March 2021

BY Charley Grimston, CEO, Altelium E veryone could do with a bit of good news right now, not least in an especially hard- hit industry like automotive. So, take heed that there is certainly some light at the end of the tunnel as signs are that the electric car market could well emerge from the current situation re-energised. It is well placed to benefit from a change in both consumer perceptions towards purchasing petrol and diesel, and greater awareness of the impact of current transport on the environment – good news for both the industry and the climate. The UK government’s intention to end the sale of new internal combustion engine cars from 2030 will also have its part to play in this. Even with the new deadline however, it’s already evident that some people are looking towards EVs as the way forward. In fact, some are actively looking to avoid diesel and petrol forecourts entirely. Picking up a petrol pump that has been previously handled by unknown others, then touching a pay screen or entering the shop to pay and touching door handles, counters and pay machines, raise fears of contamination. While forecourt owners are doing all they can to reduce and eliminate risk, as transmissions increase again and we wait to receive a vaccine, this will remain very real concern. By contrast, electric cars can be plugged in and recharged at home in driveways where there is no shared contact, no social distancing required and much more evident control over cross-contamination. Differently and better I also believe that people will want to do things differently and better for the sake of the environment. It’s fascinating to see how nature is responding to humans in lockdown, especially as far as air pollution is concerned. Consider this quote from Fei Liu, an air quality researcher at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre, describing levels of nitrogen dioxide over China during its first draconian lockdown: “This is the first time I have seen such a dramatic drop-off over such a wide area for a specific event.” Further, it’s reported that pollution levels fell by 50% in New York due to measures taken to contain the Coronavirus in Spring 2020, and most people will have seen the charts presented by the UK government showing the reduction in car use. Given that transport contributes 23% of global carbon emissions, and driving is by far the largest element of that contributing 72% of transport carbon emissions, it’s not hard to see 12 AFTERMARKET MARCH 2021 BUSINESS www.aftermarketonline.net LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY Electric cars will emerge from this period energised and ready to capitalise on changed consumer perceptions