Economy hindering the electric transition? | ACP

Electrical conversion costs

The UK postpones the ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles until 2035. The Prime Minister defended this “new approach” with the need to be “honest with the population”. She revealed that the government will no longer impose taxes on air travel or beef or force Britons to recycle more.

Rishi Sunak thus changes the deadline set just three years ago by his predecessor, Boris Johnson, who wanted to ban the sale of new vehicles powered exclusively by diesel or petrol from 2030 in the country.

The Prime Minister defended this “new approach” with the need to be “honest with the population about the difficult choices and sacrifices involved.”

“It is unfair for Westminster to impose such high costs on workers, especially those who are already struggling to make ends meet, and interfere so much with people’s lifestyles,” he said..

Sunak also revealed that the government will no longer tax air travel or beef or force Britons to recycle more.

However, Sunak is keeping his promise to cut the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, a target included in legislation in 2019.

Car manufacturers, which have invested heavily in switching to electric vehicles, have expressed frustration at the change in government plans.

“Consumers have to want to make a difference,” said Mike Hawes, head of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and TradersThis requires the government to have a clear and coherent message, attractive incentives and infrastructure that conveys confidence, not anxiety. However, “confusion and uncertainty will only lead to decline.”

Watering down environmental promises is seen as a ploy to try to attract voters Facing the crisis of rising costs of living as the legislative elections scheduled for 2024 approach.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman stressed: “We will not save the planet by bankrupting the British people.”

ANSR: 21 million for postal services

The National Road Safety Authority (ANSR), responsible for identifying and collecting traffic violations, It could spend more than €21 million by 2026 In postal services that allow drivers to be notified. The Government emphasizes that postal notification services, within the scope of the Administrative Offenses Process through SINCRO (read RADARS), result in “the sending of a large number of postal materials, which, together with other related services, are essential for the operation of the ANSR”.

Italian tour

More than 100 classics shine on the roads of the South and North at a meeting of Italians organized by ACP Classics.

Passeio dos Italianos is an initiative of the ACP Clássicos, which in this first edition had two locations at once – the south, departing from Lisbon, and the north, departing from Porto, which brings together more than a hundred cars and hundreds of “machine più belle” enthusiasts. In the Portuguese capital, participants gathered in Piazza Italia, in Restelo, the ideal starting point for a journey that took them towards Merciana, in the municipality of Alenquer.

At Invicta, beautiful Italian instruments occupied the outdoor space of the Cupertino di Miranda Foundation, on Avenida da Boavista, Then depart towards Minho and Arco do Pauli in the municipality of Cabeceras de Pasto. In between, stop at the historic Guimarães Castle, then also pass through the famous Conforco area, in Fafe, one of the most popular locations for the Vodafone Portuguese Rally.

In my Passeio dos Italianos collection, it was possible to observe a great diversity of examples from brands such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia or Maserati. For example, a beautiful Lancia Aurelia Cabriolet from 1951 coexisted with various Fiat 500 units, including a 500c from 1953. A rare Lamborghini Espada from the 1970s added a touch of exoticism to the trip southwhich also featured an expressive Alfa Romeo livery, which included, for example, Bertone GTs in different versions and engines, or the Alfa Romeo 33 from 1988. Further north, one of the most attractive examples was the Alfa Romeo Montreal from the 1980s 1970, as well as a Lancia Delta With its unparalleled athletic proportions.