Let people choose the car that’s right for them, not meddling politicians

Long-term readers of Auto Express will see me as some kind of EV evangelist. I’ve run loads of electric cars over the years, and even edited our sister site DrivingElectric between 2020 and 2023. But I’m also a realist, and I understand that for myriad reasons, many people simply aren’t ready to make the switch.

It’s for this reason that, in 2026, I’m hoping for a mindset shift – not just for consumers, but from global car makers and local governments, too. I’m asking that we’re spared another year of trivial legislation changes and unachievable targets; let’s allow people to buy the cars that are right for them, not ones forced upon them by politicians.

For many people, EVs are perfect. If you can charge at home, have a regular commute and don’t live north of the Arctic Circle, they’re great. They’re smoother, faster, quieter, and kinder to the climate. If you can top-up the battery overnight on an off-peak electricity tariff, they’ll be significantly cheaper to run as well.

But for some, a punchy petrol, long-legged diesel or hybrid halfway-house still makes more sense. While 80 per cent of your driving might be to and from the office, the occasional off-site meeting, emergency visit to see family, or that annual holiday to the south of France, can throw the convenience of EV life into disarray.

While the UK’s EV infrastructure is improving, failed top-ups are still too common, and the price of public charging is little short of extortion. On one hand we’re being told to buy electric cars; the Electric Car Grant is a welcome incentive, but it’s painfully nuanced. On the other, taxation is rising. How many retail buyers are going to take the plunge before they see how the proposed pay-per-mile EV tax nonsense pans out in 2028?

The EU has scrapped its planned outright ban on the sale of new pure petrol and diesel cars – and I think it’s high-time the UK did the same. We all champion freedom of speech, why not give people freedom of choice, to choose the car that’s right for them?

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