Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to support the transition to electric vehicles with sufficient supply of electricity.

To prepare for this the Government is working with Ofgem, the independent regulator, and the energy industry to plan for electric vehicle uptake and ensure the energy system can meet future demand in an efficient and sustainable way. The capacity market is our principal tool for ensuring security of supply. It has successfully brought forward a diverse range of new capacity, such as renewables, storage and gas plants, to replace older capacity as it retires off the system. We are confident it will enable us to meet energy demand, including that arising from greater uptake of EVs, in the future. The UK electricity market is already set up to bring forward investment in generation to meet demand. For example, the Contracts for Difference scheme supports significant investment in low carbon generation.

EVs also offer new opportunities for consumers to be part of a smarter and more flexible energy system. Smart charging can help reduce constraints on the network by shifting charging to off-peak periods. In 2019 the Government consulted on mandating that all private charge points sold or installed in the UK must have smart functionality and meet device level requirements. We intend to lay the relevant legislation later this year.