The House of Lords’ Environment and Climate Change Committee has launched an inquiry into how the UK government will achieve its plan to decarbonise cars and vans over the next 12 years.
It aims to establish the main barriers to reducing private transport emissions, as well as to understand the costs and potential benefits associated with the 2030 moratorium on sales of new petrol and diesel cars and vans in the UK.
Moreover, it seeks to determine what progress has already been made on the road to 2030 and then to 2035, when sales of new hybrid cars will also be banned.
“The rubber is now hitting the road, as we can’t get to net-zero without individuals making changes to our lives, how we travel and what we buy,” said committee chair Baroness Kate Parminter.
“Using EVs for passenger transport will be a part of that, and the government has committed to ending the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030.”
The committee has invited the public to submit evidence concerning the government’s approach to the 2030 and 2035 dates; the EV market and buying an EV; the user experience; end-of-life disposal of EVs; national and regional infrastructural issues; and international views.
Among the questions included in the call for evidence (the full list of which can be read here) are queries on whether the 2030 and 2035 dates are realistic and achievable, as well as whether they’re incentivising the development of an EV market.
These dates have come to the forefront of the public consciousness in recent months, with the phase-out facing scrutiny from various high-profile newspapers and, more recently, business secretary Kemi Badenoch.
According to a report from Politico, Badenoch is aiming to convince cabinet ministers to relax the incoming zero emission vehicle mandate – which will require that 22% of all new vehicle sales be EVs from 2024 and ramp up that proportion annually thereafter – be relaxed to protect the UK’s waning automotive industry.
The committee’s call for evidence will close on Friday 15 September.
Read more: Government considers easing impact of 2030 ICE ban
