MPs support initiative to combat misinformation about EVs
MPs from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Electric Vehicles have backed the #StopBurningStuff electric vehicle myth busting initiative which aims to put facts before fiction, helping to level the playing field in a time of increased misinformation.
Representatives from The REA (Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology), FairCharge and The Fully Charged SHOW were given the opportunity to highlight the true cost of misinformation and the impact that it is having on the electric vehicle sector at a meeting of the group on Tuesday (24 October).
Electric vehicle (EV) campaign group FairCharge and Robert Llewellyn’s Fully Charged SHOW recently launched the #StopBurningStuff initiative to counter anti-EV rhetoric.
Chair of the APPG on Electric Vehicles Matt Western, who is also the Labour MP for Warwick and Leamington, said: “Having served notice back in 2030 on new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2030, we now hear the Government has changed its mind.
”This is disastrous for consumers who want to do the right thing but are now unsure of whether to buy. It is also disastrous for manufacturers that desperately need certainty before making major investment decisions to manufacture new vehicle plants and EV gigafactories. There are many in the sector that believe this will set the UK back considerably. Everyone wants certainty. And if we are to lead in these new technologies, then we need to lead with the market.”
The APPG on Electric Vehicles aims to “engage parliamentarians interested in electric vehicles. The group consider issues relating to manufacturing, energy supply, infrastructure requirements, and safety, amongst others.’’
The government recently announced a 30-point ‘plan for drivers’, which includes a significant collection of policies on electric vehicles (EVs) and charging infrastructure.
Within the plan, the government said it would “work with industry to myth-bust concerns about EVs”.
The REA, which acts as the Secretariat for the APPG on EVs, also runs the electric vehicle (EV) trade group RECHARGE UK.
Matthew Adams, Transport Policy Manager at REA, said: “The REA, as the Secretariat for the EV APPG, organised a meeting to discuss the Prime Minister’s decision to push back the end of sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to
2035. The session gave opportunities for MPs across the political divide to understand the impact of their words on industry, through the results of our poll which highlighted significant market uncertainty stemming from the PM’s speech.
‘’Following the publication of the Plan for Drivers, which discusses the need to combat misinformation around EVs, we invited Quentin Willson (FairCharge) and Claire Cullen (Stop Burning Stuff/Fully Charged SHOW) to discuss their initiative to combat myths. MPs in the room were really engaged with the topic and found many of the points raised in both our survey, and by Quentin, eye opening. They took a lot away from it, and we are hopeful that this information will play a role in helping inform their voting decisions before the 2035 date is voted on later this year.’’
Quentin Willson, Founder of FairCharge, said: ‘’The levels of poorly researched misinformation circulating about electric cars and batteries is unprecedented. Debunking the myths that have become embedded should be an urgent priority for the Government. FairCharge and Fully Charged have been fighting against these myths for many months now but the Government needs to join in the battle to save our motor industry, stimulate demand and move Britain towards an era of energy independence free from the tyranny of fossil fuel dependency.’’
Robert Llewellyn, Owner of the Fully Charged SHOW, added: “The Fully Charged SHOW has been educating and entertaining consumers for over a decade on electric vehicles of all shapes and sizes and clean energy too. This year we’ve witnessed a steep rise in misinformation and misunderstanding, and so we’ve joined forces with FairCharge to create #StopBurningStuff; an electric vehicle driver funded initiative that addresses fiction with fact. We are delighted to see the UK government’s EV myth-busting initiative and welcome the opportunity to collaborate on this important mission.’’
The #StopBurningStuff campaign is helping to counter the raft of misinformation, which is being propagated by some media providers, and is endorsed by scientists, climate ambassadors and senior industry.
The initiative has been put in place by a dedicated team, who will be on the front-line to counter so-called “FUD” – or fear, uncertainty, and doubt – with FACTS – factual, accurate, certainty, truthful and sensible.
The result will be a compendium of facts, figures and infographics for media and others to turn to when bombarded by anti-sustainability narratives.
Image courtesy of REA.
