 18-24s do believe they will be able to. What does this say? Given the average earnings for over 55s is far greater than 28-24s, I would argue that once again this is due to lack of knowledge.
The cheapest off peak car charging price in the UK, suggest a fill up costing under £7. The idea that this does not offset the price of purchase is insane, particularly as the second hand market continues to grow. Even on the road, with the electricity prices hike, a full charge is rarely more than £30 – remember that you do not charge from empty to full, just enough to get home.