British motorists are driving fewer miles, in the new post-pandemic normal. The average annual mileage in the UK was just under 5,400 miles in 2021. Despite this, figures suggest that the transport sector is still the biggest single contributor to the UK’s total carbon emissions output.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), June 2022 was the first month that no fossil fuels were imported into the UK from Russia. This is the first time this has happened since the British Government began tracking fossil fuel imports in 2002. No oil, gas, or coal was taken, showing a remarkable drop from the £4.4 billion given to Russia for its fossil fuels exports in the year up to June 2022. This is especially impressive given the fact that fossil fuel prices remain high, and many EU countries are stockpiling fuel in response to the ban, which will come into force at the beginning of 2023 and has thus far had minimal impact on the amount of money coming into Russia from the sales of these fuels.

The recent convulsions to energy prices may develop into a serious challenge to the UK’s transition to electric vehicles (EVs). As the country looks ahead to winter, with the risk of European gas shortages looming and a new government scrambling to contain spiralling bills, many people are asking two questions. How will these convulsing energy prices impact consumers considering buying an electric car? And what do they mean for the UK’s transition more broadly?

The conclusion of the PiCG scheme was inevitable, as the UK enters a new phase in its transition to electric vehicles. However, it is essential the Government continues to support motorists looking to make the switch to EVs – especially car dependent families who rack up high annual mileage. In place of the PiCG, the Government must implement an interest-free loan scheme aimed at helping those who drive the most miles purchase second hand EVs.