State urged to give €10k grants to encourage electric vehicle switch

Low-income households should be provided with grants of up to €10,000 to make the switch to electric vehicles, the Climate Change Advisory Council has said.
Ireland is on course to miss its carbon emission reduction targets for the transport sector, a 50% reduction by 2030, as set out in the Climate Action Plan, exposing the State to substantial EU fines.
Transport emissions decreased by just an estimated 1.3% last year, and the Climate Change Advisory Council has now called for urgent Government intervention. Pic: Getty Images
The key to delivering emissions reductions in the transport sector is ending its reliance on harmful and expensive fossil fuels, Business Plus reports.
An increase in new battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations and the achievement of targets for BEV adoption under the Climate Action Plan must be realised.
To drive this forward, the Council has recommended that grants of up to €10,000 (for BEVs with a purchase price of less than €35,000) be provided for lower-income households. Pic: Matt Rakowski/Shutterstock
In parallel, there needs to be an accelerated roll-out of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Marie Donnelly, chair of the Climate Change Advisory Council said: 'Transport is Ireland's biggest source of energy demand, and emissions from the sector must reduce by half if the sector is to meet its target.
'Supports should be aimed at increasing affordability and lower emission options, such as a larger grant for new BEVs under €35,000, are necessary to assist the Government to achieve its own targets in this area.'

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