Forwarded letter from Grant Shapps MP, Secretary of State, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
Dear Gillian,
Thank you for your email of 19th January, enclosing correspondence from your constituent, [….] of [….], regarding the report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) published on 10th October 2022 about the Government’s plans to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030.
The Government’s view is that the CEBR report’s conclusions, specifically the costings for new vehicle purchases, the time taken to charge electric vehicles (EVs) and the distribution of EV infrastructure, are not in line with the current evidence base and standard methodologies used across the industry. In particular, the costs of new electric cars are already falling, with many manufacturers already offering increasingly affordable models.
Road vehicles currently represent 91% of UK domestic transport emissions and cars and vans represent one fifth of UK domestic CO2 emissions. Taking action to tackle these emissions is a priority, as such, the transition to zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs) is a must if the UK is to meet its legally binding climate change obligations. The Government’s target for 2030 is an important aspect of that ambition.
The Climate Change Committee recommended that the UK goes faster on curtailing emissions from road transport. This will help reduce the harmful air pollutants in our towns and cities, save motorists money and help to safeguard the environment. The Government’s support for industry and incentives for EVs will help cement the UK’s leading position in the design, manufacture, and use of ZEVs. This in turn will provide economic opportunities by stimulating employment, investment and exports.
I understand Mr […]’s concern about that taxation implications the CEBR report sites for the transition to electric transport. In July 2021 the Department for Transport (DfT) published its Transport Decarbonisation Plan (TDP), with 78 commitments setting transport on an ambitious path to net zero by 2050. The move to zero emissions cars, vans and scooters is responsible for the largest carbon savings in the plan.
The TDP recognises that accelerating the modal shift towards public transport and active travel is imperative. Therefore, it is the first of DfT’s six strategic priorities to delivering a net zero transport sector. In future we will use our cars differently and less often, with new technology helping reduce our carbon footprint. This links closely with the fifth strategic priority supporting place-based solutions to emission reductions, reforming how local transport infrastructure is funded to drive decarbonisation at a local level.
I want to reassure Mr […] that the Government remains technology neutral in how we reach our zero emission commitments – providing that the technologies are truly zero emission at the exhaust, and it will continue to support drivers to make the switch to cleaner vehicles.
Thank you again for taking the time to write. I hope this response is helpful.
Yours ever
Grant Shapps
RT HON GRANT SHAPPS MP
Secretary of State for Energy Security & Net Zero
February 2023