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Brown to call for more green cars Brown drives green car revolution
(about 7 hours later)
Gordon Brown will call for a revolution in the use of electric and low carbon cars when he pays a visit to the British International Motor Show. Gordon Brown has urged car makers to use their expertise to develop new cleaner vehicles and help Britain become a lower carbon economy.
The prime minister will say these vehicles must become a common sight on Britain's roads if the UK is to meet its targets on carbon emissions. Speaking at the British International Motor Show, the prime minister said rising oil costs opened up "huge opportunities" for a green revolution.
Cars of this type currently make up just over 1% of the UK's 26m vehicles. He also announced a raft of measures to encourage drivers to use electric and low carbon cars.
He will say a clean and efficient energy future must include a transformation in the way people drive. Cars of this type make up just over 1% of the UK's 26 million vehicles.
The prime minister wants to see the mass production of conventional hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric drive technology in ordinary family models. The prime minister opened the motor show at London's ExCel Exhibition Centre, where he also held talks with motor industry and energy chiefs.
Mr Brown, who will be accompanied at the London-based event by Business Secretary John Hutton and Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly, will set out the steps the government will be taking to assist the changeover to low-carbon and electric vehicles. He said road transport had reached an "historic turning point" and rising fuel prices created "huge opportunities for technological innovation and commercial change".
These include removing any barriers in the planning system to allow the rapid roll-out of the electric charging infrastructure for vehicles. Clean future
This would mean electric cars could be charged in tens of thousands of streets across the country. "The rising cost of oil forces all of us to consider how to reduce our dependence on oil," he said.
Also, more than £90m of funding is to be provided for UK research, development and demonstration of low carbon vehicles over the next five years. "It's in a sense a once in a generation opportunity to transform our country to a clean energy future."
The Motor Show runs from Wednesday 23 July to Sunday 3 August. Mr Brown outlined measures aimed at assisting the changeover to low carbon and electric vehicles.
He said the government was working towards a situation where electric-powered cars could be charged in thousands of streets, and it would spend £90m over the next five years to reduce carbon emissions from vehicles.
Business Secretary John Hutton and Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly were also at the meeting, where a possible timescale for the further introduction of electric and low carbon vehicles was discussed.
Paul Everitt, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, who attended the meeting, said everyone was "singing from the same song sheet".
"There is a recognition that we need to start now so we can introduce things in the next 10 to 15 years," he said.
The motor show runs from Wednesday 23 July to Sunday 3 August.