Bradshaw Electric Vehicles, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of industrial electric vehicles, has encouraged businesses and organisations across the UK to continue electrifying their fleets in line with the initial deadline.
In light of the recent announcement by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to push back the 2030 combustion engine ban by five years, Bradshaw EV very much still sees it as business as usual and supports the initial 2030 target.
The UK’s new deadline means that the ban of the sale of new cars and vans that produce carbon emissions will be extended to 2035 – with several watered-down environmental policies announced by the UK prime minister following suit.
As Rishi Sunak looks to reach its Net Zero targets in a “more proportion way”, Bradshaw Electric Vehicles’ Marketing Manager Ramsy Labassi believes that the UK businesses should not lose sight of the incoming changes despite the ban being pushed back.
Ramsy commented: “While we support the government’s position on supporting the transition to zero emission cars and vans, the pushback of the ban on petrol and diesel vehicles undoubtedly will be a frustration to many, especially for businesses that have been trailblazers in their own right in regard to electrifying their fleets and already committed significant spend.
“Indeed, this transition is seismic on every level, and as such there needs to be a fair and realistic pathway put in place that enables everyone to move forward together. However, the importance of committing to a deadline is paramount, and this recent U-turn is a dent in the country’s ability to drive down greenhouse gases further in line with the Cop26 commitment of reducing them by 68 per cent by 2030.”
As an electric vehicle manufacturer for industrial and commercial vehicles since 1976, Bradshaw has witnessed the remarkable transformation and shifting attitudes towards electric vehicles over the past four decades.
With a diverse spread of business and local authorities embracing their range of electric utility vehicles over that period, Ramsy believes that the government’s recent announcement may result in a dilution of urgency in regard to electrification, which in turn may result in crucial investments falling by the wayside.
Ramsy continued: “In the last five years alone, electric vehicles have experienced a tremendous surge in perception, range, availability, charging infrastructure, and demand. Delaying the ban will only impede the advancements achieved so far and may have a counterproductive effect on their goal – undermining investment already made by organisations and jeopardising market growth or advancements.”