Clarkson’s war on electric cars: Britain has now caught the EV bug

While the U.S. electric-car market is struggling, Britain is following a very different road. Fully electric models are moving to the front of the new-car market, pushing traditional petrol-powered vehicles into the background.

The shift is being driven by a combination of strict sales requirements, government incentives and rising fuel prices. Together, those forces are helping electric-car sales set new records in Britain.

Tesla and Kia are prominent in the market, but rapidly growing Chinese manufacturers are also helping shape the boom. Their expanding presence adds a new dimension to Britain’s electric-car race.

The contrast with the United States is sharp. New tariffs and the loss of subsidies are slowing electric-car momentum there, while Britain’s policies and market conditions are producing the opposite result.

Some historic British brands have arrived surprisingly late to the electric wave. The article suggests, however, that they may not remain on the sidelines for long.