Clean Growth: Technologies for meeting the UK’s emissions reduction targets

This report urges the Government to increase financial support for the uptake of green vehicles.It also criticises changes to the plug-in car grant scheme, announced in October 2018, which mean the grant for Category 1 vehicles – broadly those that are pure battery electric – was reduced from £4,500 to £3,500.

In addition, Category 2 and 3 vehicles – mainly plug-in hybrids – are no longer eligible for a grant.

The report says urgent action is needed to support the implementation of low-carbon technology, and calls on the Government to reconsider the financial incentives for consumers to purchase both new and used lower emissions vehicles.

It also urges the Government to work with public services and owners of public land, such as schools and hospitals, to accelerate the deployment of electric vehicle chargepoints.

While backing ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) to reduce emissions in the short term, the report says technology alone cannot solve the problem of transport emissions.

It says that while ULEVs generate very little emissions during use, their manufacture ‘generates substantial emissions’.

The report says the long term answer is to encourage people to get out of their cars – demanding improvements in public transport, walking and cycling.