Following the annoucement this morning of further cuts to EV
purchase grants*, Edmund King, AA president, said: “Many drivers
and fleets will be recalculating today to see if they can still
afford their chosen EV now that the grants and threshold have
been cut. With ambitious targets heading into 2030 it seems
counterintuitive to reduce incentives although we accept that
those purchasing the lower value EVs probably have greater need
for assistance.
“Drivers have consistently told us that the main barrier to EV
ownership is the initial purchase price. While we are encouraged
that new EV sales have increased this year, we feel this mainly
due to company car purchases and salary sacrifice schemes.
“This type of purchase is not available for everyone, so reducing
the grant and the number of vehicles eligible will be a
disappointment for many.
“The most effective method of encouraging mass electric car
adoption is to scrap the VAT – a policy we have called for since
2020**. Low income households say this would help them the most
in switch away from fossil fuels.”
ends
NOTES TO EDITORS
* https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-funding-targeted-at-more-affordable-zero-emission-vehicles-as-market-charges-ahead-in-shift-towards-an-electric-future
** https://www.theaa.com/about-us/newsroom/scrap-vat-on-electric-cars
