UK announces Rs3-lakh subsidy for electric cars

To boost the acceptability of greener vehicles in the country, the UK government over the weekend announced that it will provide a subsidy of £5,000 (Rs345,450 / $7,800) to buyers of electric and plug-in hybrid cars.

The incentive scheme is part of the Labour government £230-million budget for the UK electric car industry aimed at reducing carbon emissions by as much as 40 per cent.

The subsidy, to become effective from 2011, will start off with an initial budget of £43 million for 8,600 cars for a trial period for one year, with a review in 2012.

Although electric cars are more expensive to buy than petrol-run cars, they are cheaper in the long run since they would cost around 2 pence per mile to charge and run compared to 14 pence per mile for a petrol or diesel car.

"A few years ago, ultra-low emission cars with mass-market appeal appeared just a pipe dream. Now they are a reality and we can have all the convenience of the car without all the carbon that normally goes with it," said the UK transport secretary, Philip Hammond.

Hammond added, "Government action to support affordable vehicles and more local charging points means we are on the threshold of an exciting green revolution – 2011 could be remembered as the year the electric car took off,"