Electric Vehicles Eligible For GBP5K Subsidies Announced

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Thu, 16 Dec 2010

The Government has revealed the first nine all- electric cars that will eligible for grants of up to £5,000, as part of efforts to encourage green motoring .

From 1 January 2011, UK motorists who buy the Mitsubishi iMiEV, the Mercedes Benz Smart Fortwo ED or the Peugeot iON will get 25 per cent off the retail price, up to a maximum of £5,000.

The ‘Plug-In Car Grants’ will also be rolled out on the Citroen CZero, the Nissan Leaf and the Tata Vista EV over the next few months, while three more cars - the Toyota Prius Plug-in, the Vauxhall Ampera and the Chevrolet Volt – will join the eco-friendly subsidy scheme in early 2012.

The Government has also confirmed that five regions have successfully applied for a share of a £20m fund to install local charging points for the vehicles.

Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said: "Government action to support affordable vehicles and more local charging points means we are on the threshold of an exciting green revolution. 2011 could be remembered as the year the electric car took off."

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) welcomed the move, saying the electric car grant scheme will aid the UK motor industry's efforts to promote energy-efficient vehicles .

Paul Everitt, the organisation’s chief executive, said: "The motor industry is making great progress in delivering practical, low-carbon vehicles and we will see further progress of new and conventional technologies in the years ahead."