Retailers tell NFDA charging is now biggest EV barrier
20 September 2023
A new survey of NFDA members reveals retailers believe the UK’s below-par electric car charging infrastructure is now the biggest barrier to reaching the 2030 phase-out of petrol and diesel cars. Nearly 9 in 10 of franchised retailers say it is affecting the deadline “a great deal”.
It means the cost of an electric car is no longer seen as the biggest obstacle to reaching the 2030 target.
The survey was part of the NFDA’s submission to the House of Lords Call for Evidence inquiry.
“The survey addresses some of the key challenges that are impacting the transition to electric from a dealer perspective: charging infrastructure, attaining price parity between EV and ICE, and the regional disparity in preparation and investment,” said NFDA chief executive Sue Robinson.
“With 68% of dealers strongly disagreeing that the government is doing enough to support dealers, NFDA calls on immediate action… if we want to achieve deadline targets together.”
The survey, shared exclusively with Auto Retail Agenda, also found that 83% of retailers believe the legislation will lead to a decrease in profitability, sales and service revenue.