Grid infrastructure will be under the spotlight of a new group, which has been set up to champion electric vehicles (EVs) in Parliament.
A new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) has been established to raise awareness amongst MPs about the benefits of electric and autonomous vehicles.
The Renewable Energy Association (REA) will provide the secretariat for the APPG on electric and autonomous vehicles, which is chaired by former Wales secretary of state Dame Cheryl Gillan MP (Conservative).
The group has been set up with a remit to raise the profile of the issues thrown up by the shift to electric cars in the UK.
It will discuss the charge infrastructure roll out, opportunities for new high-value manufacturing, international trade, emissions reduction, and road safety improvement.
The APPG’s first event, which takes place in the House of Commons on 1March, will focus on grid infrastructure.
The group’s vice-chairs include former coalition government transport minister Baroness Kramer (Lib Dem).
Other members of the group include former energy secretary Sir Ed Davey (Lib Dem) and Mark Pawsey MP (Conservative), who is a member of the Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy committee.
The group’s establishment follows the government’s pledge to phase out the sale of new internal combustion engine cars by 2040 and commitments from major vehicle manufacturers to invest billions of pounds into new battery and EV research and manufacturing.
Commenting on the group’s set up, Dame Cheryl said it was imperative for Parliamentarians to keep abreast of the rapid changes in vehicle technology.
“We can’t let this major industrial shift pass us by while everybody is focused on EU negotiations. We will aim to keep MPs and Lords informed and help drive the agenda forwards.”
Matthew Trevaskis, head of electric vehicles at the REA, said: “This historic industrial shift is creating major new opportunities to decarbonise our transport sector, improve air quality, and reduce consumer bills. We are pleased to work with Dame Cheryl and Members from all parties to help drive this agenda forward in the UK.”