Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to encourage the take up of electric cars.

The Road to Zero strategy, published in July 2018, set out the Government’s mission to put the UK at the forefront of the design and manufacturing of zero emission vehicles, and for all new cars and vans to be effectively zero emission by 2040. Going beyond this, we will now consult on the earliest date we can phase out the sale of new conventional petrol and diesel cars, while minimising the impact on drivers and businesses.

We are investing nearly £1.5bn? between April 2015 and March 2021, with grants available for plug in cars, vans, lorries, buses, taxis and motorcycles. We also operate schemes to support charge point infrastructure at homes and workplaces and on residential streets. Our grant schemes and our £400m public-private Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund will see thousands more electric vehicle chargepoints installed across the UK. Along with the private sector Government will invest £1 billion in charging infrastructure – making sure that everyone is within 30 miles of a rapid charging station for electric vehicles.

We have consulted on proposals for chargepoints to be installed with all newly built homes in England, where appropriate, and will set out a vision in early 2020 for a core network of rapid and high powered chargepoints along England’s key road network. We have also consulted on the introduction of Green Number Plates for ultra low emission vehicles to raise awareness and help normalise cleaner vehicles and increase their uptake. The Go Ultra Low comms campaign is now into its fifth year. This joint government-industry campaign aims to inform vehicle purchasers about the benefits of ULEVs and to dispel widespread myths.