Following December’s announcement of a long-term extension to the plug-in car grant, backed by a £400 million package to treble the number of ultra low emission vehicles on Britain’s roads, OLEV’s Richard Bruce talks to GreenFleet about why there’s never been a better time to go green.
As many GreenFleet readers will know, the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) works across UK government to support the early market for ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs). 2015 was a significant year for OLEV, and at the beginning of 2016 there is no doubting that the government remains as committed as ever to driving forward the revolution in electric mobility, backed by a record £600 million of funding by 2020 to make sure we continue to lead the world in this exciting field.
There are more than twice the number of low emission vehicles on the road now than this time last year.
Sales of new ULEVs doubled between 2014 and 2015 and we expect further growth in 2016 as manufacturers bring new vehicles to market including ULEV versions of some of their best-selling models.
2015 also saw some exciting developments in ULEV technology. After many years of planning and anticipation, we saw the introduction of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to UK roads. The UK is one of just a handful of global launch markets for these vehicles and OLEV is jointly funding a network of hydrogen refuelling stations to support the uptake of these early hydrogen vehicles.
We are also now seeing manufacturers starting to offer longer ranges on their battery electric vehicles. Nissan has moved first with their 30kWh Leaf but we can expect a steady flow of longer range vehicles in 2016 and beyond, which we expect to achieve real-world electric ranges of 150 miles and above.
Just before Christmas we announced the extension of the Plug-in Car Grant with £400 million of funding guaranteeing it will be in place until at least March 2018.
Green grants
New grant levels come into effect from March 2016 prioritising the cleanest, greenest vehicles, and reflecting the strong growth we have seen in the plug-in hybrid vehicle market over the last two years. We also reinforced our position as a global leader in greener technology at the UN climate talks in Paris. The UK joined 13 other international partners, including Germany, Norway, the Netherlands and California in the Zero Emission Vehicle Alliance, committing to work towards making all passenger vehicle sales zero emission no later than 2050. This was a welcome reminder that the UK is not alone in our vision of a zero emission future for road transport.
Forward thinking
As 2016 gets under way there is lots more to look forward to. We will shortly be making an announcement on the winners of the Go Ultra Low City Scheme, backing the successful cities’ proposals to increase the adoption of plug-in cars and vans in their area through a combination of charging infrastructure, innovative new technology and other local initiatives.
Over the coming months we will also be allocating funding for buses and taxis, to extend support to ULEVs as part of local transport networks, and continue to focus on UK charging infrastructure. A reliable, accessible and affordable charging network is critical to supporting ULEV uptake and enabling existing drivers to maximise the benefits of driving an electric vehicle.
In addition, we will continue to support research and development, working with Innovate UK and private sector partners to ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of the transition to the low emission industry. The Go Ultra Low campaign also goes from strength to strength, bringing together government and industry to highlight the benefits of using a plug-in vehicle and encouraging consumers and businesses to make the switch to electric motoring.
2016 looks set to be a big year for us in OLEV and for the whole industry. There’s never been a better time to go green.