For the UK to improve air quality and mitigate the effects of climate change, the government needs to dramatically increase the phase out of conventional internal combustion engine vehicles.

The government should also encourage more people to purchase zero and very low emission vehicles. That requires purchases of near-zero emission vehicles to extend beyond the relatively wealthy groups who have driven purchasing to-date.

The Environmental Defense Fund Europe (EDFE) has today published a report which asks the question: how can the UK bridge the gap between electric vehicles and conventional internal combustion engine vehicles?

EDFE’s report, supported by analysis from Frontier Economics, seeks to address this issue, and recommends a number of policy changes to encourage a broader, and larger, group of people to buy electric vehicles, ensuring they are more accessible for people on lower-middle incomes.

Targeted government action may help to facilitate the change which is needed to make the transition to cleaner vehicles an option for everybody, and not just the wealthiest in society.  That transition will help the UK to reduce harmful emissions and build a greener, healthier and more sustainable transport system for decades to come.

Frontier regularly advises clients on transport and climate change issues.

For more information, please contact media@frontier-economics.com or call +44 (0) 20 7031 7000.