HCVA attends Fuels Industry UK seminar

Through our Sustainable Liquid Fuels Working Group the HCVA has an official engagement channel with Fuels Industry UK, the trade association that brings together companies involved in refining, renewable fuel production, terminal operations and filling stations. This relationship ensures that the needs and views of the historic and classic vehicles sector is heard through having a seat at the table.

We were fortunate to have several of our experts from the working group represented at a recent seminar that included a keynote by Mike Kane MP, Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security. A key takeaway being the Government’s sustainable fuels focus is on aviation to lead the way but that investment in UK production of SAF also has the potential for road transport fuel solutions.

The ZEV mandate is the major policy obstacle to sustainable fuels in the existing infrastructure for the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) fleet since the policy is focussed on tailpipe emissions - partly driven by concerns over particulates in city centres. However, latest research demonstrates that a Euro 7 ICE fleet would be virtually indistinguishable to a full EV fleet in terms of air quality in urban centres due to background contaminants from other sources.

Prof. Neville Jackson from the RAC Foundation presented on how the average age of UK passenger cars is now 11 years and that the proportion of vehicles over 13 years old grew from 6.3% in 2010 to 23.6% in 2023. A trend that suggests over 35% by 2040 as cars have become more reliable and longer lasting.

It is no surprise to the HCVA that RAC Foundation analysis shows that the rate of removal of ICE powered cars from the UK vehicle fleet is just as important as selling more Electric Vehicles! Detailed UK fleet analysis based on DfT data suggests that without scrappage or significant tax incentives:

Over 50% of UK cars (~16 million) likely to include a combustion engine in 2040

Over 40% of UK cars to include a combustion engine even if ZEV mandate met

Prof. Jackson states “Reducing CO emissions from the existing fleet can only be realistically achieved by consistently increasing the amount of “drop-in” sustainable low carbon fuels”

Clearly this is a major workstream for the months and years ahead and we are fortunate to have a team of experts within the working group