HURDLES ON THE ROAD TO ELECTRIFICATION

The transition to electric vehicles is going to have significant implications for the driving test and car maintenance. We take a closer look

- Claire Evans

IT’S ESTIMATED THAT there will be 6.5 million electric vehicles (EVs) on our roads by 2030, the deadline by which car makers will no longer be allowed to sell new cars powered solely by petrol or diesel engines. And after that date, the percentage of the UK’s 31.7 million cars that are fully electric looks set to soar.

There is also a burgeoning number of pure electric and hybrid cars for buyers to choose from, and there continues to be a lot of focus from the Government and other organisations on improving the charging infrastructure so that there can be a smooth rollout of the road to electrification.

However, there are a number of other areas that require attention now if we’re going to be ready for the green revolution. Two of the biggest aspects of driving that will change are learning to drive and keeping your car maintained.

LEARNING TO DRIVE

We asked the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if it was planning changes to take account of the switch to EVs and were told that it has “already started work to look at the impact of electric vehicles on driver and rider education and assessment, and to plan for any changes that this shift in vehicle type and use will need”. However, it was unable to provide any details about planned changes.

At present, there is no difference in the practical driving test whether you arrive in a petrol-engined Ford Fiesta or an electric Porsche Taycan. While few learners are likely to take their test in a high-performance EV such as the Taycan, there are many differences, including some massive potential safety issues associated with all EVs, that novice drivers ought to know about.