The first vans
eligible for the Government’s new Plug-in Car Van Grant, have been
announced by Transport Secretary Justine Greening and Business
Minister Mark Prisk today.
Van buyers will be able to receive 20% - up to £8,000 - off the
cost of this first wave of 7 plug-in vans.
At an event today to launch the eligible vans, which was
supported by companies such as British Gas and BT as well as the
Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Justine Greening said:
“Our new grant demonstrates that you can be a motorist and still
be pro-environment.
“Cars and vans are absolutely central to people’s lives – it’s
how most of us get around and for many journeys they are, and will
remain, the only practical and convenient travel choice.
Nevertheless climate change is a global challenge we simply have
to meet head on. It cannot be ignored or side-stepped.
“The new Plug-in Van Grant – offering up to £8,000 off one of
these seven innovative vans – also makes business sense as it’s
been estimated that a small electric van will typically cost £100
less in fuel for every thousand miles driven compared to a diesel equivalent.”
The way that vans are used and driven make them ideally suited to
the switch to electric as they often have a predictable route and
distance to travel each day; they make frequent stops; and many of
them return to an overnight base where they can be easily recharged.
Business Minister Mark Prisk said:
"Vans are essential to the smooth running of so many
businesses and contribute enormously to the UK economy. An upfront
purchase grant, when combined with lower running costs and tax
benefits, can make switching to an ultra low carbon van an
attractive choice for those businesses.
“Now there are seven different models eligible for that support
van buyers should be able to choose one they find easy on the eye
as well as on the wallet.”
Businesses that run electric vans can benefit from reduced
refuelling costs, are exempt from the van benefit charge, attract
capital allowance concessions, and also receive a 100% discount
for the congestion charge in the London.
The Chief Executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and
Traders, Paul Everitt said:
“The Plug-In Van Grant and today’s detail on the 7 models
eligible is excellent news for van drivers, operators, businesses
and the industry. The savings on the initial purchase price,
coupled with the tax advantages and very low running costs make a
plug-in van an attractive proposition – particularly for those
running local and back-to-base services.
“Home to a high level of low carbon R&D and manufacturing
activity, the UK is well placed to take full advantage of the
ultra-low carbon vehicle sector. Incentives that support the
development of a flourishing market will add to our competitive advantage.”
The first seven vans to be made eligible for the grants are;
· Azure Dynamics – Transit Connect Electric
· Daimler Mercedes-Benz – Vito E-Cell
· Faam – ECOMILE
· Faam – JOLLY 2000
· Mia-electric – Mia U
· Renault – Kangoo ZE variants Kangoo VAN ZE, Kangoo Van Maxi ZE,
and Kangoo Van Maxi Crew ZE
· Smith Electric – Smith Edison variants SE2 and SE3
Gearoid Lane, Managing Director of British Gas New Markets, who
have announced their ambition to have hundreds of electric vans in
their fleets over the next few years, said:
“Extending electric car grants to cover fleet vehicles is a
positive step in lowering emissions on our roads. With our network
of engineers repairing boilers around the country we are keen to
include electric vans in our own fleet, with 100s scheduled to be
introduced over the next few years. We are also at the forefront
of helping people with their own electric cars by installing
charge points in homes up and down Britain.”
The eligible models are revealed on the same day a report is
published by the Climate Group which shows the benefits low carbon
vehicles can have if businesses adopt them into their fleets and
provides companies with the advice and tools they need to make
their good intentions a reality.
Ellen MacArthur, whose charity - the Ellen MacArthur Foundation -
already uses an electric van, said:
“We’ve been running a Renault electric van to help with the work
of my Foundation and it is working really well for us. Today’s
announcement means people will have more choice about the kinds of
vans that they can drive and I am pleased to support this initiative.”
The Transport Secretary also announced today that the Mia
Electric (Mia and Mia L models) has become the eleventh vehicle
now eligible for the Plug-in Car Grant - a consumer grant of up to
£5,000.
Notes to Editors
1. The Department for Transport announced the continuation of
the Plug-In Car Grant and the extension of the grant to eligible
vans – the Plug-In Van Grant on 17 January 2012.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/news/press-releases/dft-press-20120117/ 2.
The Plug-In Van Grant provides purchasers with 20% off the cost of
an eligible plug-in van, up to a maximum of £8,000. The grant is
open to both business and private buyers, subject to state aid
restrictions. 3. Further details about the Plug-in van grant,
including the manufacturer application process and the criteria
vans must meet to be part of the grant, can be found here:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/topics/sustainable/olev/plug-in-van-grant/
4. Further details about the Plug-in car grants can be found here:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/topics/sustainable/olev/plug-in-car-grant/
5. Only vans which meet strict performance criteria for range,
tail-pipe emissions and safety can be eligible for the Plug-In Van
Grant. Van manufacturers can apply at any time for their vehicles
to become part of the scheme. 6. The Transport Secretary announced
the eligible vans at an event at County Hall, London. The event
was attended by manufacturers of the vehicles eligible for the
grant; business buyers who have already purchased, or may
purchase, eligible vehicles; and other organisations with an
interest in this field. 7. ‘Plugged-In Fleets: a guide to
deploying electric vehicles in fleets’, which has been authored by
The Climate Group, Cenex and the Energy Saving Trust. This report
estimates that a small electric van will typically cost £100 less
in fuel for every thousand miles driven compared to a diesel
equivalent can be found here: http://www.theclimategroup.org/ 8.
As announced at the Spending Review, the Government has made
provision of over £400m to promote the uptake of ultra-low
emission vehicle technologies. This includes approximately £80m
supporting research and development activities; £30m for the
installation of infrastructure; and, £300m to support consumer
incentives for the life of the Parliament. 9. The Government’s
assessment is that the number of installed chargepoints in the UK
is more than 2,500, of which 765 have been delivered (to 14
October 2011) through the Government’s Plugged-In Places trials
and the remainder through private sector organisations’
investment. The private sector organisations have commitments to
deliver approximately a further 4,000 points across the UK by the
end of 2012. Press Enquiries: 020 7944 3066Out of Hours: 020 7944
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