LONDON (dpa-AFX) - The car industry in the UK is urging the government to speed up the expansion of e-mobility. In contrast to e-vehicles, there are still no targets for the expansion of charging points, the head of the industry association SMMT, Mike Hawes, told the German press agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur in London. Suppliers would therefore not be forced to invest. Companies are merely reacting to natural business opportunities.

The expansion is accelerating, Hawes said. The number of charging stations would have increased by 40 to 50 percent by 2023. "But it needs to get even faster." The head of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) criticized the fact that the target minimum number of charging points at freeway service stations will not be met this year. "The infrastructure of the entire industry needs to develop much faster, because we want to remove all barriers, every reason why consumers don't consider an electric car."

Range is no longer a concern

Range is no longer a major problem. Most electric cars could now travel 200 to 300 miles on a single charge - but the average British driver only travels 100 miles (160 kilometers) a week. "But it's about charging," said Hawes. "Will I be able to charge where I want, when I want? That's where we need to get to."

In the UK, the proportion of e-vehicles has recently risen sharply. In October, they accounted for 37.6 percent of all new registrations. Pure battery-powered vehicles (BEVs) increased for the 42nd month in a row.

The Conservative government recently softened its climate targets and postponed the phase-out of new vehicles with combustion engines from 2030 to 2035. This caused unrest in the industry. According to Hawes, the message to consumers that they are not forced to buy an electric vehicle was particularly problematic. Such a statement is not helpful when the industry is trying to convince consumers to make this transition.

Important investments secured

In general, however, the British automotive industry is looking positively to the future. Thanks to the improved global economic situation, production and new registrations have risen steadily in recent months, after coronavirus, Brexit and supply chain problems had been a source of bad news for some time.

Above all, however, several companies want to invest a lot of money in the country. For example, Tata, the parent company of British car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover, announced the construction of a large battery factory in England. BMW subsidiary Mini wants to produce two new e-models at its plant in Oxford. Higher investments have been announced for 2023 than in the previous five years combined, said Hawes./bvi/DP/he