New research says Staffordshire remains on track to see a huge increase in the number of electric vehicles on the road.
The study by Midlands Connect suggests there could be more than 25,000 EVs by the end of the decade – an increase of 146% on current figures.
The research – which was unveiled at a regional conference – said the county requires almost 6,000 charging points to support the predicted increase. There are currently around 380.
Midlands Connect’s CEO Maria Machancoses said:
“It’s clear Staffordshire is still on the brink of a boom in electric vehicles that could see over 25,000 electric cars on its streets by the end of decade.
“Local authorities across the Midlands are doing a great job to roll out charging points, but they cannot do this alone. We’re already working with authorities to support their work and help secure EV infrastructure funding from government.”
Maria Machancoses
Cllr David Williams, cabinet member for highways and transport at Staffordshire County Council, said efforts were taking place to enhance the infrastructure supporting electric vehicles.
“Working with our partners we have identified where the most appropriate places for charging points could be and how we will work with the private sector to deliver the project.
“We know our communities and we want to work with our local district and borough councils and the private sector to make sure we have a convenient and accessible network of charging points in Staffordshire that supports the move away from petrol and diesel vehicles.”
Cllr David Williams
These figures seem woefully low compared to UK trends. For example the number of BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) registrations in 2019 was 37,850, in 2020 it was 108,205 (+186%), in 2021 it was 190,727 (+76%), 2022 saw 267,203 (+40%). 2023’s figure is 314,687, another 18% increase.
Based on the 25,000 figure quoted, there are currently 8,562 BEVs in Staffordshire, so you get close to that figure if sales rise by only last year’s 18%pa. There is no way they will stay as low as that, despite the u-turn on the 2030 EV only target, new UK car sales have to be 80% BEV by then.
Even the haters will buy one once they sit inside and realise how much better they are than petrol/diesel cars.
Having switched to driving electric, I would be loathe to go back to a petrol car. EVs are so much smoother and pleasanter to drive – even though the car I drive is relatively old. And as more second-hand EVs like mine come onto the market, they will become a more realistic prospect for those of us on a budget. One thing I would like to see is more smaller electric cars being produced instead of the focus on larger, more expensive vehicles.
Meanwhile, we continue to need a revolution in our approach to public transport, enabling us to choose collective over private transport as much as possible. But while I don’t believe that the changeover to electric will resolve all of our transport problems, a lot of the issues around electric vehicles are fixable (e.g. the development of faster vehicle charging and more of them); a lot of the issues around petrol vehicles (e.g. our polluted air and their contribution to climate change) aren’t.