Electric Vehicles in the UK

The entire world is trying to fight the pollution menace that is rapidly transforming the big and small cities, including remote townships, into smog zones with ever reducing air quality.

On average, for large cities, every household has someone who is suffering from breathing ailments irrespective of age as a result of pollution. One of the biggest agents for pollution is the toxic carbon emissions from road-going vehicles.

This has created significant concern for environmentalists who are trying their best to combat this growing menace. In an initiative to find a means to reduce carbon emissions, scientists invented green petrol or green fuel, also known as bio-fuel which is created from plants. Bio-fuels emit 85% less CO2 emissions than a fossil-based fuel.

Additionally, many countries have taken the initiative to substitute fuel-driven vehicles with electric vehicles and the UK government has set targets for zero carbon emissions by 2050, the first country to set ambitious targets in response to global warming.

Green Number Plates

The UK department for transport has decided to introduce green number plates for use on electric vehicles with the aim of differentiating these vehicles in a similar way to private number plates that make a vehicle stand out. The purpose of doing this is to provide benefits to green vehicle owners in cities and towns whilst applying peer pressure to drivers that are driving vehicles that are unable to display green number plates.

The department of transport has numerous plans to make these zero-emission vehicles popular on the roads of Britain. Though the transport department is yet to come up with a clear directive as per the initial reports, it is apparent that green number plates would be reserved for cars, vans, taxis, and buses.

The benefits that the department of transport is planning to offer are as follows:

1. The drivers of these vehicles will be allowed to use bus lanes
2. Pay less for parking in towns and cities across the UK
3. Restrict the use of busy roads to these eco-friendly vehicles

The UK government is leading the way in reducing the levels of carbon emissions from fuels.

In 2020 the UK government announced that there would be a total ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2040. In a more recent statement, the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has proposed that this deadline should be brought forward to 2035.

Boosting the Sales of Electric Vehicles

In order to encourage the use of electric vehicles the UK government provides financial incentives when an all electric vehicle is purchased. This is with the aim of promoting green energy or zero-emission electric vehicles. The UK government is also hopeful that people understand the depth of concern with regard to the increasing levels of environmental damage and choose electric cars instead of conventional petrol and diesel fuelled vehicles. However, experts opine that the sales of all electric vehicles are unlikely to increase at the rate required unless improved financial incentives are provided and the infrastructure is improved to allow large volumes of vehicles to be re-charged.

The UK government wants industry players and the public to step up and support boosting the sale of all electric vehicles.

The UK transport department is studying the business model and vehicle schemes already in use across Norway, Canada, and China. These are countries that already run vehicle schemes for drivers with hydrogen and all electric vehicles providing environmental improvement.

The British car industry has recently suffered declining sales for hybrid vehicles in response to the government’s announcements.

The Objective for Introducing Green Private Number Plates:

• Enabling people to identify and differentiate vehicles based on their environmental impact.
• Informing commuters about the concept of clean vehicles
• Promoting and encouraging a shift to cleaner vehicles
• Helping local authorities to identify the Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV’s)
• Introducing local incentives for All ElectricVehicles (AEV’s)

Discussions in Process for Green Number Plates:

Discussions for the introduction of Green Number Plates that will replace traditional number plates including personalized registration number plates are still in process.

Various working aspects need to be further clarified before formally announcing the schemes. It would seem that there is a level of resentment amongst members of the public who accept the need for electric vehicles but are reluctant to sport the revised number plates as they feel the look of their vehicle will be compromised if the entire personalized number plate is made up in green. A compromise agreed recently by the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps will be to display a green badge at the left side of the number plates.

In the wake of a fresh announcement by the British Prime Minister regarding the forwarding of the deadline for banning petrol and diesel cars, the UK government have made a decision on the introduction of the green number plates as announced on the 16th June 2020.

All Electric Vehicles are much needed as electric cars and buses are capable of downsizing the carbon emission from fossil fuels in combination with hydrogen fuelled vehicles. There are no alternatives to all electric or hydrogen fuelled vehicles in combating pollution by road vehicles. The actions being taken by the UK government are commendable and there is a genuine commitment to fuelling the economy through positive environmentally impacting technology.