Recommendations & Conclusions
6 items
1
Conclusion
First Report - Low emission cars
Not Addressed
On the basis of a Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Department for Transport and from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy on low-emission cars.1
Government response AI summary
The government's response directly quotes and addresses a separate PAC recommendation (recommendation #1) concerning the publication of a plan for zero-emission cars, and does not specifically engage with the content of conclusion #1.
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HM Treasury
9
Conclusion
First Report - Low emission cars
Not Addressed
Upfront costs are not the only element making electric cars costly.16 We were concerned about the cost of replacing batteries, especially for second-hand cars, and asked the Departments to explain how this is going to be managed. The largest part of the cost of an electric vehicle is the battery, …
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Upfront costs are not the only element making electric cars costly.16 We were concerned about the cost of replacing batteries, especially for second-hand cars, and asked the Departments to explain how this is going to be managed. The largest part of the cost of an electric vehicle is the battery, but the Department for Transport believes that costs are falling as the technology develops and manufacturing scale increases. It believes that early concerns of battery degradation have not materialised. The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy pointed out that the cost of running an electric car 8 Q 17 9 C&AG’s Report, para 3.8; HM Government, The Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, November 2020 10 Committee of Public Accounts, Achieving Net Zero, Forty-Sixth Report of Session 2019–21, HC 935, 5 March 2021 11 Qq 10–11; C&AG’s Report, para 2.17 12 Q 26 13 Qq 11, 17; C&AG Report, para 1.11 14 C&AG’s Report, para 2.11; GOV.UK Plug-in car, van and truck grant to be targeted at more affordable models to allow more people to make the switch, 18 March 2021 15 Q 10; C&AG’s Report, para 2.5 16 Q 10 10 Low emission cars would be “significantly cheaper” than a petrol vehicle, with the Department for Transport estimating it costs, on average, around 1p per mile to run a zero-emission vehicle in comparison to 10p per mile for a petrol or diesel car.17
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Government response AI summary
The government outlines existing grants and tax incentives for upfront costs and support for the second-hand EV market, but does not specifically address the committee's concern about the cost of replacing batteries, especially for second-hand cars.
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HM Treasury
10
Conclusion
First Report - Low emission cars
Not Addressed
We asked what the Departments were planning to do about the higher cost of charging on the public network compared to home charging.18 A National Audit Office analysis of public data suggests that charging at home can cost between 59% and 78% less than charging on the public network.19 The …
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We asked what the Departments were planning to do about the higher cost of charging on the public network compared to home charging.18 A National Audit Office analysis of public data suggests that charging at home can cost between 59% and 78% less than charging on the public network.19 The Department for Transport told us it expects there to be more competition in the market and innovation which may benefit consumers in terms of the price paid for electricity. It also suggested that electric cars might, for example, act as energy stores when plugged in at home to feed back to the grid at peak time and recharge at times were there is lower demand and cost. It thinks rapid charging in public, however, will always be more expensive than charging overnight at home.20
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Government response AI summary
The government's response details actions related to improving the consumer experience of public charging (ease of payment, reliability, data availability) and overall charging infrastructure strategy, but does not directly address the higher cost of public charging compared to home charging.
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HM Treasury
13
Conclusion
First Report - Low emission cars
Not Addressed
The scale and reach of the charging infrastructure has grown over the past decade.26 The Department for Transport informed us that there are now 20,800 public charge-points in the UK, with 783 new charge-points created in the 30 days before our evidence session in March 2021, 124 of which were …
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The scale and reach of the charging infrastructure has grown over the past decade.26 The Department for Transport informed us that there are now 20,800 public charge-points in the UK, with 783 new charge-points created in the 30 days before our evidence session in March 2021, 124 of which were rapid.27 The Department told us that its interventions 17 Q 29 18 Q 46 19 C&AG’s Report, para 2.26 20 Qq 46, 53 21 Q 11 22 Q 12 23 Q14; C&AG’s Report, para 2.4, Figure 8 24 Qq 14, 41 25 Q 15 26 Q 31; C&AG’s Report, para 12 27 Qq 12, 31 Low emission cars 11 have been pitched to stimulate more rapid private investment, and achieve a good return and value for public investment. It saw Government’s role in developing the charging infrastructure as spotting market failures and unblocking problems.28
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Government response AI summary
The government's response directly quotes and addresses a separate PAC recommendation (recommendation #3) regarding barriers to expanding the charging network, and does not specifically engage with the content of conclusion #13.
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HM Treasury
16
Conclusion
First Report - Low emission cars
Not Addressed
For longer journeys, drivers can access public infrastructure on the strategic road network. The government has funded infrastructure so that on the strategic road network, drivers are never further than 20 miles from a rapid charge-point and will spend £950 million through Project Rapid for rapid charge-points at motorway service …
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For longer journeys, drivers can access public infrastructure on the strategic road network. The government has funded infrastructure so that on the strategic road network, drivers are never further than 20 miles from a rapid charge-point and will spend £950 million through Project Rapid for rapid charge-points at motorway service areas in England.34 The Department for Transport told us it is aiming for at least six rapid charge- points at motorway service areas in England by 2023, with up to 12 on larger sites. By 2035, it expects there to be 6,000.35
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Government response AI summary
The government's response directly quotes and addresses a separate PAC recommendation (recommendation #3) regarding barriers to expanding the charging network, and does not specifically engage with the content of conclusion #16.
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HM Treasury
20
Conclusion
First Report - Low emission cars
Not Addressed
With regard to the materials and supply chains used in producing zero-emission cars, the Department for Transport acknowledged the issues and told us that manufacturers are focused on developments in this area. For example, Tesla and Renault are looking at developing batteries and electric motors which do not use rare …
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With regard to the materials and supply chains used in producing zero-emission cars, the Department for Transport acknowledged the issues and told us that manufacturers are focused on developments in this area. For example, Tesla and Renault are looking at developing batteries and electric motors which do not use rare earth materials. The Department expects the market for lithium to expand and pointed to the large quantities in Cornwall. It told us that it is not within manufacturers business interests to be sourcing products from volatile areas with supply chains that are unreliable or to be encouraging poor working practices, and that both manufacturers and the Department are focused on issues in this area.47 41 Qq 50–51 42 Qq 50, 52 43 Letter from the Department for Transport and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy to the Committee dated 30 March 2021 44 Q 50 45 Qq 50, 55 46 Q 50 47 Q 50 14 Low emission cars Other impacts of the transition
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Government response AI summary
The government's response directly quotes and addresses a separate PAC recommendation (recommendation #4/ID 19780) concerning environmental and social standards in supply chains, and does not specifically engage with the content of conclusion #20.
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HM Treasury