tThe push toward electric vehicles is not about a culture war. It’s a simple choice. Are we preparing the UK industry to take advantage of the changes ahead? Or do we sit back and allow our competitors to overtake us while we decide whether to change our tires or not?
The previous government, including the current opposition leader, could have been content to play politics with people’s jobs by delaying the deadline to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars. But this government is not.
Before that, we had made good progress on the 2030 deadline and the EV mandate had broad industry support. More than two-thirds of car manufacturers in the UK had already committed to fully transitioning to electric vehicles by 2030 and investment had started to flow in to build EVs here at home.
But the decision to delay the transition came at a huge cost to businesses already preparing to meet the 2030 deadline and dealt a blow to our credibility, putting investment, jobs and growth at risk.
This Government is clear-eyed about the fact that if we want to keep the car industry alive in the UK, then we must give investors certainty and confidence, rather than changing targets.
Growing up in Sunderland, home of the Nissan factory, I know first-hand how important the automotive industry is to local communities, driving growth and creating jobs and wealth. The UK automotive industry employs more than 150,000 people and its continued success plays an important role in our mission to grow the economy.
If we get this transition right and support the growth of the electric vehicle market in the UK, then we have a great opportunity to take advantage of a multi-billion pound industry that can create well-paid jobs for decades to come.
That’s why we made a strong manifesto commitment to restore the original 2030 date for the transition to electric vehicles and phase out sales of new cars with internal combustion engines.
But we want to work with the industry and make sure their voice is heard on how to get there. That’s why we are fast-tracking a consultation that will look at how the government can help manufacturers, investors and the wider industry achieve the target. To be clear, this query is about asNo Yeah Let’s achieve this ambition.
The benefit of this transition also extends to working families. Electric vehicles are becoming more affordable and practical, their prices are starting to fall, they are cheaper to run and maintain, range is improving, charging infrastructure is expanding rapidly and demand in the UK is growing.
And of course, with road transport responsible for up to 30% of air pollution, the transition to electric vehicles means cleaner, healthier air for our children and future generations.
Delaying the transition only makes it more difficult and more costly for the industry and families in the long run. That’s why we want to do everything we can to make sure the next generation of zero-emission vehicles are designed and manufactured right here in Britain, are affordable and accessible to workers, and to drive the uptake of electric vehicles.
That’s why, in the Budget, the Chancellor announced more than £2 billion for the manufacturing of zero-emission vehicles. This funding will support the latest research and development of these technologies, accelerating their commercial scale and unlocking capital investment.
On the demand side, we know that a concern for people around the adoption of electric vehicles is the availability of charging points. That’s why we are investing more than £200 million in the accelerated rollout of charging points, building on the 71,000 public charging points already available.
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We are taking proactive steps to drive stability in the sector today, but we are also implementing a long-term plan to ensure UK engine manufacturing can grow and prosper.
Now that the government is firmly behind manufacturers, we are already seeing them embrace our transition to zero-emission vehicles and a greener economy. Jaguar Land Rover is moving towards a 100% all-electric vehicle line-up as it invests billions in the UK economy over the next five years. At the same time, we see Toyota investing substantially to ensure its UK manufacturing operations are 100% carbon neutral by 2030.
When this government says decarbonisation must not mean deindustrialisation, we mean it. There is no path to net zero without supporting British industries and workers.
With recent job cuts announced by Ford across Europe and the proposed closure of the Vauxhall Luton plant by Stellantis, we have no doubt about the global challenges facing the industry and the need for us to play our part. paper to support it.
That is exactly why I have met with industry leaders to hear directly from them how best to make this transition, and my message has always been loud and clear: this government is listening and we want to work closely with you to deliver. our plans.
The bottom line is: we can accelerate and take advantage of the clean energy transition to generate growth, create new jobs and a greener future, or allow ourselves to be left behind. This government will not make the same mistakes of the past and will not allow that to happen.