The end of February saw Future of Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood, confirm that the Department for Transport is extending the Plug-in van grant for another year.

The extension will mean businesses and van drivers can receive grants up to £2,500 when buying small vans up to 2.5 tonnes and up to £5,000 for larger vans up to 4.25 tonnes.

The Plug-in van grant has helped sell over 80,000 electric and zero emission vans since its launch.

Additional Training to be Waived

The department is also making it easier to switch to zero emission vans – which can be heavier than their petrol and diesel counterparts despite being of the same size – by removing the requirement for additional training that is currently in place only for zero emission vans but not their petrol and diesel equivalents.

This will help businesses by taking away training costs, cutting red tape and making it easier to hire drivers when operating electric vans.

The funding is part of over £2.3 billion to help industry and consumers make a supported switch to electric vehicles (EVs) around half of which will support zero emission bus rollout which is already advanced in its transition.

Future of Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood, said: From van drivers and businesses, to drivers with accessibility needs, bikers and cabbies, today we are making it easier, faster and cheaper for people to switch to electric vehicles.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said: “Zero emission uptake is positive but still struggles to match the ambition of regulation. The ongoing Plug-in Van Grant provides a lifeline, although we still need support to bolster operator confidence, boost demand and deliver decarbonisation.”