NOVEMBER 2023 AFTERMARKET 11 www.aftermarketonline.net market. “Some independent garages have struggled to grapple with the cost of retooling and upskilling staff to provide a full service for EV motorists. The announcement could provide light relief, giving garages more time to raise the necessary capital to effectively invest in the transition. “Investing sooner rather than later will still be important for garages to retain customers making the switch to a plug-in. Government support will be important for this journey, as will garages’ communication with new and existing customers about their EV capabilities.” Andy added: “Whether the date is 2030 or 2035 may be beside the point. What we’ve lacked over the last few years is the strategic vision by Government to deliver on a challenge like the ICE ban. Without this direction, then 2035 risks representing a new arbitrary deadline.” Reality check According to IGA Chief Executive Stuart James, shifting the deadline will mean a bigger window to make sure infrastructure is in place, and provide more time for the range of EVs to widen, offering more choice and reducing the price gap: “The announcement by the Prime Minister represents a reality check that the infrastructure required to support wholesale EV adoption in the UK is currently lagging behind where it would need to be, had the 2030 ban remained in place. “In the current challenging economic climate, to impose the high cost of new electric vehicles on businesses and consumers, would be a step too far, so pushing back the ban date 2035 is the right thing to do.” “To ensure that the new 2035 goal is achieved, there needs to be Government support not only for the required infrastructure, but also for upskilling of staff across the independent automotive sector, in order to provide consumers with the confidence that making the change to electric vehicles, is backed up with an accessible network of local, competent garages to meet the changes in their motoring needs.” Greater role According to IAAF CEO Mark Field, the Government needs to enter into an ongoing dialogue with the automotive aftermarket on the Net Zero issue, in the light of the rollback on the ICE deadline. He said: “IAAF is calling on the Government to listen to the concerns of the automotive aftermarket and allow it to play a greater role in the consultations on Net Zero. The aftermarket industry is the leading provider of service, maintenance, and repair of the 34 million vehicles on UK roads, so it needs to be part of the discussion.” During meetings between the IAAF and the Minister of State for Transport, it was confirmed that second-hand ICE vehicles are expected to remain on the roads, which makes independent garages a key factor for UK transport going forward. Mark observed: “Much has been made of the country’s triumphant road to an alternativefuelled future, but the aftermarket, as the pinnacle of a circular economy that has been gearing up for a very diverse set of vehicles arriving on its shores for some time, yet again faces the goalposts being moved with little consultation. “Everyone wants to do the right thing on climate change, but they don’t want to be unfairly penalised and faced with changing their mode of transport to a more expensive alternative at a time when the cost of living is so high. The issue is that without certainty and regular consultation, the automotive industry cannot appropriately plan for the future, whether that’s powered by petrol and diesel, electricity, or another alternative fuel.” Mark added: “Future powertrain technology has not been fully considered amongst the discussion on banning new petrol and diesel vehicle sales, with hydrogen fuel cell technology also a viable option in the pursuit of a practical and pragmatic Net Zero solution.” He concluded: “The delay proves that 2030 was simply a target, and in order to realistically achieve this then more discussion with the experts in service, maintenance and repair needs to happen.” For more on EVs and hybrids, turn to our regular round-up on pages 58-59
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