Britain’s Net Zero policies, such as the incremental ban on non-electric cars, are a fiasco, now costing serious jobs and threatening entire regional economies, says Liam Halligan in the Telegraph. Here’s an excerpt.
The decision to close [the Luton van-making factory] was taken by Stellantis – the world’s fourth-largest auto-making conglomerate, comprising European and U.S. brands including Chrysler, Fiat and Peugeot, as well as Vauxhall.
Carlos Tavares, Stellantis Chief Executive, said earlier this year that the zero emissions vehicle (ZEV) mandate was making car-making in the U.K. economically unviable – which is obvious, to anyone who has been paying attention.
Much of our political and media class, protecting their eco-credentials and averse to awkward details, have waved away the warnings. But Britain’s Net Zero policies, not least ZEV, are now imposing existential damage on parts of the country least able to withstand major economic shocks.
From 2035, the sale of new petrol and diesel cars is to be banned, with second-hand sales remaining legal. That’s the law in the U.K. and across the European Union.
Labour’s manifesto pledged to bring that ban forward to 2030, which is where it was under the Tories until Rishi Sunak moved the target back to 2035, in line with the EU. But Sunak only moved the headline date back five years, with the underlying “transition” period remaining the same.
The result is that, since January, U.K.-based carmakers have faced extremely stiff fines if 22% of the cars they sell in Britain aren’t fully electric – having to shell out an astonishing £15,000 for every vehicle by which they fall short.
The target ratchets up to 28% next year, incrementally rising to 80% by 2030 (or 70% for vans) – even if the complete ban remains at 2035.
But consumers aren’t buying it. Sales of electric vehicles (EVs) remain low for all kinds of reasons, including a still-poor charging network, concerns about battery performance and related ‘range anxiety’. New EV sales are far lower than official forecasts, having stalled at less than a fifth since 2022 despite carmakers offering deep discounts and ongoing tax breaks for company-bought EVs. …
What with the closure of Port Talbot steelworks and the Labour’s ban on new drilling in the North Sea, Net Zero policies are now seriously riling the U.K.’s trade unions.
Gary Brown, head of the GMB, the UK’s third-largest union, says Labour’s green policies are “hollowing out working-class communities”. No wonder Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds is now “listening” and has pledged to “consult” on these ZEV rules. …
But powerful vested interests and party donors – including the EV charging industry and its financial backers, along with power companies producing the most expensive electricity in the developed world – are pushing Labour to hold its nerve.
Britain’s Net Zero policies – particularly those relating to EVs – are a fiasco, now costing serious jobs and threatening entire regional economies. This is what happens when politicians think they know best – putting vanity and ideology above economic and commercial logic.
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