NFDA welcomes EV investments announced in Government's Net Zero Strategy

The UK Government has published its Net Zero Strategy outlining how “the UK will deliver on its commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050”.

The Government’s plans cover a number of areas and sectors including fuel supply and hydrogen, heat and buildings, natural resources and transport.

As part of the strategy, the Government has announced an extra £350 million of its up to £1 billion commitment to support the electrification of UK vehicles and their supply chains. Plus, “another £620 million for targeted electric vehicle grants and infrastructure, particularly local on-street residential charge points”.

The document states that the newly-announced zero emissions vehicle (ZEV) mandate will, from 2024, guarantee “greater number of zero emission vehicles on our roads, unlocking the transformation of our road transport”. NFDA will be engaging with the Government to help define how the mandate will look like in the UK.  

Commenting on today’s announcement, Sue Robinson, Chief Executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), said: “A combination of financial support measures such as the plug-in electric vehicle grant and a reliable, easy-to-access charging infrastructure is vital to ensure that the majority of motorists embrace the transition to zero emissions. Although it is unclear how the funds announced today will be allocated, these investments represent a positive step.

“It is imperative that the Government continues to support vehicle retailers and consumers to accomplish the ambitious goal of ending the sale of internal combustion vehicles by 2030/2035 and reaching net zero emissions by 2050.

“To help achieve these targets, NFDA has been working closely with its franchised dealer members to facilitate the transition to zero emissions through our Government backed Electric Vehicle Approved (EVA) accreditation scheme which recognises retailers’ expertise in the sector and supports consumer confidence.

“We will continue to liaise with relevant stakeholders and industry partners, and we look forward to seeing further details about the Government’s plans”.