- Plug-in Taxi Grant extended until April 2025 at a rate of
£6,000 per vehicle
- funding has been a success so far, with over £50 million
provided to support the purchase of over 9,000 taxis – backing
skilled British jobs
- the switch to electric is well underway, with over half of
London’s taxis now being zero emission
More green taxis will take to the UK’s roads thanks to an extension to the
Plug-in Taxi Grant announced today (21 February 2024), following
its initial success.
Cab drivers will be able to keep up momentum through extended
funding until 5 April 2025 at a rate of £6,000 per vehicle,
providing certainty to those who are looking to make the switch
to electric in the next year.
Since its introduction in 2017, the Plug-in Taxi Grant has been
met with enthusiasm, providing more than £50 million to support
the purchase of over 9,000 zero emission cabs – supporting
skilled British jobs in the car industry and helping to
decarbonise the taxi fleet.
As a result of the grant driving change in industry, over 54%
(8,299) of London’s licensed taxis are now electric, with the
number of electric taxis increasing by 24% in the last year alone
as more drivers utilise government funding.
Technology and Decarbonisation Minister, , said:
Taxis are a vital part of our transport network, so it’s great to
be supporting our iconic black cab industry with further funding
to help decarbonise their vehicles, part of this government’s
plan to back drivers.
From Redbridge to White City, it’s now more likely than ever that
your black cab will be green, with the majority of taxis sold in
London now being electric. The grant has been a huge success so
far, and I’m pleased our funding will be continued for another
year to help cabbies make the switch to new vehicles.
The electric taxi market has grown rapidly since the grant’s
introduction, with sales overtaking the number of diesel taxis
sold in London in 2022, marking a milestone for the sector.
Nationally, more than one in ten (12%) taxis are now zero
emission capable.
The government is continuing to target incentives where they have
the most impact while delivering value for money for the
taxpayer, which is why a reduced grant level of £6,000 has been
chosen to support the market as it matures further.
Chris Allen, Managing Director at London EV Company said:
Today’s announcement is a positive signal to the taxi trade that
the government remains committed to supporting the
electrification of our iconic industry and provides important
support for drivers for another 12 months.
LEVC is continually innovating to deliver the latest in clean,
accessible mobility solutions. We will continue to work with
government to deliver for drivers and passengers across the
UK.
Steve McNamara, General Secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers
Association said:
London’s licensed taxi drivers are proud to be leading the way in
adopting zero emission electric taxis. Our members have invested
record sums in these clean, green vehicles and the PiTG has played a vital role in making this
possible.
Today’s announcement provides the certainty and support hard
working taxi drivers and fleets need to continue investing in the
future of this important sector and delivering the high-quality,
accessible service London’s iconic black cabs are known for, all
whilst helping to clean up our air and working towards net zero.
Since 2011 the government has provided over £1.9 billion in grant
funding to decarbonise our roads, supporting the purchase of over
350,000 zero emission vehicles.
These measures follow the department’s
recent announcement that the rollout of EV chargepoints is being accelerated
through our Plan for Drivers. There are now over 55,000
public chargepoints across the country, with the number of
chargepoints rising 46% over the last year.
Grants are also available to help the transition through the
government’s workplace charging scheme
(WCS) for businesses and schools, as well as
people in flats and rented accommodation
through the electric vehicle
chargepoint grant.
In addition, the on-street residential
chargepoint scheme is open to all UKlocal authorities, while £381 of Local
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funding is already being
delivered to English local authorities.
