Plug-In Car grant gets go-ahead

A grant designed to stimulate consumer demand for low carbon vehicles has been given the green light by the government.Transport secretary, Philip Hammond, today confirmed that the ‘Plug-In Car Grant’, will go ahead from January 2011.Speaking at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ (SMMT) offices, Hammond said that as of next year, motorists will be entitled to the a 25% discount (of up to £5,000) when buying an electric, plug-in hybrid or hydrogen fuel cell car, providing it meets safety, reliability, performance and warranty standards set by the Office for Low Emissions Vehicles in consultation with industry.“This is great news for industry and a significant commitment by the new government to create UK jobs in the emerging market for ultra-low carbon vehicles,” said SMMT chief executive, Paul Everitt. “The UK is well placed to exploit the global opportunities in the transition to low carbon technologies and is already making significant progress through R&D, the low carbon supply chain and vehicle manufacturing. The Automotive Council has set some ambitious objectives and today's announcement is an important step in helping to attract new investment and laying the foundations for thousands of new high-skill jobs.”Hammond added: “The coalition government is absolutely committed to low carbon growth, tackling climate change and making our energy supply more secure.  We are sending a clear signal that Britain is open for business and that we are committed to greening our economy. This will ensure that the UK is a world leader in low emission vehicles.”Car makers Renault and Nissan welcomed the scheme. Renault's new MD Thierry Sybord said: “We are even more excited about encouraging as many people as possible to consider using electric vehicles to drive down vehicle emissions, or as we say here at Renault, ‘Drive the Change’."The leading green car guide, TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk has also warmly received the news. The website’s editor, Faye Sunderland said: “This fund is a very important part of the move towards low carbon transport. It is essential that the market for electric cars is supported to help push the industry forward beyond a gas-guzzling past.“These grants will make a real difference to consumers and will allow motorists to make, what to them remains, a seismic shift in their mode of transport. It is great news that even in these times of financial austerity, the government is showing confidence in the role that electric cars can play in reducing transport-related pollution and it is this confidence that will influence car buyers,” she added.The low carbon incentive programme was first announced last year and details were set out of the winners of the ‘Plugged-In Places’ scheme. This initiative saw UK cities and regions bid for investment to further the development of the ultra-low carbon infrastructure. The Plugged-In Places investment will see the installation of over 11,000 charging posts in London, Milton Keynes and North East England.There will be another opportunity for additional cities and regions to bid for Plugged-In Places funding. Already confirmed as intending to bid are the West Midlands, Cornwall, Sheffield, the Lake District, Greater Manchester, and Northern Ireland.

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