BEIS Committee releases written evidence ahead of first public evidence session on electric vehicles inquiry

The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee has today published written evidence for its inquiry into electric vehicles.

The submissions [attached] have been published ahead of the inquiry’s first public evidence session on Tuesday 27 February when the Committee will be questioning representatives from Tesla, the National Franchised Dealers Association, the RAC Foundation and the Energy Saving Trust.

The BEIS Committee’s electrical vehicles inquiry is exploring the role of electric vehicles in the transition to a low carbon economy.  It will investigate the actions needed to support the development of the electric vehicle market, the challenges that electric vehicles represent for the electricity grid, and industrial opportunities for the automotive sector.

The written evidence submissions published today were submitted as part of the current inquiry and in response to the previous Committee’s inquiry from before the General Election.  

Submissions include those identifying barriers to the development of the electric vehicle market, the impact on the electricity grid and how best to fund the infrastructure needed for an expanding market.

Rachel Reeves MP, Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, said: “The UK has a strong automotive industry and the development of electric vehicles provides an exciting opportunity for the sector to retain a competitive edge.

The transition to ultra-low emissions vehicles is an essential part of the UK’s strategy to build a successful low carbon economy and we want to find out if Ministers could be doing more to support the market and remove current barriers to development. 

The Committee is looking at the challenges greater electric car use poses for the electricity grid and what sort of new infrastructure is needed to support the expansion of the market.

We also want to investigate whether the Government’s target of phasing out conventional diesel and petrol powered cars by 2040 is sufficiently ambitious and how best the powers in the Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill currently going through Parliament could be used.” 

Electric vehicles – first public evidence session

Witness schedule: Tuesday 27 February at 10am, Room 19

• ·         George Ell, Director, Western Europe, Tesla
• ·         Mark Squires, Chairman, National Franchised Dealers Association
• ·         Steve Gooding, Director, RAC Foundation
• ·         Andrew Benfield, Group Director of Transport, Energy Saving Trust

The session will be broadcast live on Parliament TV.

Terms of reference

The previous Committee’s inquiry invited evidence on the following points:

• ·         What are the key barriers to development of the UK's electric vehicle market?
• ·         Does the Government's Industrial Strategy sufficiently address the challenges and opportunities for electric vehicles?
• ·         What support for purchase costs should the Government provide after 2018, in response to the changing costs of electric vehicles?
• ·         How best can the Government ensure that there is consistent provision of charging infrastructure across the country?
• ·         Is the Government's road transport decarbonisation strategy sufficiently flexible to adapt to potentially disruptive market trends such as driverless cars? How might these impact requirements for, and use of, charging infrastructure?

The current inquiry invited submissions on the additional points below:

• ·         How will increased uptake of electric vehicles, to meet the Government's 2040 target to end the sale of new diesel and petrol cars, affect the electricity grid? What action is needed to manage impacts, and to make the most of opportunities afforded by vehicle-to-grid technologies?
• ·         How do charging infrastructure requirements differ for alternative types of vehicle, journey, and user (including fleets)?
• ·         How should new infrastructure for electric vehicles and associated grid reinforcements be sustainably funded?

ENDS

Editor’s note

Both inquiries cover all electric vehicles including cars, buses, vans, HGVs, motorcycles and e-bikes.

The Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill has completed its passage through the House of Commons and is currently at Committee stage in the House of Lords.