Essay by Eric Worrall

First published JoNova; Remember when we used to laugh about Soviets queuing for years to purchase an automobile?

Ford threatens to restrict petrol car sales to meet the UK’s EV targets

Ford boss says ICE prices could rise as it seeks to dodge looming ZEV mandate penalty fines

by: Tom Jervis
9 May 2024

Ford could resort to limiting the sales of its petrol cars in the UK, as it struggles to meet the electric car sales targets laid down in the government’s Zero-Emissions Vehicle Mandate.

Introduced at the start of this year, the ZEV mandate requires manufacturers to ensure that a minimum percentage of their overall sales are battery-powered, or face fines of up to £15,000 for every ICE car sold over the limit. This year, the target is set at 22 per cent, however, while EV sales continue to grow due to fleet demand, private buyers are proving reluctant to make the transition and EV targets are looking hard to meet. According to the latest industry figures, fewer than 17 per cent of models registered in April boasted zero-emissions powertrains. 

Ford, which currently only has the Mach-E in its EV passenger car line-up, is one of the manufacturers feeling the pressure. The company’s European boss of its ‘Model e’ electric car division, Martin Sander, told the Financial Times’ Future of the Car Summit: “We can’t push EVs into the market against demand. We’re not going to pay penalties. We are not going to sell EVs at huge losses just to buy compliance. The only alternative is to take our shipments of [engine-powered] vehicles to the UK down, and sell these vehicles somewhere else”.

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Read more: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/ford/363114/ford-threatens-restrict-petrol-car-sales-meet-uks-ev-targets

What can I say? Unless we find a way to derail the Western march towards green communism, a system in which the government will dictate what you are allowed to buy and own, Soviet style queues and shortages are exactly what we shall all have to get used to.