Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consideration the Government has given to the potential merits of introducing legislation aimed at making electric vehicles more affordable, in the context of increases in the cost of oil.

The Government is reducing the upfront costs of zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) by providing grants for zero emission cars, vans, trucks, and wheelchair accessible vehicles; this includes the £2 billion Electric Car Grant, which has already helped over 90,000 drivers to choose an electric vehicle (EV). Drivers of ZEVs also benefit from favourable tax rates, such as generous company car tax incentives, and can save up to £1,400 a year on running and maintenance costs compared to a petrol car if they can charge at home using off-peak tariffs. A breakdown of how this is calculated is available here: https://cleanenergy.campaign.gov.uk/electric-vehicle/.

The Government provides grants to support the rollout of domestic and workplace chargers, while the £25 million EV Pavement Channel Grant will ensure that more people without off-street parking can benefit from cheaper and more convenient domestic EV charging.

The Government recognises that high charging costs could pose a barrier to widespread EV adoption, especially for those reliant on public networks. In response, the Government is undertaking a comprehensive review of public charging costs, examining the drivers behind price increases and measures to make public charging accessible and affordable for all users.