BORIS'S £1BN BOOST FOR ELECTRIC CARS

PM UNVEILS PLAN FOR NET ZERO CARBON — AND PLEADS TO KEEP COP26 ON TRACK

- Nicholas Cecil, David Bond and Rachael Burford

BORIS JOHNSON today unveiled a £1 billion electric car revolution in his flagship “net zero” strategy as he sought to inject momentum into the Cop26 summit.

The Prime Minister appealed to world leaders to make “bigger commitments” to slashing harmful greenhouse gas emissions as he published details of how Britain can turn green in the coming decades. Key elements of the Government’s “net zero” strategy were expected to include:

Securing or creating 440,000 well-paid jobs and unlocking £90 billion of private investment by 2030 towards transforming the nation into a low-carbon economy.

Around £620 million for targeted electric vehicle grants and infrastructure.

Some £350 million to boost the electric vehicle supply chain, for example by encouraging manufacturers to specialise in this area.

£625 million to triple tree planting in England by 2024.

£500 million to develop the green technologies of the future, to support pioneering schemes to decarbonise homes and industry.

£120 million towards developing new, small modular nuclear reactors which could be an option to replace the Wylfa nuclear plant in Anglesey, North Wales.

A £140 million scheme to accelerate carbon capture and hydrogen green projects. A separate document on the cost of transitioning to net zero was being published by the Treasury.

Environmental groups warned that some of the schemes, such as £450 million to offer £5,000 grants to households to replace gas boilers with low-carbon heat pumps, was far too little, as it would only fund 90,000 over three years.