Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the witnesses for their presentations. The Chairman will be revelling in this SUV bashing as he certainly is not a fan. Not many of us are fans. The discussion so far has been very one-sided but defending SUVs is difficult, especially when we consider the information in Mr. Nix's last slide, which referred to the safety implications of these larger cars. It is very hard to defend any policy that includes SUVs. However, we will carry on with questions.

I am an advocate for EVs, particularly those that are fully electric. There are many myths about EVs relating to their range. We hear lots of debate in the Chamber, with stories about a person who can only drive 100 m up the road before his EV breaks down. That is not what is happening. EVs are reliable and they have long and increasing ranges. They are not worse for the environment, as many bashers of EVs would have us believe.

They will play a large part in the future of transport in Ireland, particularly when we are looking to decarbonise. For this reason, I will champion EVs. Obviously there is a cost implication that we need to address, which leads to one of my questions. My questions are directed at all the witnesses.

Professor Daly touched on the increase in sales of EVs, which was outdone by the increase in the sales of SUVs. What impact has the reduction in grants for EVs had on the attractiveness of purchasing these vehicles? Do we need to maintain or increase those grants? There is an issue with benefit-in-kind, which also seems to have an effect on the attractiveness of EVs for businesses for their employees.

What impact has the slow speed of the roll-out of fast charging points had on the attractiveness of EVs as a viable option? Motorways, central highways and urban areas are very well served by fast-charging points but, unfortunately, the west and some of the peripheral areas are not. EVs can really contribute to reducing emissions in transport in those rural areas we are struggling to provide with adequate public transport. Should that be part of the policy?

I know the price of EVs is becoming more competitive but, for the most part, they are expensive. What is the cost of buying a brand-new SUV versus the cost of buying a fully electric car? When we talk about new vehicles, there does not seem to be much of a difference. Obviously the second-hand market is an issue.

I was going to touch on the size of cars in the US because when you look at the size of SUVs in the US, it is hard to fathom how big they are getting. Will the witnesses comment on that? Regarding Professor Daly's point about the size of fully electric SUVs, as we move towards a decarbonised energy system, which basically involves its electrification, will that reduce the impact of the size of SUVs? Families, particularly larger families, benefit from having bigger cars because it is far more convenient.