New statistics show there are more than half-a-million ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs) being driven on UK roads.
The Government has pledged to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 – and to ensure all new cars and vans will be zero emission by 2035.
To achieve this, it has pledged a £2.8 billion package of measures to support industry and drivers to make the switch to cleaner vehicles.
While still some way from achieving its goal, the Government says the stats show the UK is ‘accelerating further towards a greener transport future’.
Grant Shapps, transport secretary, said: “We want to drive decarbonisation on the global stage, which is why we’re going further and faster to make the journeys of our future as clean as possible.
“With news that the half-a-million milestone has now been met, together with the UK now having the second largest EV market in Europe, it’s clear that the shift to green motoring is accelerating at speed.”
Meanwhile, figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that plug-in vehicles accounted for more than one in seven registrations (13.6%) in the first four months of 2021.
The figures also show that ultra low emission cars accounted for more than one in 10 sales in 2020, up from one in 30 the year before.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “The automotive sector is transforming the way we drive, investing billions in ever greener and cleaner vehicles across the range, with one in four available models now capable of being ‘plugged in’.
“Over half-a-million people are already convinced by the incredible driving experience and we hope millions more will make the switch as Britain strives to become the best place to build, buy and drive electric vehicles.”
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