ULEV Autumn Statement 2015 (not yet)

[ian4x4]

I have looked through the printed Government Autumn Statement and I can find no mention of the promised clarification of the August announcement (see plug in car grant below)
So I take it we will have to wait to see what the next rules will be post Feb 2016.

This is all I can see under transport.
2.87 The government will spend more than £600 million between 2015-16 and 2020-21 to
support uptake and manufacturing of ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) in the UK, maintaining
the global leadership that has seen 1 in 4 of all European electric vehicles built here and keep
the UK on track for all new cars to be effectively zero emission by 2040. This investment will save
65 million tonnes of carbon and help deliver the Long Term answer on urban air quality.

This is the last PHEV car publication
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/plug-in-car-grant

This is the last PHEV van publication
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/plug-in-van-grant

 

[ian4x4]

My mistake - although the press was quoting the announcement was to be part of the Autumn Statement, on reading the actual Government PHEV Grant Document it says it will be announced 'shortly after' the Autumn Statement.

5.1 Review of grant levels
On 26 August 2015 the government announced that it would continue to provide current levels of support under the plug-in car grant cap until at least February 2016.

The announcement confirmed that the plug in car grant will continue at £5,000 for all categories of qualifying ultra low emission vehicle until at least February 2016. This guarantees the current levels of support beyond the milestone of 50,000 grants being awarded, which had previously been identified as a point when grant levels could change. We expect the 50,000 grant threshold to be reached in November 2015.

Further details on the levels of support to be offered under the plug-in car grant after February will be announced shortly after the autumn spending review, which is expected to be published in November 2015.

Manufacturers who submit claims for vehicles to the plug-in car grant portal before the end of February 2016 will be entitled to claim under the current grant levels, provided that the vehicle is registered within nine months. The grant currently provides 35% off the cost of a car, up to a maximum of £5,000.

I will keep an eye out for the new rules.

 

[maby]

Seems to me that the bigger impact is likely to be getting caught in the fallout of the VW emissions scandal. The EU vehicle testing rules are likely to be tightened up to make them more representative of real world usage and if the distance travelled in the tests is increased significantly, many hybrids will get caught out. If the test format was changed to make the duration something like 100 miles and include more motorway mileage without also increasing the maximum levels of emission permissible to be considered a ULEV, then cars like the Outlander would not pass.

 

[Neverfuel]

Seems to me that the bigger impact is likely to be getting caught in the fallout of the VW emissions scandal. The EU vehicle testing rules are likely to be tightened up to make them more representative of real world usage and if the distance travelled in the tests is increased significantly, many hybrids will get caught out. If the test format was changed to make the duration something like 100 miles and include more motorway mileage without also increasing the maximum levels of emission permissible to be considered a ULEV, then cars like the Outlander would not pass.

I agree, but it is a long slow process to change EU regs and then pass a statutory instrument in the UK to support it. Plus there will have to be industry consultation etc. it could easily take 4 - 5 years to implement.

The Autumn statement states that the Govt will support the introduction of ULEVs beyond Feb 2016 with the ambition of making ALL cars 100% emission free by 2050 and the UK being considered a leader in the manufacture of electric cars.

I think we are safe for the moment - well done EV pioneers, our time seems to have come.

 

[ian4x4]

The new categories were published in April, but have yet to be implemented.
Outlander PHEV is defined as Category 2.
I believe that Category 1 cars will retain full grants, but some type of sliding scale will apply to Categories 2 & 3.

Plug-in car grant: April 2015 changes
On 1 April 2015, the government introduced 3 grant categories for cars. The categories differentiate between ultra low emission vehicle (ULEVs) on the basis of their CO2 emissions and their zero emission range, whilst retaining a technology neutral approach. The categories are:

Category 1 - CO₂ emissions of less than 50g/km and a zero emission range of at least 70 miles
Category 2 - CO₂ emissions of less than 50g/km and a zero emission range between 10 and 69 miles
Category 3 - CO₂ emissions of 50 to 75g/km and a zero emission range of at least 20 miles

 

[ian4x4]

This is what he said.

To me it looks like grants will continue in some form until 2020.

Osbourne said: "The development and sale of Ultra Low Emission Vehicles will continue to be supported, but in light of the slower-than-expected introduction of more rigorous EU emissions testing, we will delay the removal of the diesel supplement from company cars until 2021."

OLEV's funding has survived cuts and will continue to see investment of more than £600 million between now and 2020-21. According to the government, this is "to support uptake and manufacturing of ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) in the UK, maintaining the global leadership that has seen 1 in 4 of all European electric vehicles built here and keep the UK on track for all new cars to be effectively zero emission by 2040. This investment will save 65 million tonnes of carbon and help deliver the long term answer on urban air quality."
http://www.nextgreencar.com/news/7370/diesel-cars-hit-by-chancellors-spending-review/