The Government’s commitment to electric vehicles should not come at the expense of continuing to explore the potential of alternative ‘drop in’ synthetic fuels and biofuels as a low-carbon option for cars and other transport modes.

MPs have spotlighted the benefits of synthetic fuels and biofuels

That’s according to MPs on the Transport Committee, who have highlighted the benefits of such fuels.

In its new ‘Fuelling the Future’ report, the cross-party Committee makes recommendations on various modes of transport, including aviation, rail and maritime.

For private cars and taxis, the report says that although battery electric has already been chosen as the preferred decarbonisation technology, the Committee also believes there is a case for many people, particularly in rural and isolated communities, to continue to drive wholly diesel or petrol-powered cars, or hybrids – it points out that over time they will very likely account for a negligible proportion of transport emissions.

The report gives the view that the Government is ‘putting all its eggs in one basket’ with the 2030 ban and the focus on battery EVs.

The authors say: “The reality is that not everyone in the UK can afford a new or second-hand electric vehicle, and if they could, cannot easily charge one at home. The infrastructure is not adequate to deliver sufficient electricity to homes, and there are insufficient raw materials to produce the battery banks needed for all vehicles to be EVs.

“We therefore caution against the promotion of electric vehicles as being the only solution to reducing carbon emissions from private vehicles; as the cliff edge of 2030 (2035, 2040 and 2050) approaches and minds are concentrated, reality will bite.”

MPs refer to back to the Government’s March 2022 Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy, which said although the UK is a leader in the EV transition, the current pace of rollout is too slow. The Committee has reiterated a recommendation from its 2021 zero emission vehicles report that the Government should try to ensure no areas are left behind.

The Committee reiterates another recommendation from its previous report, that government should instead use some of its Rapid Charging Fund to bolster grid capacity to facilitate wider use of EV charge points in isolated areas.

The Committee also believes that greater investment in sustainable fuels could mitigate the risks of EV battery production or grid capacity being insufficient and would cater for conventional vehicles that will remain on the road past the point at which sales of new conventional-engine cars will be banned.

They claim that enabling greater access to alternative fuels could prove a socially equitable option for motorists, rather than necessitating purchases of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.

Pondering whether the potential of biofuels and synthetic fuels has been overlooked “intentionally”, MPs also spotlight that such fuels have drop-in capabilities for existing vehicles, can be “engineered over time to improve efficiency and reduce particulates and other emissions” and “can also be blended with fossil fuels until production ramps up sufficiently to replace them”.

The report sums up: “The huge potential for sustainable fuels to provide a low-carbon option for conventional engines must be further explored. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions right now by using increasing quantities of drop-in sustainable fuels would enable us to address the existing fleet and minimise cost and carbon emissions through the use of existing infrastructure.”

However, in a recent comment piece on e-fuels, Fleet World editor-at-large Alex Grant dispelled many of the Committee’s arguments.

To access the Transport Committee report, click here

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