Ford says UK will not achieve 2030 ICE ban organically

Ford is calling on policymakers, energy providers, local authorities, consumers and the auto industry to join forces on a nationwide electrification strategy that will set the country on the right trajectory for 2030.

The car maker believes that a coordinated effort, led by Government, is required if the goal of phasing out petrol and diesel new car and van sales is to be achieved in less than a decade.

“At Ford, we’re putting our plan into action. In the UK, the electrification transition is underway, but we will not achieve the government’s 2030 target organically. We need a plan, supporting the rollout of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, in operation ahead of November’s critical COP26 climate summit,” said Stuart Rowley, president, Ford of Europe.

Ford’s announcement comes as the first in its series of quarterly consumer sentiment reports, Go Electric, reveals widespread lack of awareness and hesitancy towards electrified vehicles and their ecosystems among much of the UK population.

While the report shows appetite for electric vehicles is increasing – 28% of respondents said they plan to buy an electric vehicle within the next five years – a substantial proportion of drivers still have reservations. More than one in five say they have no intention of buying an electric vehicle, while a further fifth said they would not buy an electric vehicle until they have no other option. 

Ford’s research also suggests that consumer acceptance is a key obstacle to overcome, with the Go Electric report pointing to an apparent lack of information around EV technology.  A majority of drivers (61%) surveyed for the report said they did not feel they have enough information to make an informed decision on purchasing an electric vehicle.

When asked how confident they were about electric vehicle technology, more than half said they did not know the difference between electrified vehicle types, while four out of five said they would not be comfortable explaining electric vehicles to a friend.

Rowley added: “The scale of the challenge requires a partnership between all the key stakeholders – government, auto industry, energy providers, local authorities and consumers – and focusing on accelerating the development of the charging infrastructure at home, in the workplace and in public locations. It also should encourage consumers to purchase all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles through stronger incentives.”  

In February, Ford announced that its entire passenger vehicle range would be all-electric by 2030, and to the majority of its commercial vehicles sales would be all-electric or plug-in hybrid in the same timeframe.

The Ford Go Electric report can be viewed at: https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/feu/gb/en/news/2021/05/13/ford-urges-agreement-and-action-on-uk-wide-electrification-roadm.html