20/08/2025
No news is no news!!
A month ago, the Electric Vehicle Grant scheme was announced to encourage private motorists to buy new, low-emission vehicles. Yet, one month on, there are 22 models that qualify for the lower grant—and none that qualify for the full £3,750 grant. So, it looks like that’s working??
It seems many manufacturers won’t qualify at all—some due to the carbon intensity of the electricity generation where their cars are built, others because they produce vehicles globally and the UK is simply too small a market to fit the required profile.
But fear not—many manufacturers appear to be taking the view that it’s cheaper to reduce margins and give discounts equivalent to the grant than to pay the costs of complying with its requirements.
Whilst any support is welcome, surely a simpler, more transparent system for consumers would have had a greater effect. After all, better infrastructure and charging solutions would go much further in overcoming the real obstacles—such as on-street and public charging—not to mention addressing the fines manufacturers face if they don’t sell a big enough share of EVs??
“If you think the problems we create are bad, wait until you see our solutions.” — Humphrey Neill
