Could UK’s EV sector run out of power? MPs to quiz Minister
The Business & Trade Committee will quiz Nusrat Ghani MP on the Government’s plans to protect and promote the UK’s electric vehicle industry.
Meeting details
As Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade, Ms Ghani is responsible for advanced manufacturing, critical minerals and supply chains, as well as specific sectors with high demand for batteries like the automotive industry.
From 1 January 2024, automotive manufacturers will face stricter rules of origin requirements on electric vehicles sold in the UK and EU. The Committee will ask the Minister whether UK manufacturers may fail to comply these rules, the impact this could have on our automotive industry and whether a workable UK-EU solution can be found.
MPs are likely to ask whether the Government is confident that current plans for building gigafactories are likely to meet demand, and how much these will cost the taxpayer. They will consider the consequences of failing to build enough capacity for the automotive industry and other sectors of the UK economy.
MPs may also ask about the collapse of Britishvolt, an EV battery manufacturing startup that entered administration in January 2023. They will ask how the Government might have supported the company, and whether the failure this homegrown startup could lead to a greater reliance on technology from abroad.