Campaign against electric vehicle misinformation

author: FutureCar Staff    

MPs from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Electric Vehicles have expressed their support for a new campaign aimed at combatting misinformation about electric vehicles. The #StopBurningStuff initiative, launched by EV campaign group FairCharge and Robert Llewellyn's Fully Charged Show, seeks to counter incorrect anti-EV rhetoric and has gained endorsement from scientists, climate ambassadors, and senior industry figures.

The campaign has now garnered the backing of MPs such as Matt Western, chair of the APPG on Electric Vehicles and Labour MP for Warwick and Leamington. Western highlighted the concerns of consumers who are now uncertain about purchasing EVs due to the government's change of stance on new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2030. He also emphasized the negative impact on manufacturers who require certainty before making significant investment decisions in new vehicle plants and EV gigafactories.

Representatives from the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA), which serves as the Secretariat for the APPG on EVs, along with FairCharge and the Fully Charged Show, discussed the true cost of misinformation and its impact on the electric vehicle sector at a recent meeting of the APPG. This meeting followed the publication of the government's 30-point 'plan for drivers', which includes a focus on addressing concerns and debunking myths about EVs.

Matthew Adams, transport policy manager at REA, highlighted the significance of MPs understanding the impact of their words on the industry. He mentioned the results of a poll that revealed significant market uncertainty stemming from the Prime Minister's speech. Adams expressed hope that the information presented during the meeting would inform MPs' voting decisions before the 2035 date is voted on later this year.

Quentin Willson, founder of FairCharge, emphasized the urgent need to debunk the poorly researched misinformation surrounding electric cars and batteries. He called on the government to join the battle and save the motor industry, stimulate demand, and move Britain towards energy independence free from fossil fuel dependency. The #StopBurningStuff campaign will continue its efforts to counter misinformation on EVs, particularly in the mass media, by compiling a compendium of facts, figures, and infographics for media and others to reference when faced with anti-sustainability narratives.

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FutureCar Staff