Electric vehicles at heart of green paper in ‘post-Brexit’ strategy

Government places electric vehicles at the heart of green paper outlining “post-Brexit” Industrial Strategy for UK.

Electric vehicles are at the heart of a green paper outlining its ‘post-Brexit’ Industrial Strategy, launched by Theresa May. The strategy focuses on designing a smart grid and the roll out of public charging points for the vehicles to bring about “affordable energy and clean growth”.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Science (BEIS) will be overseeing the government’s Industrial Strategy, which is founded on “10 pillars”. Evidence provided by the government shows they will drive growth in UK business.

The Prime Minister has described the Industrial Strategy as a ‘critical part’ of the government’s plan for “post-Brexit Britain” and will see ministers take on a “new, active role” rather than “leaving businesses to get on with the job”.

One of the main focuses of the strategy in the report is battery technology in the automotive industry. The government’s Chief Science Advisor, Sir Mark Walport, is to review the case for a new research institution by early 2017.

It states: “Electric vehicles are less polluting and cheaper to run, and have the potential to provide electricity storage and demand flexibility that could provide benefits to consumers and our electricity system. Drawing together these battery, energy storage and grid technologies is sensible because step-changes in innovation will likely involve all of them.

“For example smart grids that respond to the demands of consumers could potentially use new battery technologies, particularly storage in electric vehicles, to deliver power efficiently and at lower cost.”

The report states that new grid technologies are already being tested in various locations around the country “in preparation for the shift to electric vehicles”, and that the government is investing £600M in support to accelerate the transition to ultra low emission vehicles.

On changes to energy infrastructure, the paper notes: “The Office for Low Emission Vehicles is leading work across the Government to improve our understanding of the system impacts and opportunities of the shift to electric vehicles.

“We are also exploring the potential opportunities offered by hydrogen fuel technologies across multiple applications, including heating, energy storage and transportation.”

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