Cash Grants To Jump-Start Electric Car Sales
Motorists are being offered discounts of up to £5,000 to choose from a new generation of electric cars.
The Government scheme offers grants worth up to a quarter of the purchase price.
Nine models are covered; the first vehicles to qualify are the Mitsubishi iMiEV, the Mercedes-Benz smart fortwo ED and the Peugeot iON.
The discounts, known as the 'Plug-In Car Grant', will apply to six other cars as they join the scheme over the next few months.
They are: the Citroen CZero, available in early 2011, the Nissan Leaf and the Tata Vista EV.
Available from early 2012 will be the Toyota Prius Plug-in, the Vauxhall Ampera and the Chevrolet Volt.
Charge point locations can be at the roadside, like this one in west London.
Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said: "Ultra-low emission cars with mass-market appeal are a reality and we can have all the convenience of the car without the carbon that normally goes with it."
The Government has confirmed that five regions have successfully applied for a share of a £20m fund to install local charging points for the vehicles.
The east of England will see charging points in places like Stansted airport, Cambridge, Norwich and Ipswich.
The Midlands points include Birmingham, Coventry, Nottingham and Worcester, while Scottish points include Edinburgh and central Glasgow.
Greater Manchester and Northern Ireland also benefit.
Critics are quick to point out the limitations of electric cars in terms of their use - not to mention the cost.
For example, the Vauxhall Ampera will cost £28,995 even with the £5,000 grant.
The RAC Foundation told Sky News: "Clearly we are still a long way from an affordable mass market for these vehicles but this is a very welcome step in the right direction."
News Source: Skynews
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