Member Article

Plug-in Grant extension welcomed by Smiths EV

The Government has today announced that plug-in car grants are to be extended to vans, in a move which is set to further stimulate the ultra-low emission vehicle market.

The plug in van grant will be available to both public and business buyers across the UK, and will provide a point of purchase discount of 20%, up to a maximum of £8000 for the purchase of new low emission vans.

After a review by the Minister for Business and Innovation Mark Prisk and Minister for Transport Norman Baker into the need for extra funding for electric cars. In response, it was decided that the provision will continue until 2015, along with the new funding measures.

Commenting on the news, Geoff Allison, Managing Director of Smith Electric Vehicles Europe Ltd, said: “This is fantastic news for our industry.

It is hoped that the shift towards clean technology will provide the UK with an opportunity to further reinvigorate the automotive industry alongside increasing our energy security.

The announcement also coincides with the installation of the 300th electric vehicle charging point in the North East, as part of the Charge Your Car project.

The Charge Your Car project is part of the Office for Low Emission Vehicles’ Plugged in Places scheme which has been running in the region since 2010 and aims to put in place a comprehensive electric vehicle charging infrastructure by 2013.

Charge your Car project manager Josey Wardle, said: “With 300 charging points being installed and many more in the pipeline, this region is fully geared up for electric vehicles and drivers are now able to travel freely and easily right across the North East, safe in the knowledge that they are never too far away from a charging post.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .