Electric car scheme gets off to slow start

The government’s plug-in car grant (PICG), designed to promote the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs), received 534 registrations between 1 January 2011 and 20 April, with 465 ordered in the first quarter. Only 213 EVs have been delivered to customers.

The PICG subsidises the purchase of EVs by up to £5,000. Some £43m has been put aside for the first year, enough for 8,600 cars (or 2,150 per quarter). A further £300m has been set aside for the remainder of this government, subject to review in January 2012 (ENDS Report, February 2011).