UK plans EV incentives that let carmakers sell more petrol cars — SkimNews
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- UK ministers are considering offering incentives to carmakers to install vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology as part of a review of the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, allowing EVs to act as mobile power sources
- Carmakers could earn credits for selling vehicles with V2G technology under the proposed ZEV rules, with each credit worth around £4,000 and potentially enabling the sale of additional petrol cars without penalty
- Ben Nelmes of New AutoMotive warned that rewarding manufacturers for installing V2G tech—rather than its actual use—risks benefiting shareholders more than drivers or the grid, given few own compatible chargers
- Vicky Edmonds of the Electric Vehicle Association England emphasized that consumer adoption of V2G remains low due to unresolved concerns over EV costs, charging access, and daily usability
- National Energy System Operator forecasts that by 2030, V2G-enabled cars could supply 1.2 gigawatts of power on demand, rising to 41 GW by 2050—enough to meet over a quarter of peak electricity demand
Why it matters: The proposed V2G credits could let carmakers offset ZEV targets with unproven technology, risking an extra 147 million tonnes of carbon emissions by 2050 if petrol car sales rise. The real beneficiaries may be automakers, not the grid or consumers, if usage lags behind installation.
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