Clegg announces £500 million electric vehicle scheme
New initiative to run from 2015 to 2020 and will see more rapid charge points for electric vehicles, Plug-In Car Grants extended and £100 million for low-emission technology R&D
The Deputy Prime Minister of the UK, Nick Clegg, has announced a new £500 million initiative to boost the take up of electric and hybrid vehicles.
The new scheme will run from 2015 to 2020 and is part of the government’s plans to improve the perception of clean transport.
Part of the investment will go towards installing more rapid charge points for electric vehicles (EV’s) on motorways and A-roads across the country, in a bid to address concern among drivers that they could be left stranded if their cars run out of power.
At least £200 million will be used to extend the current Plug-In Car Grants in order to encourage more people to use ultra low emission vehicles. Plug-in Car Grants have been in place since 2011, and have enabled motorists purchasing ultra-low emission cars to claim a grant of 25 per cent towards the cost of their vehicle, up to a maximum of £5,000.
Mr Clegg also outlined the government’s commitment to spending £100 million on further research and development of low-emission technology over the next five years.
Investment will also be set aside for towns and cities across the UK to design schemes to promote the use of electric vehicles, such as free parking and permission to use bus lanes.
Almost 99 per cent of cars sold last year run on petrol or diesel, with sales of just 2,512 pure electric cars and 3,584 hybrids but reports suggest that their share in the market is rising. In 2013 the number of hybrid and plug-in cars registered increased by 17.5 per cent, when compared to the previous year.
Clegg said, “The UK has the potential to emerge as a world leader in the development, design and manufacture of green vehicles. Owning an electric car is no longer a dream or an inconvenience. Manufactures are turning to this new technology to help motorists make their everyday journeys green and clean.”
Clegg went onto say that the investment also reflects the governments aim of ”creating a culture change” across the UK so that driving cleaner vehicles will be viewed as a “no-brainer”.
