Joining the millions of baffled, annoyed and downright cheesed off (we’re being polite here) people who heard the Government’s ridiculous cutting of EV grants with complete incredulity, the SMMT’s boss Mike Hawes has gone on the record to say what we’re all thinking:
“The decision to slash the Plug-in Car Grant and Van & Truck Grant is the wrong move at the wrong time,” said Hawes a few days ago. “New battery electric technology is more expensive than conventional engines and incentives are essential in making these vehicles affordable to the customer.
“Cutting the grant and eligibility moves the UK even further behind other markets, markets which are increasing their support, making it yet more difficult for the UK to get sufficient supply. This sends the wrong message to the consumer, especially private customers, and to an industry challenged to meet the Government’s ambition to be a world leader in the transition to zero emission mobility.”
Please remember, this move is from a Government that is allegedly committed to reducing emissions, so they’ve made it harder and costlier to buy an EV. Nice move, Johnson.