Grants for electric vans, taxis and motorbikes extended

The government has announced that it is extending the Plug-in Van Grant for another year, to help van drivers move to zero emission vehicles.

The extension will mean businesses and van drivers can continue to receive grants up to £2,500 when buying small vans up to 2.5 tonnes and up to £5,000 for larger vans up to 4.25 tonnes.

The grants are part of £120m in Government funding to make the switch zero emission vehicles faster and cheaper.

The Department for Transport is also extending the £4,000 grant which is available to buy a zero emission taxis.

The Plug-in Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Grant cap is also being increased from £35,000 to £50,000, to give consumers a wider choice of vehicle models.

The £500 grant to buy an electric motorbike will also be extended for another year.

The Government has also announced it is making it easier to switch to zero emission vehicles, by bringing driving licence rules for heavier ZEVs in line with their petrol and diesel equivalents. 

The Department has laid secondary legislation before Parliament to enable Standard category B licence holders to be able to drive zero emission vehicles up to 4.25 tonnes, to account for the additional weight of their batteries. This includes vans, minibuses, SUVs, trucks, and any vehicle that you can drive up to 3.5 tonnes if they are petrol and diesel. Drivers will also be able to tow using a 4.25 tonne ZEV. Subject to parliamentary approval this change is expected to come into force in Spring. 

This will help businesses by taking away training costs, cutting red tape and making it easier to hire drivers when operating electric vans.

Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said: “From van drivers and businesses, to drivers with accessibility needs, bikers and cabbies, today we are making it easier, faster and cheaper for people to switch to electric vehicles.

“By making the transition to zero emissions a success, we’re helping to drive growth all over the UK, putting more money in people’s pockets and rebuilding Britain to deliver our Plan for Change.”