Zap-Map has learned today that the current Plug-in Car Grant scheme is only days away from running out of funds due to a surge in applications for new EV models.
According to David Watts at Arval UK, as of the start of today, the number of Category 1 grants (at £4,500) still available was 1,065 and Category 2/3 grants was 1,842. This means that in the past five days, 65% of the available Category 1 grants have already been allocated as have 70% of the Category 2/3 grants.
Presumably, the speed at which the grants are being allocated is due to the announcement last week that Plug-in Car Grants cut from 9th November. It appears that this has created a run on applications. On this basis, the current grants will probably all be allocated in the next few days and well before the 9th November deadline.
Dr Ben Lane at Zap-Map commented: “While the surge in EV sales is to be welcomed, the management of the remaining Plug-in Car Grant budget is far from ideal. Given the need to accelerate cuts in carbon emissions and to support the UK’s automotive sector due to the uncertainties created by Brexit, now is not the time to be removing or reducing subsidies from the most significant technological automotive transformation in a hundred years.
“Although new grant levels will continue to be available for Category 1 vehicles from 9th November, they are at a reduced rate. The UK Government should strengthen the PiCG scheme by providing more money now to ensure that grants are available for Category 1 EVs at the current rate. If this does not happen, there is a real danger that the EV revolution will stall in the UK while other countries accelerate their roll out of zero-emission vehicles.”
