TECHIES 2012: Sparking plenty of interest

Date: 17 June 2013

Virtually on the day the Ampera went on sale, the Government announced in the 2012 Budget that company car driver BIK exemptions for ultra low-emissions models would end in the 2015-16 tax year, until which vehicles from 1-76g/km are taxed at just 5%. As of April 2015 that will jump to 13%, while drivers of pure electric vehicles with no tailpipe emissions will go from zero to 13% BIK overnight, although the proposed changes are subject to a Government reassessment  ahead of the 2013 Budget. 

"At the very least this sends out a mixed message to people interested in buying these kinds of vehicles. On the face of it, it prevents especially some business drivers from making that leap of faith into an EV," says Vauxhall environmental strategy manager Ian Allen. "We have lobbied several Government areas from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles to the Treasury and continue to do so to try and make them understand the market impact this had on the EV industry. What might be seen as a small measure to them potentially has a massive impact on a fragile fledgling industry.

"Do you want a long-term market for ultra low-carbon vehicles? If you do you need to restore some confidence back into the market. What we need from Government is clear, consistent long-term financial incentives."

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