Transport Committee Launches Inquiry into “Supercharging” EV Transition

The Transport Committee will begin its inquiry into accelerating the UK’s electric vehicle (EV) transition this week, with an initial focus on the current state of charging infrastructure.

The first evidence session follows new Department for Transport figures showing there were 88,513 publicly available EV charging devices across the UK as of 1 February. It also comes after the government announced that grants for households and businesses installing EV chargepoints will increase to £500.

MPs will examine whether the existing public charging network is sufficient to meet rising demand, particularly as the UK moves towards its 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and the 2035 requirement for all new cars and vans to be zero-emission.

The session will explore regional disparities in charging provision and assess whether infrastructure rollout is keeping pace with adoption targets. Committee members will also consider the cost of building and maintaining charging infrastructure, along with barriers to expanding the network.

Particular attention will be given to drivers without off-street parking, including the potential role of cross-pavement charging solutions and the safety implications of wider deployment. Accessibility will also be a key theme, with MPs set to question how inclusive design is being incorporated into new chargepoint installations.

Witnesses scheduled to give evidence include:

• Jarrod Birch, Head of Policy & Public Affairs, ChargeUK

• David Boyer, Director of Electricity Systems, Energy Networks Association

• Dr Nicole Bulawa, Lecturer in Marketing, Lancaster University

• Wesley Scott, Head of Industrial Sales and Solution, Brook Green Supply

• Esme Yuil, Head of External Affairs, Transport East

The evidence session will take place on Wednesday 4 March at 09:15 in the Thatcher Room, Portcullis House, Westminster, and will be broadcast live on ParliamentTV.

The inquiry forms part of Parliament’s wider scrutiny of how the UK can ensure its charging network is ready for the rapid growth in EV ownership expected over the next decade.