Grants for electric cars
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Grants for electric cars
Following much speculation, the Department for Transport has confirmed that it will, from January 2011 provide Plug-in electric car grants worth £5,000 against the cost of low-carbon vehicles including fully electric or plug-in hybrid cars. The grant fund has been capped at £43m but this will allow over 8,000 people to claim the full £5,000.
In order to qualify for the grant, the amount claimed must not represent more than 25 per cent of the cost of the car. A list of eligible cars is not yet available, but electric cars must have a range of at least 70 miles and plug-in petrol hybrid electric vehicles a range of 10 miles on battery power. All vehicles must have a top speed of at least 60mph and meet European safety standards.
The grant will be available at the point of purchase directly from the dealership or manufacturer - in that respect working in a similar way to the government scrappage scheme.
Once approved, the details of the eligible cars will be listed on this website.
When do the electric car grants start?
The Plug-In Car Grant can be claimed on vehicles delivered to customers from January 2011. The scheme will run until 31 March 2014 or earlier if the scheme is oversubscribed and the £230m funding is spent.
How much money off the electric car will I get?
Eligible cars will receive a grant of 25% off the retail price up to a maximum of £5,000. Given that most, if not all, the eligible electric cars that meet the criteris of the grant will cost over £20,000 it is expected most people will get £5,000 off the purchase price.
What cars will be eligible for the Plug-In Car Grant?
Eligibility criteria have now been confirmed for cars to be included in Britain's Plug-In Car Grant scheme. Manufacturers can now apply for their cars to be included once the scheme starts in January 2011 . Only new cars at first registration will be eligible.
Does the grant apply to electric vans/e-scooters/electric motorbikes/quadricycles (e.g. the G-Wiz)?
It is believed that the Plug-In grant will have the biggest impact on greenhouse gas emissions from road transport if it is focussed exclusively. It is possible that the grant had to apply only to cars as part of the package to convince Nissan to build their electric car and battery plant in Britain.
Where can I charge an electric car?
Electric vehicles are designed so that you can charge them overnight at home. In addition, there are charging points in car-parks, at supermarkets and at some work places. A further 11,000 charging points are due to be introduced in London, the North East and Milton Keynes.
Are business users eligible for the electric car grant?
Yes, and there is no restriction on the number of times you can apply for the grant. The grant does not exclude the vehicle from the other benefits of ultra-low carbon cars such as company car tax and exemption from vehicle excise duty.
Government information:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/sustainable/olev/grant/
Government contact: