Iceland Supermarket Urges Labour to Support Electric Vehicle Transition
Iceland, a major UK supermarket chain, has warned the Labour party about facing ‘costly penalties’ if they do not increase their commitment to electric vehicles. The supermarket’s chairman, Richard Walker, has called on the government to show leadership and provide support for the transition to electric vehicles, as current policies could lead to financial repercussions.
Walker expressed his concerns on LinkedIn, stating that the pace of electric vehicle adoption is not sufficient for Iceland or the UK generally. He highlighted the potential for costly penalties if the supermarket fails to meet its electrification goals. The company currently operates a fleet of over 1,700 vans for grocery deliveries and faces increasing pressure to upgrade to zero-emission vehicles to be compliant with the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate. Walker has urged the government to ‘show clear leadership’.
He also called for action from the Labour party and suggested three key areas for support, including simplifying the legislative and operational burdens related to EVs. He also requested a faster rollout and standardisation of public chargers, as well as increased financial support for purchasing incentives for electric vehicles.
Iceland is committed to reducing the environmental impact of the business, including emissions from its home delivery fleet. They have been working with Ford Motor Company to introduce more efficient vehicles. However, Walker emphasised that the move to fully zero-emission vehicles presents a challenge, especially given that many of Iceland’s smaller stores lack space for charging points.
Walker suggested: “Additional cost and complexity only serves as a blocker. The Government needs to recognise that reality with regulatory, infrastructure and incentive reforms.”
The government is considering changes to the ZEV mandate, and a consultation recently closed on February 18. The Department for Transport is expected to announce its decision soon. Current regulations will ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by the end of the decade. The consultation also underlined the benefits by moving towards electric vehicles; this will increase energy security, and also lead to cleaner air.
The consultation also found that the actions of the previous Conservative Government did ‘great harm’ to the UK’s reputation as a leading nation in the EV transition.
