Transport Committee launches inquiry to speed up widespread use of electric vehicles

The House of Commons Transport Committee has opened a new inquiry to examine how the UK Government can speed up the transition to widespread use of electric vehicles (EVs). The inquiry, titled Supercharging the EV transition, will consider barriers to EV adoption and measures to bolster infrastructure and consumer confidence.

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The launch follows measures announced in the Autumn Budget, including the introduction of a mileage-based Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) set to take effect from April 2028. The inquiry will assess the potential impacts of this tax and how it could affect the broader shift to electric vehicles.

Under current government policy, the sale of new petrol and diesel cars is due to end by 2030, with all new vehicle sales expected to be zero-emission by 2035 as part of efforts to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The inquiry will take these policy targets into account as it seeks evidence.

As part of its work, the committee will examine issues such as the affordability of EVs, consumer confidence, and the rollout of charging infrastructure across the UK. Members of Parliament on the committee are inviting written submissions from industry experts, researchers and other interested parties to inform their investigation.

The inquiry reflects ongoing debate about the pace and equity of the UK’s energy transition. Recent industry commentary has highlighted concerns over the cost and availability of charging infrastructure, particularly outside major urban centres. Independent reports have also pointed to planning delays and regional disparities in chargepoint deployment as challenges for achieving national targets.

Transport Committee chair Ruth Cadbury MP said the inquiry would “see what can be done to jump-start the rollout of charging infrastructure and ask how else government could remove barriers to broader uptake of EVs and incentivise their use.”

Written evidence for the inquiry is being accepted until 30 January 2026.