Future Auto March 2024

32 FUTURE AUTO | TRENDS
OVERSEAS EV
TARGETS A ROCKY ROAD
Darrell Jacobs, MTA SA/NT CEO
Australia should be wary of
technology bans, as EV uptake
in Britain stutters amidst slowing
consumer uptake.
“We need to bring all Australians
‘along for the ride’ in the
decarbonisation of the nation’s
vehicles,” said MTA SA/NT CEO
Darrell Jacobs.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has
raised a few eyebrows around the
globe by adjusting the previously
announced ban on selling new petrol
and diesel cars from 2030. This
has now been delayed to 2035
in line with other European
powerhouses, such as France,
Germany and Sweden.
As the UK struggles to achieve
mass adoption of EVs, the British
PM told media: “…at least for now,
it should be you the consumer
that makes that choice, not the
government forcing you to do it.
“Because the upfront cost is still
high – especially for families
struggling with the cost of living –
small businesses are worried about
the practicalities, and we’ve got
further to go to get the charging
infrastructure truly nationwide.”
“We’re aligning our approach with
countries like Germany, France,
Spain, Italy, Australia, Canada,
Sweden, and [some] US states… and
still ahead of the rest of America
and other countries like New
Zealand.”
Don’t penalise
Britain’s car industry has urged its
government to provide tax breaks
or other incentives to encourage
people to buy electric vehicles, with
concerns that consumer sentiment
is on the wane.
After growing EV sales to
20 per cent of all new car sales,
what seemed like unstoppable and
exponential growth has slowed
considerably. It is understood that
Australian politicians are closely
watching the overseas experience.
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