Friday 1 February 2019

Majority of UK’s vehicle fleet ‘will be electric by 2040’

Majority of UK’s vehicle fleet ‘will be electric by 2040’

The majority of the UK's entire vehicle fleet will be electric by 2040.

That's the prediction from Stephen Marland, Director of Innovation at National Grid, who told ELN he expects to see up to 40 million low carbon cars on the roads by this time.

He said the effect this will have on grid infrastructure will depend on how and where the vehicles are charged.

Mr Marland noted electricity demand has fallen in recent years so there is some capacity remaining on the grid and suggested although a rapid EV rollout could cause some strain in localised areas, it is unlikely to prove as big a challenge as often suggested.

He added EVs could provide a 'colossal' battery storage opportunity and thanks to vehicle-to-grid technologies, could potentially reduce the need to install as much grid-scale balancing infrastructure as would otherwise be necessary.

Earlier this week Southwark Council’s Richard Livingstone, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport Management and Air Quality, told ELN that the current price of EVs is a challenge but it is important for councils across London and the rest of the UK to encourage the switch to low carbon transport.

Written by

Bruna Pinhoni

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