Electric cars to ‘dominate’ market by 2027

Electric power could be the dominant form of propulsion for all new cars sold in the UK as early as 2027, with more than 1.3m electric cars registered each year by then.

That’s according to a new automotive industry analysis by Go Ultra Low, the Government and industry-backed campaign.  Its conclusions are backed by Auto Express.  The magazine recently reported record high scores for EVs in its car owner survey, Driver Power, with electric cars topping the overall best car tables and performing strongly in the ‘ease of driving’ and ‘running costs’ categories, among others.

“The appreciation of electric vehicles by their owners in this year’s Driver Power survey is suggestive of a step-change in public perception of these vehicles,” Steve Fowler, the Editor-in-Chief of Auto Express, said.  “We are moving towards a tipping point for electrically-powered cars, so it’s entirely possible that by 2027 these vehicles will dominate the market as the top choice for new car buyers.”

The Plug-in Car Grant began in 2011 with just over 1,000 annual registrations of plug-in cars.  Since then, record-breaking volumes have been recorded every year and 2015 saw more than 28,000 electric cars registered.  This year started with the best period for EV uptake since records began, with UK buyers registering the equivalent of one electric car every 13 minutes.  With vehicle manufacturers now introducing more electric and plug-in hybrid models, the Go Ultra Low analysis suggests that the Government forecast for all new cars and vans to have ultra low emissions by 2040 is on track to be met.

“The huge interest in electric vehicles and their subsequent rapid rise in uptake has been spectacular so far, with more than 60,000 EVs registered in the past five years,” Poppy Welch, the Head of Go Ultra Low, commented.  “These rises are just the start of the electric revolution as our analysis suggests that electric vehicles could dominate the new car market as early as 2027.”

Go Ultra Low exists to help motorists understand the benefits, cost savings and capabilities of the electric vehicles on the market.  The collaborative campaign is the first of its kind, bringing together a consortium of vehicle manufacturers, Government and the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders.