Recommendation 20

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