Philippa also said there are not enough chemists in the automotive sector looking at rare materials for use in battery technology to help extend the range of electric vehicles. “This is a real problem; it’s not just about making sure we have the right number of rapid chargers.”

She added that it is important to understand the lifecycle emissions of the vehicle and not just focus on tailpipe emissions when discussing electric cars. “I believe there is currently only one electric vehicle that has a specifically designed tyre to take the additional weight of batteries,” she pointed out.

In future, she suggested, there may be a role for heavy goods vehicles to become electric, but said that current technology would “probably only be able to carry two boxes with the amount of batteries that will be required”.

Also at the conference, Ovo Energy’s director of electric vehicles Tom Pakenham said that increasing the take up of such vehicles will not necessarily be driven by the number of chargers on offer. “In an ideal world we would create infrastructure that is perfect for everyone tomorrow, but that may not be how electric vehicle penetration increases in the UK.”

He added: “I don’t care if I can’t drive (long distances) in an electric vehicle to Glasgow; it is not a blocker for me.” Electric vehicles are, he suggested, bought by people who want them and infrastructure will improve to meet their needs, encouraging more people to buy electric vehicles.

“We would do ourselves a favour by not worrying too much about meeting everyone’s needs and just gradually building (charging infrastructure) according to those people who are prepared to buy them. The real issue at the moment is not about infrastructure, it is in the supply of vehicles – the waiting times for vehicles are so long.”

Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea councillor Will Pascall said his authority is doing all it can to collaborate with others to help early adopters of electric vehicles. But he added that he worries the sector is “not paying attention to brakes and tyres”.

He claimed that some electric vehicles are currently producing more particulates than the latest diesel vehicles. “For us as a London borough, carbon dioxide is not a primary worry; it’s particulate pollutants.”

Councillor Pascall added that he recognises a large proportion of people will not have parking forecourts at home on which to charge an electric vehicle. His council is working to provide on street chargers including those fitted to lighting columns, he added.

But another panellist made the point that providing public charging for people in residential areas could lead to difficulties. “If energy bills start to go up, those people who don’t have electric vehicles or places to charge them at home may look jealously down the street at those that do have electric vehicles,” it was said. “There could be a severe backlash.”

The conference was hosted by the Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum.