Liberal Democrat MP for Wokingham Clive Jones heard firsthand about the significant discrepancies in the cost of home versus public charging and the need for additional government support to entice motorists to go green when he visited Select’s HQ in Reading.
Members of the Select Car Leasing team who met with Jones included Select joint CEOs and co-founders Mark Tongue and James O’Malley, head of Select Electric Shane Pither, as well as Dee Edwards, senior account manager regional AR office teams.
Jones also heard arguments as to why the Expensive Car Supplement (ECS) threshold should be raised from £40,000 in the case of EVs which are typically more expensive than their internal combustion engine (ICE) equivalents.
Zohra Chagani, senior policy advisor with the BVRLA, also explained 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, Jones also heard insights from Select and the BVRLA about the recent Court of Appeal ruling which concluded that a broker cannot receive a commission from a lender providing motor finance without obtaining the customer’s ‘fully informed consent’ to the payment.
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 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.”
Zohra Chagani helped to spearhead the BVRLA’s recent ‘Happy EV After’ campaign, which aims to protect the value of used electric vehicles. She said: “Clive’s visit at Select Car Leasing is a welcome and timely show of support for the leasing sector, which remains at the forefront of the transition to electric. Our members and our industry need support, however, if they are to continue playing this leading role.
“Collapsing used BEV values, for instance, are an immediate concern that threaten the stability of the sector as a whole. It is a huge boost to our members knowing parliamentarians are backing and understanding their key role in the transition to cleaner, greener road transport.”
Jones had called for increased investment in EV charging infrastructure as well as parity for VAT rates when it comes to electricity – with VAT on domestic electricity charged at 5% while those using public EV charge points pay 20%.
That, said Jones, was an ‘unnecessary barrier to switching to an electric car for people who aren’t able to charge an EV at home’.
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.
Jones, who is the Liberal Democrat spokesperson on trade 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.”
Pictured: James O’Malley, MP Clive Jones, Zohra Chagani, Mark Tongue