Select Car Leasing welcomed MP Clive Jones to its headquarters to discuss strategies to help accelerate the UK’s transition to electric vehicles (EVs).
The MP for Wokingham was joined by representatives from the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) at Select’s HQ in Reading.
Members of the Select Car Leasing team who met with Mr Jones included joint CEOs and co-founders of Select, Mark Tongue and James O’Malley, head of Select Electric Shane Pither, as well as Dee Edwards, senior account manager regional AR office teams.
An array of topics were discussed, including the large discrepancies in the cost of home versus public charging and the need for additional government support to entice motorists to go green.
Mr Jones also heard arguments as to why the expensive car aupplement (ECS) threshold should be raised from £40,000 in the case of EVs to avoid detracting from their appeal, with EV’s already typically more expensive than their internal combustion engine (ICE) equivalents.
Zohra Chagani, senior policy advisor with the BVRLA, stressed the importance of interventions in the used EV market to boost demand and to bolster residual values.
Besides the industry’s push to meet the government’s ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicle) mandate, Mr Jones also listened to insights from Select and the BVRLA about the recent Court of Appeal ruling which concluded that a broker can not receive a commission from a lender providing motor finance without obtaining the customer’s ‘fully informed consent’ to the payment.
Mr Jones said: “I’m grateful to Select Car Leasing and the BVRLA for meeting with me and for sharing some of their concerns on government policy relating to the transition to electric vehicles.
“It was also important to understand some of the wider ramifications of the Court of Appeal’s decision in relation to commission disclosure.
“To hear such insights from those working at the coalface of the leasing industry was invaluable.”
Shane Pither is the newly-appointed head of Select’s electric division.
He explained: “This was a fantastic opportunity for Select and the BVRLA to engage MP Clive Jones on some of the challenges customers might face when transitioning to EVs, particularly fleet drivers and individuals living in apartments or terraces where home charging can be complex, as well as businesses losing the EV installation grant after 31st March 2025.”
Mark Tongue, joint CEO and co-founder, added: “From our own perspective, lease customers are extremely receptive to the many benefits of EVs, with 38% of the vehicles we lease being either fully-electric or plug-in hybrid, which far exceeds the automotive industry’s market share.
“It was also important that Select and the BVRLA were able to engage Mr Jones on the subject of commission disclosure.
“It’s an area where Select has always operated with openness and transparency, but which requires legal clarity and certainty going forward.”
The Liberal Democrats have also called for a return of plug-in grants for cars – including new grants to convert combustion-engine cars to run on electricity.
Mr Jones said: “The Liberal Democrats are committed to tackling the climate crisis and air pollution across the country.
“We want electric vehicles to be an affordable and practical alternative for all in the near future.
“We would urge the Government to act now to facilitate the move to electric vehicles through an increase in charging points, reforming vehicle taxation and cutting VAT on EVs.”
