The budget on March 11th, has announced that government is providing £532 million for consumer incentives for ultra-low emission vehicles. As part of that:
- Government will provide £403 million for the plug-in car grant (PICG), extending it to 2022-23
- Recognising that the market for other ultra-low emission vehicles is still at an early stage of development, the government will also provide £129.5 million to extend the plug-in grants for vans, taxis and motorcycles to 2022-23
- Starting Thursday 12 March (2020), those making the switch to electric cars will be eligible for a grant of up to £3,000. As the uptake of zero-emission cars increases, a small reduction to the grant, as well as excluding cars costing £50,000 or more will allow more drivers to benefit from making the switch for longer. These changes will come into effect on orders placed on the portal after 11:59pm on 11 March and the government will continue to keep the rate of the grant under review.
Better for the environment
Fully electric cars have zero tailpipe emissions making them greener, cleaner and better for the environment than any petrol or diesel car currently on the road. When driven in electric mode, plug-in hybrids emit zero tailpipe emissions.
In order to drive in the most environmentally friendly way possible, make sure to keep your plug-in hybrid charged up so that you can carry out the majority of driving in electric mode.
Lower cost
EVs offer an excellent investment for drivers looking for a cheaper, more efficient and reliable way to get around. Like traditional petrol and diesel vehicles, the cost of buying an electric car varies depending on make, model, features and type.
Cheaper to maintain
While the price of an EV may be similar to most comparable petrol or diesel cars, the cost of running one is significantly cheaper.
Fully electric cars are designed to be as efficient as possible and there are generally 3 main components powering the vehicle: the on-board charger, inverter and motor. This means there is far less wear and tear on the car and little stress on the motor, with fewer moving parts susceptible to damage. This means you’ll rarely have to have your EV serviced and the running and repair costs are minimal.