House of Lords says ‘turbo charge’ EV rollout and combat misinformation

The House of Lords has published a report about electric vehicles. The conclusion? Those in power aren’t doing enough to meet the ‘achievable’ target of getting everyone into EVs by 2035. And (somewhat ironically) called for the EV rollout to be 'turbo-charged'. Ahem, ok.

The report stated that, by far, the biggest concern is the lack of communication and the misinformation about EVs. While some media have worked hard to allay fears about EVs catching fire, perpetual range anxiety, battery life, charge frequency and the public charging infrastructure, it seems other outlets are less onboard.

The report said: “Several witnesses told us that media coverage of EVs was inaccurate and portrayed EVs in a disproportionately negative light - noting that even when corrected, fact checks often do not reach as wide an audience as the original article.”

The report reckons that a vacuum, created by the lack of clear information from official sources, is being filled by mixed messages, creating a lack of confidence.

Richard Bruce, director of transport decarbonisation at the DfT, told the committee: “There has been an impact from a concerted campaign of misinformation over the last 14 months, pushing consistent myths about EVs that people absorb and which is reflected in their appetite [for purchasing EVs].”

The SMMT has only just reported that private new car sales of EVs have decreased over 15 per cent. However, the committee stated the Government’s response “has not been matched by commensurate urgency in tackling it".

The report pointed out that the misinformation was detracting from legitimate worries about the true range of any given model and solutions needed for transitioning households that haven’t any off-road parking.

The report highlighted the chasm in the range of choice and prices between EVs and petrol/diesel equivalents. It said the Government’s decision to remove the lack of incentives to improve EV affordability was premature. It wants more financial support for cheaper EVs aimed at the masses (not fancier luxury things).

That was the first of its seven calls-for-action, which also included 2) ‘turbocharging the charging infrastructure rollout’, 3) making sure charging is reasonably priced, convenient and reliable, 4) reviewing road taxation, 5) enhancing UK manufacturing and battery innovation, 6) investing in UK recycling and 7) accelerating the decarbonisation of the National Grid.

It’s a dry read if you’re interested, and frankly, it covers some points already legislated for by the government. But there’s no harm in repeating oneself to really hammer the message home, is there? Is there?

In response, Mike Hawes, SMMT boss, set out some 2024 goals for the politicians. Hawes said: “The Lords report recognises the role government must play in accelerating the EV transition. Many of the recommendations have already been highlighted by industry, such as chargepoint rollout ahead of need, equalising VAT on public charging to home charging and the importance of purchase incentives, which could be delivered by a VAT cut.

“The report also notes the need for clear, consistent communication of the UK’s ambition. The industry will continue to work with government to ensure this is a transition for all - including Ministers whose cars should also be electric by the end of the year.”