The government has been urged to introduce a wide-range of incentives to encourage corporate take-up of ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs).
The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA has called on the government to:
•Introduce a workplace charging point grant scheme for plug-in vehicles, there is already one in place for home charging points
•Narrow the CO2 gaps between tax bands at the lower end of the company car benefit-in-kind tax scale
•Make a bigger commitment to in-life incentives for users of plug-in electric vehicles.
The trade association was responding to a report from the House of Commons Environment Audit Committee which called on the government to provide greater support to the electric vehicle market to achieve targeted growth.
The MPs in their report – ‘Sustainability in the Department for Transport’ – also suggested that support for fleet procurement of electric and ULEVs could come by underwriting risk or guaranteeing buy-back arrangements as well as reform of company car tax and a workplace charging grant scheme.
The MPs fear that without support, government targets for ULEVs to make up 9% of all new car and van sales by 2020 and two-thirds of annual registrations by 2030 will be missed.
BVRLA chief executive Gerry Keaney said: “The Committee is right to highlight the continued opportunities presented by ultra-low emission vehicles, and we agree that government should further incentivise buyers to choose them.”