The Government announced on 10th March 2021 that innovative ideas for zero-emission vehicles could benefit from a share of £20 million in funding. This could include zero-emission emergency vehicles, charging technology or electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling. This investment will help ensure the UK remains a world leader in EV design and manufacture, which could create around 6,000 skilled jobs over the next decade, helping to build a greener way of living.
Furthermore, the Government published its response to the consultation on ending the sale of petrol and diesel cars and vans. Reaffirming their commitment to phasing out new vehicles of this kind by 2030, and for all new cars and vans to be zero-emission at the tailpipe by 2035.
Simon Edmonds, Deputy Executive Chair and Chief Business Officer Innovate UK said:
Innovations to increase the uptake of zero-emission vehicles will make our air cleaner while supporting innovative UK businesses. Innovate UK has played a crucial role in helping businesses bring their innovations towards reality and we urge those innovators with bright ideas to apply for this vital funding.
With the increased focus on EV, it’s important to understand what type of funding is available to drivers, an added benefit for consideration when making the transition to EV. There are several lower emission vehicle funding options available to assist those making the first moves towards an EV way of life. This article will explore the available funding schemes to help you with your decision.
Vehicle Funding
The Government’s Plug-In Grant scheme enables you to get a discount on the price of brand new low-emission vehicles through vehicle dealerships and manufacturers. The maximum grant available for cars is £3,000. You don’t need to do anything if you want to buy one of these vehicles as the dealership will include the value of the grant in the price.
The amount of the funding will depend on which category your vehicle is in. The 6 categories are:
- Cars
- Motorcycles
- Mopeds
- Vans
- Taxis
- Large vans and trucks
Its worth noting, not all low-emission vehicles will be eligible for this scheme. Only vehicles approved by the Government are eligible.
Charging Point Funding Schemes
The Electric Vehicle Home-charge Scheme (EVHS) is a funding scheme for the installation of electric vehicle charging points. EVHS provides funding of up to 75% towards the cost of installing electric vehicle charge-points at domestic properties across the UK. From 1st July 2019, the EVHS only supports smart charge-points as announced in December 2018.
The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is a voucher-based scheme that provides £350 towards the up-front costs of the purchase and installation of an electric vehicle charge-point. Companies can claim funding for up to a maximum of 40 charge points. This is available to eligible businesses, charities, and public sector organisations. Installers of these charging points must have approved authorisation to be eligible for both EVHS and WCS.
In addition to both EVHS and WCS, the Government have introduced The On-street Residential Charge-point Scheme (ORCS). This scheme is designed to provide grant funding to Local Authorities towards the cost of installing on-street residential charging points for plug-in EVs. Factoring in some of these benefits should help smoothen the transition from petrol to electric vehicles and provide us all with adequate facilities to keep our energy-efficient motors on the move.
One of the key benefits of EV is they’re very inexpensive to run in contrast with petrol or diesel. Overall, an electric vehicle costs under £1.30 to travel 100 miles. Petrol run vehicles however cost more and to travel similar mileage, would cost as much as £10.36.
EVs offer exceptional incentives over the long haul and can be an astounding venture for drivers searching for a less expensive, more economical way to get from A to B. Like customary petrol and diesel vehicles, the expense of purchasing an EV varies depending on make, model, and type. There is an EV to suit pretty much every spending plan, but finding the right amount of funding makes it all the easier.
City Energy is supporting the growing EV charging infrastructure across the UK, so whether you’re looking to install an EV charging point at home, your workplace, or in a public environment, we offer some of the most reliable EV charging technology on the market. We specialise in electrical charging points for both domestic and commercial customers and we cover absolutely everything for you, ensuring that all aspects of the installation meet current legislation and regulations. Fully NICEIC-approved contractors, you can rest assured that you’re in safe hands with us!
Please get in touch today for a free survey to find out if you qualify for any of the above funding schemes as mentioned above, for both domestic and commercial. Complete our contact us form and we’ll be in touch to discuss further.
