The six pence-per-mile rate proposal was part of a document created last month by the Resolution Foundation think tank on the future of road pricing, which addressed an expected £10 billion shortfall in fuel and road tax receipts by 2030 caused by car electrification.
Following approval for Ford’s Mustang Mach-E to use BlueCruise driver assistance, May’s Startline Used Car Tracker reports that 43% say autonomous technology would make journeys more relaxing and 36% believe it wouldn’t be allowed on sale unless it was safe.
Anecdotal feedback shows there is a lot of misinformation among the general public about used car electric vehicle (EV) batteries and how quickly they degrade. It’s an important subject for the future of the used car market. If someone is considering buying an EV for the first time, they are likely to be put off if they hugely overestimate the speed at which electric cars lose range.
Motor manufacturing remains a cornerstone of the UK economy but there is clearly a general perception among dealers that not enough is being done to ensure that we preserve the base that we have, never mind look to expand it.
December’s Startline Used Car Tracker research shows that a low purchase price and strong finance deal was top of five factors that would see these brands considered by motorists, mentioned by 25% of drivers. This was followed by good range and fast charging (18%), long warranty (17%), a high quality car with appealing design (16%) and having a dealership nearby (12%).
At the same time that preference for electric has been increasing, it has been falling away for petrol, according to Startline’s research, with a fall since May from 39% to 33%. However, diesel has remained consistent at 18% and hybrid the same at 27%.
