Majority of UK dealers back EV scrappage scheme, Startline survey finds

# What dealers said A Startline Used Car Tracker survey of 60 UK dealers found 83% support introducing a scrappage scheme for electric vehicles (EVs). Dealers want tools that make new EVs easier to buy for private customers, and many think a scrappage scheme would achieve that.

# Why dealers want a scrappage scheme Dealers say current incentives reduce the price of new EVs but are not always visible to consumers at the point of sale. Paul Burgess, chief executive of Startline Motor Finance, said the current subsidy structure is "effectively invisible" and a scrappage scheme would have "a much higher profile" and be "more dramatic." The suggestion is that a clearly advertised scrappage offer could increase consumer awareness and accelerate private demand.

# How dealers view affordability and market barriers The survey breaks down dealer views on the barriers to EV uptake:

• 60% (reported as six in 10) believe the Government should actively encourage the adoption of electric cars.
• 61% say EVs need to be made as affordable as possible.
• 26% think electric cars remain out of reach for too many people.
• 21% say there are still too many older, polluting vehicles on UK roads.

These responses show dealers see both price and the existing vehicle mix as problems for accelerating retail EV sales.

# Opposition and its reasons Opposition among dealers was limited but present:

• Around 10% said keeping existing cars on the road can be more environmentally friendly.
• 8% pointed to improving affordability of EVs as a reason against intervention.
• 6% said the Government should not interfere in the market.

Burgess noted that "the number of dealers against the idea of a scrappage scheme is relatively low," and that while dealers see EVs as increasingly commercially viable, most still want Government support to continue.

# Policy context and dealer priorities Dealers already see some government support in the market but want incentives that retail customers can recognise immediately. The argument is practical: a visible discount or trade-in credit tied to a scrappage scheme could change purchase decisions at the point of sale more effectively than back-end subsidies.

This view appears alongside other dealer-focused policy debates, including calls for clearer used-EV battery certificates and efforts to reduce barriers to home charging for households without driveways. Those measures target buyer confidence and charging accessibility, respectively—two other constraints dealers cite when trying to sell EVs at retail.

# What to watch next A change in government or policy approach could open the door for a scrappage scheme, according to Burgess. If ministers pursue a scheme, its design will determine whether it targets lower-income households, older high-emission vehicles, or specific vehicle categories, and how it interacts with existing subsidies and manufacturer offers.

Dealers will be watching how any scheme is communicated to consumers and whether it delivers an obvious, visible price reduction at the forecourt rather than an invisible back-end subsidy.

# Bottom line Most surveyed dealers back an EV scrappage scheme because they believe it would make discounts visible and widen the retail market. Opposition exists but is small, focused on environmental trade-offs and market-intervention principles. The effectiveness of any future scheme will depend on its design and how clearly consumers experience the benefit at the point of purchase.