Number of electric vehicles in Oxfordshire up by 40 per cent in one year
14th January 2020 | Commercial Energy
Drivers appear to be getting on board with the green revolution in Oxfordshire after new figures have shown a large rise in the number of electric vehicles on the county’s streets. Department of Transports statistics show that 3,465 ultra-low emissions vehicles were licensed in Oxfordshire at the end of September – 41 per cent more than at the same point a year earlier. The figures include battery electric, hybrid and fuel cell electric vehicles.
In Oxford specifically, the number of more environmentally-friendly vehicles rose by 559, or 29 per cent, in the same period. South Oxfordshire saw an increase of 49 per cent (866 vehicles), with 46 per cent in Cherwell (1,043 vehicles), 40 per cent in the Vale of White Horse (574 vehicles) and 39 per cent in West Oxfordshire – a rise of 423 vehicles.
Electric vehicles
Across the UK, 247,000 such vehicles were licensed at the end of September – a 33 per cent rise on the previous year. They include 70,000 which were registered in the last year – just 2.4 per cent of 3 million new vehicles overall. But with the eco-friendly motors still making up a small share of the market, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has called for measures to drive up their use.
Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said the industry was committed to zero-emission transport, but urged the Government to encourage uptake. “Ambition must be matched by a world-class package of initiatives that encourage investment and innovation and allow manufacturers to sell competitively,” he added. “This includes long-term government commitment to incentives and substantial investment infrastructure.”
In 2018, the Government announced its ambition for at least half of new cars to be ultra-low emission by 2030. But later in the year, it announced cuts to subsidies for green vehicles, scrapping a £2,500 grant for plug-in hybrids and slashing one for fully electric vehicles from £4,500 to £3,500.
More information available on the website below