U.K. Onboard For Electric Vehicle Deployment

By Shannon Arvizu

Shannon Arvizu

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U.K. Onboard For Electric Vehicle Deployment
The British government has announced a major plan for electric vehicle market penetration. The plan... Read More

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1,434 views Mar 18, 2010

2011 Nissan Leaf prototype

Smart ED (electric drive) on the road in the U.K.

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The British government has announced a major plan for electric vehicle market penetration. The plan includes a government subsidy of 25 percent (up to £5,000, or $7,654) towards the purchase of an electric vehicle. It also includes the installation of thousands of charging points throughout the country.

The grant provides up to £230 million ($350.7 million) in total funding for British consumers looking to get in on the electric vehicle action. According to Britain’s transport secretary, Lord Adonis, the initiative begins in January 2011.

Funding for the charging infrastructure is run through Britain’s new program, Plugged-In Places. This initiative includes £30 million ($45.7 million) for the installation of charging points in workplaces, streets, and parking lots. In some cities, there will be a £75 ($114) grant for any family that wants to install a charging point in their own home.

Both Mitsubishi and Nissan have applauded the work of the British government for moving in this direction. Both companies plan to release electric vehicles, the 2011 Nissan Leaf and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, in the region over the coming year.

Government funding for vehicle subsidies and infrastructure is part of a wider trend that many city and state governments are undertaking in the U.S. as well. Last week, we learned that the State of California initiated a $5,000 tax rebate toward electric vehicle purchases, in addition to the $7,500 available from the federal government.

The Plugged In Places program for infrastructure in the U.K. is very similar to The EV Project in the U.S. The EV Project is a multi-city charging point deployment project that is intended to facilitate the introduction of the 2011 Nissan Leaf within the 12 months. It includes the participation of over 50 organizations, including city governments, universities, and start-up companies, to ensure that electric vehicles drivers have easy access to their electric juice.

As a technology that has wide social and ecological benefits, electric vehicles can benefit greatly from this kind of government support. Not only will these initiatives lower the price for consumers and make it more convenient for them to charge, they also send a loud signal that this technology has a government ‘stamp-of-approval.’ For electric vehicles to have the kind of positive impact they are intended to have, mass deployment is essential. These initiatives will help make that happen.