Electric car grant 'set to stay'

18/01/12

By Steven Birch

There were fewer than 900 applications made for the Government's £5,000 grant towards an electric car last year.

Despite these uptake figures, the Government has announced that the plug-in car grant will remain in place until at least 2015.

It offers discounts of 25 per cent, up to £5,000, off the price of an electric car, but even with this deduction some of these vehicles can still cost up to £25,000.

During 2011 there were a total of 892 applications made for the car grant, while 1,052 vehicles eligible for it had been registered.

Meanwhile, ministers announced that drivers of plug-in vans will also be able to benefit. They will be offered discounts of 20 per cent, up to a maximum of £8,000.

Announcing the electric van grant, transport minister Norman Baker said: "Electric vehicles are the arrowhead for a low-carbon revolution in motoring and as more models come to market, we'll begin to see sales gather pace.

"Car buyers have had a year to take advantage of our grant and now it's time for van buyers to get their chance to go electric."