UK government invests over £9 mil to support EV uptake

The UK government has announced two initiatives totaling £9.3 million ($12.1 million) to support electric vehicle (EV) uptake through a 'try before you buy' scheme.

The government announced Sept. 9 -- the first World EV Day -- that Highways England would be providing £9.3 million to local authorities to encourage businesses to switch from diesel van fleets to electric by allowing businesses to try EVs for free for a two-month period before they buy.

It said the initiative was part of a green incentive scheme to encourage a shift to cleaner, lower carbon vehicles.

The scheme will be funded by Highways England's Designated Funds program, which has earmarked an overall investment of £936 million between 2020 and 2025.

The program delivered over 2,000 schemes between 2015 and 2020, including ensuring that 95% of England's motorways and major A-roads are within 20 miles of a rapid EV charging point.

Highways England ran a successful pilot with the Energy Saving Trust and Leeds City Council earlier in 2020, with those electric vans having driven more than 10,000 miles as part of the city's emergency coronavirus response.

In addition, councils in Coventry, Kent, Nottingham and Sheffield are working to set up their own schemes, with the company agreeing Sept. 9 on over £3 million in funding with Bristol City Council.

"It is among a host of measures Highways England is taking to improve air quality and tackle carbon emissions from road transport as the UK takes steps to become a zero-carbon economy by 2050," it said.

Highways England CEO Jim O'Sullivan said the company was working with councils across the country to encourage businesses to make the switch to EVs and he expected many more to start using EVs when they saw the possible savings.

"This is a key example of how we are using designated funds to benefit the environment and communities around our roads as well as the people travelling and working on them," he said.

UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said it had become more cost-effective and convenient than ever to drive and charge an EV.

"This together with our continued support for R&D, will see talented UK-based SMEs flourish, as well as more than 6,000 skilled jobs created up and down the country," he said, adding that the UK government had "unwavering support for a cleaner, greener transport future."