UK names 9 EVs eligible for subsidy

UK Low-Carbon Vehicle Grant offers motorists up to £5,000 toward electric cars and plug-in hybrids, backed by £43m funding and regional charging infrastructure, accelerating EV adoption under a government scheme through March 2012.

The British government revealed the first nine electric vehicles that will be eligible for their purchasers to receive subsidies of up to 5,000 pounds US $7,935 under a plan to promote low-carbon transport.

Under the scheme, the government has pledged 43 million pounds US $68.24 million until the end of March 2012 to help British motorists shift to low-carbon vehicles, positioning the UK to lead on hybrid and electric vehicles across the market.

They will receive up to 5,000 pounds toward the purchase of a low-carbon car under the UK electric car subsidy from January 2011 to the end of March 2012.

Subsequently, the level of the grant will be reviewed according to vehicle cost and the development of the market.

Eligible vehicles are Mitsubishi's iMiEV, Daimler's smart fortwo electric drive, Peugeot's iON, Citroen's CZero, the Nissan Leaf, the Tata Vista electric vehicle the Toyota Prius Plug-in, Vauxhall's Ampera and General Motors' Chevrolet Volt, many of which benefit from zero-emission incentives offered by the government.

The government said it will announce more eligible cars next year, as other regions like Ontario, which has rolled out an EV rebate to spur demand, move quickly too.

"The British public has in the past shown it's ready to embrace new technology and take practical steps to adopt a lifestyle kinder to the environment, so we could really be at the start of something big," transport secretary Philip Hammond said in a statement. Five regions — the Midlands, Greater Manchester, east England, Scotland and Northern Ireland — have successfully bid for a share of a 20 million pound fund to install local charging points for electric vehicles, the government added, while Ireland EV subsidies are boosting adoption nearby.

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