Cogent Hire MD Kirsty McKno comments on the Queen’s speech regarding the need to focus on electric vehicle repair and end of life
The 2022 Queen’s speech was delivered by Prince Charles, standing in for Her Majesty. One of the more stand out Bills announced by the government is a new Transport Bill, designed to create a new body, Great British Railways.
The Bill will also see the introduction of new laws that safely enable self-driving and remotely operated vehicles and vessels, support the roll-out of electric vehicle charge points and enable the licensing of London pedicabs.
With the government’s own deadline of 2030 deadline for the phasing out of ICE vehicles fast approaching, legislation to boost EV is long overdue, and a signal that ministers are waking up to rising public demand for EV infrastructure and legislation that paves the way for self-driving. It also underlines the speed with which EV is becoming ‘BAU,’ thanks to soaring sales.
The SMMT noted that EVs now have a 16.1% market share in the UK, with the SMMT noting that the amount sold in March 2022 outnumbers the tally for the whole of 2019.
Demand is likely to continue, despite problems with supply (at least for Teslas). Grants for BEVs will last until at least March 2023, and with interest rates still low and electric cars benefiting from lower running costs, there are drivers who can order new vehicles now that will reap the benefits.
So it is welcome to see that the government is starting to acknowledge the huge challenges underpinning the electrification of the UK vehicle parc, but the Bill needs to focus on the detail; for example, what happens in circumstances when electric vehicles are involved in road traffic accidents, require repair or are at end of life.
The government’s EV ambitions are admirable but in achieving that goal, rhetoric must defer to detail: for example, training, regulation and other measures are required to ensure not only the safety of the driver but to protect all other parts of the supply chain and first response services that may be involved in managing the vehicle. Common agreed standards must be a priority.
It is also essential that industry leaders are part of the discussion. I urge ministers to adopt a collegiate approach to EV lawmaking and bring our industry with it. Repair sector experts have built up huge reserves of EV knowledge, and it would be foolish to ignore that experience.
Commenting on the Government’s plans for a new Transport Bill, Kirsty McKno, MD Of Cogent Hire, said:
“It is good news that the government is starting to acknowledge the huge challenges underpinning the electrification of the UK vehicle parc, but the proposed Transport Bill needs to focus on the detail; for example, what happens in circumstances when electric vehicles are involved in road traffic accidents, require repair or are at end of life?
The government’s EV ambitions are admirable but in achieving that goal, rhetoric must defer to detail: for example, training, regulation and other measures are required to ensure not only the safety of the driver but to protect all other parts of the supply chain and first response services that may be involved in managing the vehicle. Common agreed standards must be a priority.
It is also essential that industry leaders are part of the discussion. I urge ministers to adopt a collegiate approach to EV lawmaking, and bring our industry with it. Repair sector experts have built up huge reserves of EV knowledge, and it would be foolish to ignore that experience.“
