The UK government has a long way to go to reach its target of all new cars registered are zero-emission by 2035, according to a report published by the Public Accounts Committee (PCN).
According to the report, while the government has set ambitious targets to phase out new petrol and diesel cars currently just 11% of new car registrations are for ultra-low emission vehicles. The report stressed it will be a “huge challenge” to get this to 100% in the next 14 years.
The committee recommended a social and economic transition, it said the government must convince consumers of the affordability and practically of EVs, as well as dealing with the uneven take-up across the country.
While the report recognised access to charging points is increasing, the PCN is not convinced the government is on track with this crucial infrastructure.
Meg Hillier MP, chair of the committee, said: “The government has a mountain to climb to get to all new cars in the UK emitting zero carbon in the next 14 years: to convince consumers and make the cars appealing, to make the car industry environmentally and socially compliant, to build the necessary infrastructure to support this radical shift and possibly biggest of all, to wean itself off carbon revenues.
“Yet once again what we’ve got is a government throwing up a few signs around base camp – and no let-up in demand for oversized, petrol- guzzling vehicles.
“This isn’t about more targets with no plan behind them inevitably getting missed – it’s about averting the real-world challenges that are bearing down on all of us. The government needs to get the country behind it and lead the way in the global race against climate change.”
Furthermore, the report said to date the Department of Transport and Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have no clear published plan setting out how they propose to manage the impact of the EV switch, who they will need to work with, and the timetables for any action.
It concluded the onus is on the departments to show they are on top of all the repercussions and focussed on supporting consumers to shift to electric, as they work towards the government’s ambitious goal.
