A Ford executive has threatened to restrict the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles in the UK in response to the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate over cost fears, leaving drivers to wonder what this means for the future of internal combustion engine vehicles.
The automotive industry knows it has to move towards zero emission vehicles to match demand from consumers and meet environmental targets, whether that’s electric or hydrogen fuel cell.
While this has likely caused several major manufacturers to scramble and create new plans to modernise, many will have been well-equipped to deal with net zero targets and the need for more EVs.
Plans may have been well-intentioned, but it seems that some of the biggest brands are failing to cope with the pressure of switching to electric, especially now they’re on the clock.
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The market share of new petrol vehicle registrations continues to fall
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The Zero Emission Vehicle mandate was launched earlier this year and outlines set targets for manufacturers to follow to ensure they are on the right track when having a consistent supply of cleaner vehicles.
From the end of this year, brands will need to have at least 22 per cent of their total sales be from zero emission vehicles, growing to 80 per cent in 2030 and 100 per cent in 2035 to match the deadline to ban all sales of new petrol and diesel cars and vans.
With the introduction of such a high target, many car companies will be concerned, especially with the risk of facing a £15,000 fine for every vehicle which does not hit the 22 per cent goal.
Previous research found that manufacturers could be fined as much as £660million for missing ZEV mandate targets by the end of this year, with Ford, Toyota, Audi and Land Rover identified as the brands needed to buy credits or pay hefty fines.
Recently, Martin Sander, who runs Ford’s European electric car division, claimed ZEV mandate targets could harm the whole industry, including for people looking to buy new vehicles.
He said: “It’s really important for politicians to monitor what is going on and that the ZEV targets, this year, next year, going forward, are roughly in line with consumer demand. This is what we need. You cannot push vehicles into the market against demand.
“The only alternative is to take our shipments of ICE [internal combustion engine] vehicles to the UK down and sell them somewhere else. I don’t know if consumers will like seeing the ICE prices going up.”
Drivers across the UK know they need to switch to a zero emission vehicle eventually, but many are not ready to do so yet. Whether this is down to expensive upfront costs, concerns about battery life or issues with charging in their area, there is still hesitation among many.
If a Ford boss is warning that the price of cars with an internal combustion engine will rise, it should be a stark warning for all. Could this result in car ownership plummeting? Will brands be forced to cut their losses on EVs and slash prices?
Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has shown that diesel vehicles are already an afterthought for many buying new cars and vans.
Diesel has a market share of just 6.4 per cent – down from 8.7 per cent last year – while electric and hybrid vehicles continue to grow to 16.9 per cent and 13.1 per cent market share respectively.
While petrol remains the most dominant fuel type for consumers, its market share continues to fall. In April, it had a share of 55.8 per cent, a 2.3 per cent drop compared to the same time last year.
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The Ford Puma is the best-selling new car in the UK
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Ford has some of the best-selling vehicles on the market. The hybrid Ford Puma has topped sales lists for over a year, selling 2,000 more models than the second-best seller in the UK this year so far. The Fiesta and Focus are the first and third best-selling used cars in the first three months of this year.
Drivers will not be reassured with the statement from a Ford boss that petrol cars will be more expensive and the supply of them may not be as great as in previous years.
Motorists may have to put up with their older cars for a longer period of time if they cannot afford to buy a new one, potentially leading to road safety issues.
Once again, drivers are being impacted by major decisions in which they have no say. With the cost of living and motoring already battering Britons, can they afford to put up with more expensive prices for petrol and electric vehicles?
