Electric/Petrol vehicles - How does this work, then?

No, because people are heavily influenced by marketing. Not just in terms of what brands are available, but in terms of what types of product are available. eg sourdough bread is a thing not just because Waitrose Specially Selected Sourdough is available, but because there's marketing activity around sourdough in general which means the public are aware of it. That means the product category becomes a viable option which x% of people buy, irrespective of whether it's Waitrose or Warburtons or Tesco or whatever. People can now decide whether they want sourdough or white sliced, rather than automatically buying white sliced.

For cars, everyone is familiar with petrol and diesel so they don't need marketing. When a different type of propulsion is available, it doesn't just need putting on the market and then sitting back and seeing if it sells, and if not packing up and going home. Manufacturers need to actually promote the products: advertise them, make them available for test drives, have salespeople who know how to point out the difference, help people install chargers, etc.

Cars especially need customers educating in what options are now available in the 10 (or whatever) years since they last bought a car. Otherwise we'd still be driving Model Ts around - 'same again please!'.

By making this a target manufacturers need to hit, it focuses their mind on actually make them get off their backside to make good products and sell them, rather than making a token effort and saying 'sorry mate there's no interest'. There's a strong economic incentive for them all to do nothing. That is, until the Chinese come along and eat their lunch.

Theo

You make the mistake of thinking 'green' legislations is about reducing CO2 emissions. If that had been the intent simply taxing hydrocarbon fuels would have been the solution

But it is, after all, about maximising product sales in 'green' technology and raising tax revenues.

Government is happy to let you run your IC car as long as they can raise the road tax to unsustainable levels.

Mostly socialists. Being part of the herd is their highest ambition, and being told where its going to be next, is an instant product placement win.

He who follows the herd will only see assholes...

although fuel duty must raise more tax revenue for them ?

Not a direct reply, but the ingenuity of the hybrid drive is impressive. The mechanical simplicity makes for cheaper manufacture and high reliability.

If only. But since the loaf of bread/petrol engine pollutes our cities and is gradually degrading the world climate it's right that the government should be telling you you can't have one.

It's like when you go into town to buy crack cocaine but you find it's a lot easier to get a greggs sausage roll. Hardcore users will grumble that the sausage roll doesn't really do it for them and they should be free to do what they like, but the crack causes a lot of problems so it's right to outlaw it.

Tim W

This should persuade more people to go ICE rather than EV:

You need to pay vehicle tax if you have an electric, zero or low emission car, van or motorcycle. This change was introduced on 1 April 2025 and applies to both new and existing vehicles. The amount you’ll need to pay depends on the type of vehicle and when it was registered.

The following vehicle tax rates apply from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.

Electric, zero or low emission cars registered on or after 1 April 2025

You’ll pay £10 for the first year. After that, you’ll pay the standard rate of £200.

Electric, zero or low emission cars registered between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2025

You’ll pay the standard rate of £200.

quote:

From 1 April 2028, eVED a new mileage-based charge will apply to BEVs, PHEVs, and HFCEVs that are cars.

The rates of tax will be:

The rate will be uprated in 2029 to 2030, and in future years, in line with Consumer Prices Inflation (CPI), to ensure that the tax maintains its real-terms value.

unquote

Don't they have to ban second-hand sales of gas-guzzlers or the UK would end up like Cuba or New Zealand of a few decades ago.

They’ll just tax ICEs off the road.

Let's just hope the 'historic' thing still exists

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