Write to your MP
Why Should I write?
There has been a noticeable spike in push back on the 2030 sale ban on diesel and petrol cars, fuelled by misinformation.
To try to counteract this we are urging passionate EV owners to write to their MP and tell them why they love owning an EV and why it is important the 2030 ban is upheld. Please share far and wide with others who are passionate about making the switch in 2030. Let’s show MPs that a transition to EVs is better for our wallets, our lungs, and our environment.
Don’t forget to share your emails and responses with us at general@newautomotive.org
Who do I write to?
Enter your postcode to get in touch with your MP.
You will be taken to Writetothem where you will be able to compose and send your letter to your MP.
What do I Write?
We want your passion for EVs to shine through but we have some talking points you may wish to use as a guide on what the letter should include:
They’re better for the environment
Transport is the largest emitting sector of the UK economy, and cars and vans accounted for one fifth of UK carbon emissions in 2018.
The sales ban is necessary to reduce emissions in line with the UK’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050
The ban will significantly reduce pollutants which are known to contribute to heart disease, stroke, low birth weight, and adult onset asthma, and which are linked to 40,000 early deaths in the UK every year
And it will help to improve air quality in the UK’s towns and cities, vastly reducing toxic pollution that comes from burning carbon fuels
EVs will also help the UK meet its legally binding air quality standards
The benefits to the UK economy will be game-changing
The global car industry is moving away from petrol and diesel - this decision puts the UK ahead of the curve, and makes us well-positioned to attract jobs, investment and services around electric cars. It stops Britain being left behind
It will save UK motorists billions in motoring costs, reduce air pollution in our towns and cities and create thousands of new jobs
Drivers are increasingly discovering the benefits of owning an electric car, from cheaper running costs to a better experience behind the wheel
The second hand market is small but growing, and there are already some great options: a 2018 Ford Focus costs the same to own and run over 4 years as a 2018 Nissan Leaf
They save you money
Switching to an electric car can save you around £1,000 per year
The two big cost savings are on fuel (up to 75% cheaper than petrol) and tax
You pay no road tax on a 100% electric car
Electric cars are around £100 a year cheaper to maintain than traditional combustion cars. There are fewer moving parts - leading to fewer things going wrong
As more people switch to EVs the upfront costs will come down substantially (we see this with all new technologies!)
The grid will cope
Graeme Cooper, National Grid’s project director for transport decarbonisation dismissed claims that the grid won’t cope during an event in February of this year - read more here
The charging infrastructure is constantly improving
In March 2020 the government committed £500m to expand the UK’s charge point infrastructure
You are never more than 25 miles from a rapid charger on a UK motorway or A road
There are over 20,000 publicly available charge points in the UK - and given the number of people who charge at home there are more charge points than EVs that need them
New EVs can typically drive 150-250 miles on a single charge
People do use them for longer journeys - by 2030 this will be much easier as charge point installation increases