“OUTLAWING THE SALE OF NEW COMBUSTION CARS BY 2035 IS A CRAZY IMPOSITION”

The government made headlines by saying that no combustion cars may be sold in the UK after 2035. It looks like brave policy. In fact, it’s just stating the bleedin’ obvious.

In 1 5 years from now, who’s gonna want one anyway? Have you ever met an EV owner who wanted to go back to petrol or diesel? Let’s look at the barriers to adoption.

One, price. That’s largely gone away – a Mini Electric costs the same as a Cooper S. And it’s far cheaper to run.

Two, infrastructure. Oh come on. We’ve got 1 5 years. Already many city lamp posts have car charge sockets and on average each EV will need charging only one night in five. Electricity is already at every home; in Scotland fuel stations are 30 miles apart.

Three, the actual amount of electric energy. It’s not crippling – 10 million cars doing 8k miles a year means about 20TWh of electricity. That’s six per cent of the UK grid total.

Four, consumer acceptance. No, EVs are just plain nicer. After a century of trying, Rolls-Royce has yet to build a powertrain as quiet and responsive as a Leaf’s. And what Rolls owner would visit a smelly petrol station if they could fill the car at home?

Oh, OK, a few of us petrolheads might want to hold out, but I reckon that’ll be so tiny a number that officialdom will find a way of making an exemption.

Anyway, once Thomas Edison had perfected the electric light bulb, no prime minister felt the need to outlaw gas lamps. At about the same stage of adoption of electric light as we now are with electric cars, Edison himself said, “Only the rich will burn candles.”