Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of fiscal incentives for the uptake of electric vehicles.

Plug-in Vehicle Grants have been a key driver of zero emission vehicle (ZEV) uptake since they were introduced in 2011. Grants remain available for vans, trucks and wheelchair accessible vehicles. Favourable tax rates, including the lowest first year rates of Vehicle Excise Duty and preferential Benefit in Kind rates, have likewise been a key driver of ZEV adoption.

The recently announced Electric Car Grant will further encourage purchases of low cost zero emission cars by providing discounts of up to £3,750.