Switch to electric vehicles difficult for cash-strapped Lincolnshire Police force, warns police and crime commissioner Marc Jones

The switch to electric vehicles could prove extremely expensive for Lincolnshire Police, the force’s commissioner has warned.

The sale of petrol and diesel vehicles will be banned in the UK from 2030 as part of net zero goals.

However, Marc Jones says the change would quadruple the amount the force spends on cars, and would come with a host of other problems.

The Home Office says it is working with Lincolnshire Police to ensure it is properly funded, but didn’t address the issue of electric vehicles.

“No UK manufacturer sells electric cars that are suitable to replace our response, road or firearms vehicles,” Mr Jones told the Local Democracy Reporter Service.

“We are currently spending £3 million a year on cars – this could easily go up to £12 million a year.

“The infrastructure to charge them would probably be another £10 million, and that’s if the grid has the capacity to do that, which I don’t believe.

“We need vehicles that are both fast and can carry extremely heavy loads. You can’t be full-contact with an electric vehicle in the same way that you can with a petrol or diesel car.”

He said the looming costs present “another cliff edge” for the force, which is already struggling financially.

He added: “2030 is around the corner in planning terms. There’s real uncertainty – should we be investing in electric vehicles or not?

“Hopefully common sense prevails and the 2030 date gets moved, but we need a real conversation about government ambitions right now.”

The government has previously said the UK will benefit from “the cheaper running costs, cleaner air and quieter neighbourhoods that these vehicles bring”.

New diesel and petrol vehicles will be banned in 2030, followed by vans and hybrid vehicles in 2035.

Government investment of £6 billion was announced earlier this year to build infrastructure for the transition to electric vehicles, along with £2 billion of support for manufacturers.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Lincolnshire Police will receive up to £174.5 million funding in the current financial year, an increase of 6.2% on 2024/25.

“We will work with Lincolnshire Police to ensure they have the resources they need to support visible neighbourhood policing to our communities and tackle the crimes that make people feel unsafe.”