Grants for electric vehicles

This House supports the growth of electric vehicle sales; notes that Government funded grants for electric cars have been running since 2011 and that battery electric vehicles now represent 1.6 per cent of new car sales in the UK; further notes that those grants are due to end in March 2020 and that when the Government grant for plug-in hybrid cars ended in April last year sales fell by 50 per cent; recognises that in 2020 carmakers do not need to sell electric vehicles in the UK market to meet their EU targets and that if the grant is removed, those companies would be incentivised to instead sell their vehicles where market conditions are easier and grants are available; further recognises the importance of those grants for public health and reaching net-zero emissions; and calls upon the Government to continue grants for electric cars in the March 2020 Budget for a further five years and to invest in charging infrastructure.