Up to £1,500 could be added to the cost of new petrol and diesel cars in order to subsidise electric car purchases, under proposals being considered by the government. The car industry said it was opposed to measures that penalised petrol and diesel buyers rather than just incentivising electric and hybrid car sales. The government is seeking to accelerate the take-up of electric cars, which is seen as a key part of plans to reduce the UK’s emissions of carbon dioxide. Electric cars, with zero carbon dioxide exhaust emissions, accounted for only 5% of total sales in the year to August, according to the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). However, proposals to penalise buyers of new fossil fuel cars in order to benefit electric car buyers directly are likely to prove highly controversial.

Source: The Guardian September 09, 2020 18:22 UTC