Electric Vehicles in 2025: Why Has This Become a Thing?
Disclaimer!
This blog is not intended as a technical paper but is written to highlight some of the positives and negatives of this seismic shift in the automotive industry while trying to keep a positive mindset when it comes to change! If you’re after a detailed guide to electric vehicles (EVs), drop us a message and we’ll happily talk.
I’ve been working in and around the motor industry for over 30 years, and in that time, I’ve seen technology advance in various ways. Whether it’s vehicle design improvements to protect pedestrians or the advancement of electronics controlling vehicle emissions, it’s arguably all for the betterment of drivers and the public alike.
In recent years, however, the focus on vehicle technology has shifted dramatically towards the method of propulsion.
Dieselgate: The Pivot Point for Change
I was directly impacted by what became known as ‘Dieselgate’. In fact, I was on holiday in Crete when the news broke about ‘cheat devices’ being fitted to vehicles to pass emissions tests, and I knew instantly that things were never going to be the same again.
The diesel emissions scandal that rocked the motor industry continues to influence policy and product development to this day — but that’s a blog for another time! Today, I want to spotlight what I believe to be a key pivot point in the evolution of transport, particularly when it comes to passenger cars.
Was This Always Going to Happen?
Whether EV development would have happened naturally at some point, it’s clear that Dieselgate accelerated the shift. The resulting governmental focus and increasingly strict legislation only served to supercharge it.
There’s an argument that automotive manufacturers needed the push to broaden their focus away from Internal Combustion Engines
(ICEs). At the same time, a significant proportion of the car-buying public in the UK and beyond weren’t — and in many cases still aren’t — fully ready for the shift to EV.
New Technology and the Adoption Curve
Whenever new technologies are developed, there’s usually a long gestation period before they become mainstream. This allows companies to extensively test, refine, and perfect their technology before release. In the case of EVs, while electric cars have been around for years, they were historically aimed at customers who would be classified as ‘Innovators’ and ‘Early Adopters’ within the classic technology adoption model:
• 2.5% Innovators
• 13.5% Early Adopters
• 34% Early Majority
• 34% Late Majority
• 16% Laggards
With this in mind, it’s no surprise that some of the technology currently found in many 2025 EV models in the UK isn’t yet advanced enough to fully serve the ‘Early Majority’, let alone meet the expectations of the ‘Late Majority’.
While manufacturers continue to invest heavily in EV research and development, the crucial advancement the industry needs is battery technology. The much-anticipated solid-state batteries remain several years away from commercial availability, and the current generation of lithium-ion batteries still presents challenges around cost, range, and charging times.
Hydrogen Fuel Cells – The Forgotten Option?
With legislation pushing manufacturers to prioritise the development of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), other promising technologies like hydrogen fuel cells have taken a back seat. And if you think EV charging infrastructure in the UK is patchy, try finding somewhere you can fill up with liquid hydrogen!
That said, there’s cautious optimism. Recent announcements from BMW and other major brands suggest they’re reviving their focus on hydrogen technology. Could this signal a broader shift in strategy for other manufacturers? Time will tell.
Summary: Driven by Law, Not Demand
I’m in no doubt that some kind of change was needed in the industry. However, the highly charged (pardon the pun!) focus on EV above all else feels slightly out of step with consumer readiness and demand. This transition is primarily being driven by legislation rather than market pull, which is unusual in a consumer-driven sector like automotive and might explain the relatively cautious adoption rates of EVs in the UK to date.
It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out over the next few years, especially as alternative technologies and infrastructure challenges continue to evolve.
Dave Bownes
Director,
Haynes Oliver Limited
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