Ultra low emission vehicle takeover "will require incentives"

Recharging an electric vehicle: to become a much more common sight

Recharging an electric vehicle: to become a much more common sight

Conventionally-fuelled vehicles will be completely replaced by ultra low emission vehicles such as electric cars and fuel cell or natural gas-powered trucks by the middle of the century, according to new reports.

The reports provide a roadmap for decarbonising the UK's road transport sector, outlining how a range of alternative fuel technologies will have to be part of the solution if the sector is to deliver its necessary share of required national emissions reductions.

The reports were produced by consultancy Element Energy and were commissioned by the industry and the Government-backed Low Carbon Vehicle Project. They wanted to find out how the UK can meet its legally-binding target to source 10% of transport fuel from renewable sources by 2020, and how the use of alternative fuels will evolve after this.

They come after MPs said they wanted to investigate how the Government can encourage a switch to alternative fuels.

The first report, Options and Recommendations to meet the RED transport target, concludes that Government incentives will be necessary to encourage the uptake of advanced biofuels or electric vehicles. The second, A fuel roadmap for the UK, details how carbon emission-free urban logistics will need to be in place by 2030 before the phasing out of conventionally-fuelled cars in cities before 2050.