Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost of subsidies and financial incentives provided from the public purse has been by scheme for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in each of the last five financial years.
The cost of the plug-in vehicle grants* covering the period from 2013/14 to 2017/18 is set out in the table below:
| 2013/14 | 2014/15 | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | Total |
Cost (£) | 21,187,337 | 94,359,000 | 226,087,000 | 95,602,000 | 165,519,278 | 602,754,615 |
Vehicles supported | 5,146 | 22,838 | 39,196 | 30,621 | 51,500 | 149,301 |
The Government incentivises the purchase of electric vehicles with a grant for consumers to offset the cost of this technology, this approach provides both environmental and industrial benefits. In March 2016, the Plug-in Car Grant was reduced from £5,000 to £4,500 for eligible electric and fuel cell electric vehicles and from £5,000 to £2,500 for qualifying plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The changes in grant level led to a short term increase in take-up prior to the new rates being implemented, particularly for plug in hybrids.
*includes Plug-in car, van, motorcycle and taxi grants