By Classic Yorkshire contributor Tony Lofthouse
Two pieces of data made me smile this week and point to plenty of life left in the combustion car engine.
First, a poll of EV users commissioned by leasing company, Zenith, shows many electric car drivers still rely on the back up of having a petrol or diesel model in the garage.
Zenith found 51% of electric owners had a second petrol/diesel car for making longer road trips and that just 18% used their battery car to make journeys over 60 miles.
Nearly, three-quarters of these ‘dual’ owners also said they had no plans to trade in their second car.
There is little doubt the electric market is strong with official figures showing that the one millionth EV joined our roads in January, but new battery car purchases by private buyers is stalling. Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show sales were down 25% in January 2024, compared to January 2023.
It’s fleet sales that are bolstering the EV market right now, helped by incentives such as tax breaks.
In terms of the older car market, new data, this time from the DVLA shows almost 340,000 ‘classic cars’ – those over 40 years old – are owned by registered keepers in the UK.
Of these, one-in-eight are declared off the road by their owners.
Among the popular classics still recorded on the road today are 28,311 MGBs, 10,393 Morris Minors and 4,508 Triumph Stags.
These figures are a wonderful testament to the enduring appeal of owning a classic vehicle and you would hope that despite the move to electric, future drivers will embrace the value of keeping our motoring heritage on the road.
For more details on the EV user findings click https://www.zenith.co.uk/news/is-the-two-car-family-holding-back-the-ev-transition/
Ref the EV’s, it’s starting to dawn on people that they’re not the future!
“ Last week, Mercedes-Benz revealed that it will now delay its goal of becoming an electric vehicle-only brand by 2030. The firm added that it will continue to produce internal combustion-engined cars and hybrids well into the next decade.
Spurred on by weaker than expected demand for EVs, this about-face was the most recent indication that the global car industry is growing increasingly pessimistic about an all-electric future. Last month, Renault shelved plans to list its EV business Ampere because of sluggish stock market conditions. GM also cut EV production targets due to slowing demand.”