Boris Johnson is considering proposals to give drivers up to £6,000 to exchange their petrol or diesel car for an electric model – according to reports.
The Telegraph newspaper has reported that the government may use a speech on the economy on July 6th, to set out plans for a ‘scrappage scheme’ regarding electric cars.
How would the scheme work?
As the scheme hasn’t officially been announced, the details on the plan are quite vague. Boris is said to have pencilled in Monday, July 6, for a speech to make the announcement.
The scheme could see drivers given up to £6,000 to exchange their petrol or diesel car for an electric model. A previous initiative launched in 2009 saw motorists get £2,000 for trading in old cars for new models; half the money for this came from the government and the other half from manufactures.
Rosie Rogers, of Greenpeace UK, says: “The government would be moving in the right direction by favouring electric vehicles over polluting diesel and petrol ones, but they need to go further to really see clean transport drive the green recovery. Any scrappage scheme should also give people the option to use public transport instead of a new vehicle, or to purchase the likes of e-bikes as an alternative to their car.”
What would the new scheme aim to achieve?
The scheme would aim to point people in the direction towards electric when buying their new vehicle. With new eco-friendly policies coming into place, it should be possible for our government to keep planning for a cleaner future by reducing carbon dioxide. A study by The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders shows that pure battery-electric new cars held just a 1.6% share of the new car market last year, which is a concerningly low percentage – hence why this plan has come into fruition.
But, is the incentive enough?
Unfortunately, for a lot of people, up to £6,000 will not convert them into buying an electric car, due to the remaining expense of this option. But, the scheme may lead to more awareness around the subject and educate people on the severity of the matter.
At the moment these are all the details we have on the proposed scheme, but we are eager to see exactly what the government has in store in early July. In the meantime, if you are considering going electric, take a look at some of the best electric cars 2020.