Second-hand EV sales double in one year… but UK infrastructure is cause for concern
SECOND-HAND EV sales have doubled since this time last year… but infrastructure for electric cars in the UK remains a concern.
According to latest figures, nearly twice as many used electric cars are being sold – with 34,021 pure battery EVs changing hands between July and September.
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), these figures are a result of an increase in supply and aided by an easing of the semiconductor shortage.
This in turn has boosted sales of new cars and fed the second-hand market.
But with the growing demand for electric-powered vehicles, SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes has now urged the goverment to support EV infrastructure.
He said: “The used car market continues to grow strongly, with re-energised supply unlocking demand for pre-owned electric vehicles – the result being twice as many motorists switching to zero-emission motoring in the quarter.
“Maintaining this momentum requires growth in the new car market, to boost supply to the used sector and cement this success.
“Equally important is the urgent need for charging infrastructure rollout so that all drivers can have confidence in being able to charge whenever and wherever they need.”
This comes after a worrying recent trend around the lack of charging points nationwide, as well as the difficulty in installing them at home.
An EV owner recently told The Telegraph that he loves his electric motor, but charging it has proven to be difficult.
The driver said: “As most electric car drivers know, you still cannot rely on public chargers.
“I’ve lost count of the times I’ve tried to plug in while out and about and the charger doesn’t work or I haven’t got the right app to use it.”
A number of areas across Britain remain is dire need of more charging stations.
Recent figures from the Department for Transport and ZapMap showed some of the worst regions for electric car owners – including the Isles of Scilly, off the coast of Cornwall, which is the only part of the UK without any public charging devices.
Speaking to The Sun on the issues surrounding public charging infrastructure, a DfT spokesperson told us in September: “We have invested more than £2billion to support the switch to electric vehicles, and there are now more than 45,000 public charging devices across the UK.
“The number of public charge points rose by 38 per cent over the last year – a rate that puts us well on the way to 300,000 by 2030.”
However, UK EV drivers can now save £100s by charging at home, with new cut-price energy tariffs released.
Alex Buttle, co-founder of used car marketplace motorway.co.uk, believes drivers are ‘looking to the used market instead of new, as a more affordable route into going electric’ but feels more can be done by the Government to support eletric car owners.
He said: “If the Government can continue to support the transition to electric with improved charging infrastructure and financial incentives for private car buyers as well as fleet users, then used EV sales could soar even further ahead.”
This comes after EV drivers were warned over unsafe charging cables sold online that can cause dangerous issues.
Meanwhile, a driver has claimed he was left fearing for his life after receiving abuse from “brainwashed” EV owners – even though he has one too.