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Evec’s Tom Bloor: 2025 could prove pivotal year for EV adoption

Evec’s Tom Bloor: 2025 could prove pivotal year for EV adoption

Tom Bloor, Managing Director of national EV-charger supplier evec, shares his predictions for the electric vehicle sector in 2025.

The UK stands at an important crossroads in its ambition to ditch fossil fuels and make the transition to electric vehicles. There has already been impressive growth over the last few years, with EVs now making up 19% of all vehicle registration, which is up from 6.6% in 2020. That shows growing enthusiasm from the UK public for going electric. That momentum is at risk, however. 

The UK Government is hoping that 28% of all new vehicles sold will be electric by the end of 2025 and that in 2030, EVs will make up 80%. While it’s certainly possible to achieve those figures, the motor industry and the Government must take urgent action to boost EVs significantly – and there’s no time like the present. 

The October Budget already introduced some positive measures, including a company car tax rate of 9% for EVs by 2029-30 (compared to 39% for petrol and diesel vehicles), £200 million for charging infrastructure development, and £120 million to support electric van purchases. These are certainly moves in the right direction, but they’re somewhat offset by the fact that starting in April, EVs will be liable for the same road tax amount as conventional vehicles – removing a key benefit for many making the switch. 

That has led to calls from across the industry for a range of new incentives to stimulate demand for EVs, which could include introducing new subsidies for used EV purchases and reducing VAT on new models. These could be very helpful but should be accompanied by several other initiatives and pieces of proactive work to meet upcoming challenges.

Infrastructure and charging challenges and opportunities

Charging infrastructure is crucial to the adoption of electric vehicles, and yet it remains one of the biggest concerns amongst prospective buyers, with almost two-thirds of respondents in a recent survey from Bridgestone noting that a lack of somewhere to charge was the reason they were disincentivised from purchasing an EV. That’s why it’s vitally important to make charging infrastructure more accessible and affordable in 2025. 

Current charger installation grants remain quite narrow in scope, limited to specific categories of property owners (flat owners, landlords, house renters with off-street parking or owners with on-street parking) and capped at £350 per socket – despite installation costs often exceeding £1,000. 

The Workplace Charging Scheme faces similar constraints, with its £350 per socket cap proving particularly inadequate for businesses, especially as DC charging stations, which are required for larger vehicles or rapid charging, can cost upwards of £30,000. Widening the amount and scope of grants and providing generous tax breaks for businesses installing charging infrastructure must be looked at in the next 12 months.

The disparity between home and public charging costs presents another barrier, with public rapid charging rates reaching 79p per kWh or more compared to home charging rates of around 10p. This price gap disproportionately affects residents of flats and others without easy access to home charging, effectively creating a two-tier charging market that could hamper wider adoption. 

Public and private initiatives and partnerships can help create innovative charging solutions to address this disparity. Additionally, councils should look to relax planning objections to people in terraced houses installing under-pavement channels for secure cable charging.

Regional swings and roundabouts

The removal of the capital’s congestion charge discount for EVs in December 2025 presents a particular challenge for dealers and users. Dealers will need to devise creative solutions, such as offering to cover congestion charges for new vehicles for the first year. The EV sector, businesses and drivers also need to lobby TfL to reverse its decision or come up with a more sensible solution. 

On the other hand, the success of clean air zones in cities like Bristol and Birmingham could help drive the creation of new CAZs and EV adoption in other parts of the country, next year, or at least provide a groundswell of interest in EVs that the sector can exploit. 

Bridging the skills gap 

The transition to EVs isn’t just about vehicles and infrastructure – it’s also about people. The Climate Change Committee has said that EV and battery manufacturing could create up to 100,000 jobs by 2030. However, the Institute of the Motor Industry has identified a concerning skills gap, with only 58,000 people currently qualified to work on electric vehicles. Projections suggest a shortfall of 3,000 technicians by 2032, growing to 16,000 by 2035, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive training programs. 

Commercial and domestic drivers need to know that there is adequate local technical support for their EVs, if they are to make them their vehicles of choice. This year, the EV sector should develop and fund new courses, perhaps working with colleges, to address the lack of skilled-up EV workers before it becomes a major barrier to future sales growth.

Boosting customer confidence and education

Persistent concerns about range anxiety and safety, particularly regarding fire risks, continue to influence consumer behaviour. The Bridgestone survey found that 47% of Brits are reluctant to buy an EV due to perceived range limitations. These worries often don’t tally with the reality of modern EV capabilities, suggesting a need for more effective public education. Industry stakeholders need to address these concerns head-on with clear, fact-based communication strategies, stating the latest facts about EVs and charging. Inventive ways to boost accessibility

Shopping centres could offer free charging to attract customers. Council-run, town-centre car parks could do the same. At evec, we’ve opened our Salford HQ charging stations to the public, demonstrating how businesses can contribute to the charging network while generating additional revenue. This year would be a great time for other organisations – from private companies to schools and public buildings to follow this model.

Tom Bloor

Managing Director of evec

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