The government has today announced a modest funding boost to its electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure plans, releasing an additional £2.5m to support the installation of over 1,000 new on street public charge points. The new funding doubles the size of the on-street residential chargepoint scheme, which was launched in 2017 and provides councils with financial support for installing charge points in areas where residents do not have access to off-street parking.
Business Green 12th Aug 2019 read more »
Edie 12th Aug 2019 read more »
Orkney is leading the charge on electric vehicles, with one of the highest uptakes in the UK. As BBC Scotland continues its season of special news coverage on the “climate emergency”, we look at changes needed in transport and what could be learned from islanders. When it comes to energy, Orkney is in the fast lane. The islands produce more power than they’re able to consume, so diverting some of that into electric vehicles (EVs) seems an obvious move. The likes of the Nissan Leaf or Renault Zoe are a more frequent sight here than any other part of Scotland – you’ll even see the odd Tesla. But despite their prevalence, are people here really bought in? For newly qualified driver Charlotte Baird from Houton, EVs offer the environmental credentials that many young people seek. But their hefty price tag can mean they are financially out of reach. Charlotte’s petrol car cost her just £600. Orkney now has well over 200 fully electric vehicles, more than 2% of the total cars and vans on the road. Most of them have been sold by Jonathan Porterfield, from his business Ecocars, based at home near Evie. He believes interest is growing fast and says some customers even buy online, without a test drive. “The demand has just gone off the scale in the last 12 to 18 months as more and more people realise that this is an option,” he said.
BBC 13th Aug 2019 read more »
Vehicle fuel taxes should rise to combat the air pollution crisis in the UK, with an extra charge on diesel, according to the conservative thinktank Bright Blue. A report calls for VAT to be abolished on electric cars and for citizens to be able to report idling vehicles and receive a share of fines levied. It also proposes that the speed limit in all urban areas is cut from 30mph to 20mph and that local authorities should be able to profit from pollution charging schemes to fund clean-air projects. Most urban areas in the UK register illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution, which mainly comes from vehicles. But while Britain’s particulate levels are legal, they are above World Health Organization guidelines, which Bright Blue said should be the targets adopted by the UK. Polling for the thinktank showed 70% of people in the UK were concerned about the health impact of air pollution and wanted government action.
Guardian 12th Aug 2019 read more »