Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how vehicle battery technology will develop; and what is their estimate of the number of (1) electric vehicles there will be, and (2) charging points that will be required, in the next (a) five, (b) 10, and (c) 15, years.

The Government recognises the important future role batteries will have as a primary energy source for vehicles. The recently announced Faraday Challenge is a £246m commitment to battery development in the UK to make the most of the automotive electrification market opportunity.

We expect most motorists to continue to charge at home, but we have put in place support schemes for those unable to do so with schemes to fund domestic on-street, off-street and workplace chargepoints. As announced at Autumn Budget 2017, a new £400m electric car Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund (£200m new Government investment to be matched by private investors) will accelerate the roll-out of charging infrastructure by providing access to finance to companies that deliver chargepoints.

The Government is due to publish a strategy on Government support for the transition to zero emission vehicles by March 2018.