Plug in Van Grant to entice businesses

White van man sneaks in with electric power!

Hot on the heels of the Plug-in Car Grant at the end of 2010 (which gives a 25% discount up to a maximum of £5,000), the UK Department for Transport announced on the 17th January a similar scheme for vans.

The 'Plug-in Van Grant' will cover 20% of the cost of an eligible vehicle (qualifying vehicles will be decided before the end of January), up to a maximum of £8,000. It’ll be available to both private individuals and businesses as a discount at the point of purchase, negating the need for any retrospective claims.

To be considered for the scheme Vans will have to meet the following criteria:

• Vehicles must be new fully electric or 'plug-in' hybrid's.

• Gross vehicle weight (GVW) below 3.5 tonnes.

• Plug-in hybrid's to have a minimum electric-only range of at least 10 miles (16 km).

• 'Electric only' vans must be able to go at least 60 miles (97 km) between recharges.

• Top speed of at least 50 mph (80 km/h).

• Carbon dioxide emissions cannot exceed 75 g/km.

• Vans must comply with UN-ECE Regulation 100.00 to show that they are electrically safe.

• To demonstrate adequate crash safety, vans have to have either EC whole vehicle type approval or comply with other internationally-recognised safety standards.

• A three-year / 60,000 miles (96,560 km) vehicle warranty is compulsory

• The battery and electric drivetrain warranty must cover at least three years with the option for customers to extend the battery warranty for an extra two years.

Likely contenders for places on the new scheme include the new Electric Ford Transit Connect and the Renault Kangoo ZE.

Commenting on the new scheme, Under Secretary of State for Transport Norman Baker said:

“Electric vehicles are the arrowhead for a low carbon revolution in motoring and as more models come to market we’ll begin to see sales gather pace.

“Car buyers have had a year to take advantage of our grant and now it’s time for van buyers to get their chance to go electric. This is great news for businesses given the lower running costs of these vehicles - fleet buyers tell us that this is one of the most important factor influencing their decision on what to buy.

“It is radical initiatives like these which will allow us to create a transport system that both cuts carbon and is an engine for economic growth.”

The Plug-in Car Grant has been a bit of a damp squib to say the least with just 1,052 eligible vehicles  registered during 2011.

White van man will now be able to cruise silently up behind you to abuse you!