The UK government announced a plan to offer drivers up to approximately $7,000 in incentives to buy electric vehicles in 2011.

The incentives are part of a plan by the UK government that will put around $370 million into electric vehicles and their infrastructure.  The plan will also designate certain cities in the UK as testing cities for electric vehicle feasibility.  The government will provide up to 200 electric vehicles in these cities for the public to demo. 

Buyers of electric vehicles will see an average incentive between $3,000 and $7,000 per electric vehicle purchased in 2011.  The government hopes that the incentives will make people step on board and commit to buy electric vehicles in the near future.  According to the UK transport secretary Geoff Hoon, "What we've got to get people used to is the idea that electric cars will become quite normal, quite usual."  Hoon went on to say, "The financial incentive would help us to speed up the process of persuading car buyers into electric vehicles."

Though the country as a whole looks to strengthen its electric car market, London in particular has set a goal of becoming the electric car capital of Europe.  The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, hopes to introduce 100,000 electric cars and 25,000 charging points at street level throughout the city of London over the next few years.

Britain hopes to become a world leader in electric cars and to set an example, they are expected to buy electric cars for the government employees to kick start their efforts towards their end goal.

Source:  Autocar.co.uk