Drivers of petrol and diesel cars in the UK are furious at the government's £1.6 billion investment in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, as fuel prices remain at record highs and the 5p fuel duty cut fails to ease the burden.
The Department for Transport recently extended the Plug-In Van and Truck Grants for two years and announced £1.6 billion for charging points, aiming to have five times more EV chargepoints than petrol pumps. However, two in five drivers are making fewer trips due to prohibitive fuel costs, and car owners are urged to only fill half their tanks.
Many motorists feel they subsidise EV drivers, who pay no vehicle tax and are exempt from congestion charges and low emission zones. Readers of Express.co.uk voiced their anger, with one saying politicians are 'playing a game' and that net zero targets are 'never going to happen'. Another called the spending an 'absolute disgrace'.
Some questioned the true savings of EVs amid rising energy prices, while an EV owner countered that their 'tank' of electricity costs just £7 for 300 miles. Others debated future taxation, suggesting the government will eventually tax electricity to recoup lost fuel duty revenue.
