Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for increasing the proportion of electric cars sold by introducing a trading obligation on manufacturers; and what plans they have to publish any such assessment.

In 2019, registrations of battery electric vehicles were at record levels. This was almost double compared to 2018 with nearly 38,000 units sold, overtaking plug-in hybrid electric vehicle registrations for the first time, at nearly 35,000 units.

We are consulting on bringing forward the end to the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2040 to 2035, or earlier if a faster transition appears feasible, as well as including hybrids for the first time. As part of this consultation, we are asking what the accompanying package of support will need to be to enable the transition and minimise the impacts on businesses and consumers across the UK, building on the significant demand and supply side measures already in place. We plan to conclude the consultation this summer. We are also exploring what more needs to be done to reduce carbon emissions from road transport through the Transport Decarbonisation Plan.

In addition, we are investing around £2.5 billion ?in grants to support the purchase of plug-in cars, vans, lorries, buses, taxis, and motorcycles, as well?as providing funding?to support the installation of chargepoint infrastructure at homes,?workplaces,?on residential streets,?and across the wider roads network.