With EVs hitting a high-water mark of 23 per cent of new UK sales, it might be worth pondering exactly why this progress has been made ahead of some major economies, especially as the UK does not have access to raw materials that some have.

It might annoy the current government, but Colin Walker, head of transport at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) ascribes the success to the previous government’s policies: “This success is being driven by the previous government’s Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate, which is incentivising manufacturers to lower their prices as they compete for sales to hit their EV sales targets.”

Walker adds: “Some manufacturers, who’ve known for years that these targets were coming, have publicly complained about them. But these complaints would carry more weight if others - such as BMW, Mercedes and Hyundai – weren’t quietly going about their business and demonstrating that they can be met, and even exceeded. Ultimately the policy is helping more and more drivers access cheaper driving.”

The question is whether the policy will be maintained, changed or modified as other factors begin to reshape the market (such as the EU’s tariffs.)

In the past Labour has been critical of the Conservative government (no surprise there then) for failing to build battery manufacturing capacity and pulling back deadlines (ZEV implementation and ICE phase out). Indeed, it has sought to convey a sense stability, and a drive to build gigafactories. This will rely on forging supply lines with raw material rich countries such as the US, and they may have their own political issues, and the avowed aim to ‘reset’ relations with a EU that is engaging in anti-dumping policies may create issues, particular with its earlier plans to create a Global Clean Power Alliance to group buyers together.

So, to quote The Leopard: “Everything must change for everything to remain the same”.

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