In an era of self-inflicted uncertainty, the one constant has been that of an electric future.
There’s just one problem. Popularity of electrified vehicles has grown globally at such a rate, that manufacturers are struggling to meet demand with supply. Indeed, recent SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) figures reported a decline of 34.4% in April for plug-in hybrids, and a year-to-date figure of – 20.4%. Conversely, the overall AFV (Alternatively Fuelled Vehicles) number increased 12.7% in April, helped along by non-plug-in hybrids in particular.
So what’s going on? It appears there’s a two-pronged reply:
1. Some (notably Mitsubishi) felt that the erradication of the government’s PHEV grant, which lopped £2,500 from the price of a shiny new plug-in hybrid, had a negative impact on sales.
2. Others said PHEVs simply weren’t attainable, due to either battery supply limitations or having being pulled from line-ups for various reasons.
Whatever the case, one thing everyone agrees on is that electrified vehicles are on the rise and education of AFVs is very much needed – and that’s where Drive-My comes in.
