How Long Does Charging an Electric Car Take
Electric cars are becoming more popular as people become more environmentally conscious. Many people have questions about electric cars, one of which is how long […]
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The UK government has invested millions in EV grants. Electric vehicles (EVs) are proving to be one of the most popular choices for environmentally conscious motorists who want to help reduce air pollution without compromising on their motoring needs or lifestyle. This is borne out by the high number of registrations for EVs in the UK.
The main reason for this surge in demand is the plug-in car grant, which has made purchasing one of these cars considerably more affordable. This has also seen a decline in the purchases of petrol and diesel cars. The electric vehicle grant reduces the cost of an EV by up to £4,500. In this guide, we will look at some pertinent issues about the electric car grants. Let us start with the basics.
What Is An Electric Car Grant??
The electric vehicle grant is a government initiative aimed at encouraging the uptake of EVs in the UK. The grants are available across all types of cars, whether new or used. It doesn’t even matter if you buy the car outright, lease it or go for a PCP finance option through your car dealership. You can still qualify for this grant.
You will be pleased to know that all types of EVs qualify for the electric car grants. This means you can move away from traditional cars and go green with a full-electric Nissan Leaf, BMW i3 or even a plug-in hybrid such as the Mitsubishi Outlander or VW Golf GTE. You will have an eligible vehicle for the exciting grants.
The UK government wants to invest in low-emission vehicles because they are currently one of the main causes of air pollution. It is estimated that poor air quality costs the NHS £6billion each year and contributes towards more than 40,000 premature deaths across the UK every year.
Office for Zero-Emission Vehicles (OZEV) Grants
This is an initiative started by the Office for Zero-Emission Vehicles (OZEV) to encourage more drivers to choose EVs. The OZEV is part of the UK Department for Transport (DfT).
How does the electric car grant work?
There are 2 ways that motorists can use to take advantage of this scheme:
1. Contact your car dealership directly and ask about the grant in the price of their EVs
2. The other option is to apply directly to the OZEV at https://www.gov.uk/plug-in-car-van-grants.The application form is very easy and straightforward. Down below we will look at how much you can expect to gain from the electric car grant.
Who Qualifies for OLEV Grant?
Initially, you will need to ensure that the electric car you intend to buy qualifies for OLEV Grant. You can start this process by checking if your local dealership sells any EVs on the OLEV website. The vehicles listed range from full-electric cars like Nissan Leaf and BMW i3 to plug-in hybrid models such as Mitsubishi Outlander or VW Golf GT.
What Government Electric Vehicles Grants Are There?
At the moment, the OZEV has four main types of grants that it offer EV owners. These grants cover both electric cars as well as chargers. The types of grants available are:
- Plug-in Car Grant (PICG)
- Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS)
- Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS)
- On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS)
Plug-in Car Grant (PICG)
The plug-in grant is the main way for motorists to reduce the cost of owning an electric vehicle. It works by reducing the purchase price of a new EV by up to £4,500 if you buy one that emits CO2 emissions of less than 50g/km.
If your new or used EV costs more than £60,000, then you don’t qualify for this grant. You can use the government’s online tool to find out more about how much you stand to gain from the PICG.
You might be wondering what happens if you buy a used EV instead of a brand-new one? The good news is that your car dealer will still be able to apply the plug-in grant scheme to your used car purchase in addition to the other cars sold.. This is one of the best advantages of owning an electric vehicle. You get all the benefits of a new car but at a fraction of the price!
Electric Vehicle Home Charge Scheme (EVHS)
The electric vehicle home charge scheme applies to EV owners who own their homes outright and have designated off-street parking. The scheme provides up to 75% off the cost of installing a dedicated charge point at your home. It also offers 25% off the cost of buying and installation of an eligible charge point if you live in rented accommodation.
Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS)
The workplace charging scheme is for business owners and employees who own or lease EVs. This scheme offers 75% towards the cost of installing a dedicated charge point at your workplace.
The scheme even covers 100% for those cases where employers don’t have access to central government funding and instead need to fund the full cost of such installations themselves. The amount you can claim as tax relief is £500.
On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS)
This scheme covers the full cost of installing a charge point for an on-street residential location. This means locations such as car parks, residents’ parking bays and even public charging points where you have free access to electricity while parked. The amount you can claim is capped at £500.
The EV Charging Point Grant Scheme
Another great way that motorists can save money when owning an electric vehicle is by taking advantage of the government’s EV charging point grant scheme. This amazing benefit allows businesses and local authorities to get up to 75% off the cost of purchasing or leasing a public charge point for non-residential locations such as shops and public buildings such as leisure centres, libraries and hospitals.
The main conditions for this grant are that the public needs to have full access to the charge point at all times and they don’t need to pay any money or incur a cost of any kind in order to use it. There is also no limit on the number of zero emission cars that can make use of these charge points.
How Do You Apply For A Government Electric Cars Grant?
Applying for the government electric car grants is very easy and straightforward. There are different forms depending on which type of grant you wish to apply for, but in general, the application process consists of:
- Answering a series of questions about your electric car, your driving history and the area in which you live.
- Provide proof of income for both yourself and your partner/spouse if you have one.
- Providing proof of homeownership or a copy of the tenancy agreement if you rent.
- Upload copies of bills and bank statements to verify information provided on the application form.
Applying for the government electric car grants should not take you more than 30 minutes, but if for some reason it does, try to remember that all of this information will go on to help provide funding for other motorists in need. The only real downside of applying is that there are so many people interested in these grants that you can expect the application process to take at least 6 months to complete with potentially long waiting times.
However, it is worth noting that if you have a particularly low income, your application will be processed faster than usual. This is because the government wants to provide everyone who needs it with a fair chance at owning an electric vehicle even if they are on the lowest end of the socioeconomic scale.
Amount of Electric Vehicle Grant, Conditions & Criteria
The government grants for EVs are broken down into 3 different categories:
- Category 1: You get £3,500 off a pure-electric vehicle and £1,500 for a plug-in hybrid. Your car also must meet the minimum 20-mile range requirement and it must be on the list of approved plug-in vehicles.
- Category 2: You get £2,500 off a pure-electric vehicle and £1,000 for a plug-in hybrid. Your car also must meet the 10 – 20 mile range requirement and it must be on the list of approved plug-in vehicles in order to be eligible for this grant.
- Category 3: You get £500 off a pure-electric vehicle and £500 towards a plug-in hybrid car. However, unlike the other categories, there isn’t any range requirement or approval list. As long as you can prove that you own an electric vehicle (no matter the model), you will be eligible for this grant.
Conclusion
Although we don’t know the exact criteria that the government is going to use in order to approve or deny your application, one thing we do know for sure is that having a low income will definitely help you get approved for one of these grants.
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