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Press release

Axing of government plug-in car grant scheme could benefit consumers, says The Car Expert

While many may be disappointed after the axing of the government plug-in car grant, those looking to purchase an EV could actually benefit.

More releases from The Car Expert

14 June 2022

  • Axing of Plug-in car grant scheme may leave consumers disappointed, however the change may come as a benefit to electric car-buyers, according to The Car Expert
  • Manufacturers likely to absorb cost of the financial advantages of the grant by reducing the price of electric vehicles
  • Overall impact of the cut to the Government scheme should see investments re-directed to benefit electric vehicle owners with improvements to the UKs EV infrastructure

While many consumers may be faced with disappointment following the axing of the Government plug-in car grant scheme, those looking to purchase an electric vehicle could actually benefit from the change in legislation, according to The Car Expert.

At a time when the sales of fully electric, plug-in and hybrid vehicles are at an all time high, the end to the Government plug-in car grant scheme – introduced with immediate effect – will inevitably leave electric car-buyers frustrated with the potential financial loss resulting from the withdrawal of the grant.

However, according to The Car Expert, the pattern of the automotive industry over time suggests that this cost is likely to be absorbed by car manufacturers who will in turn reduce the cost of electric vehicles accordingly to minimise the cost impact on customers.

As car manufacturers adjust pricing on electric vehicles, the re-direction of Government investment into its electrification strategy will likely have wider a positive impact on public infrastructure.

The result may lead to an evening of the distribution of electric charge points across the UK, an increase of  on-street charging for those without home charging facilities and a general increase of charge points to relive pressure from the already overcrowded public charging available, ultimately benefiting the consumer.

“Although the axing of the plug-in grant may initially be seen  as a blow, the end of the scheme is unlikely to see a dramatic effect on new EV sales. Sales have been steadily increasing every month for years, despite ongoing reductions to the plug-in car grant. The onus will fall on manufacturers to swallow the cost by reducing the soaring prices of electric vehicles if they wish to retain a firm position in the market,” commented Stuart Masson, Editorial Director at The Car Expert

He continued: “What we will see in turn is that the Government handouts, which for the most part were designed to support manufacturers, will be re-routed into areas of the industry that have fallen desperately behind that of passenger cars, such as vans, LCVs and commercial sector.”

ENDS

The Car Expert

Founded in 2011, The Car Expert is the UK’s most comprehensive automotive consumer advice site. With an audience of over two million readers a year, The Car Expert provides independent and impartial advice on every aspect of buying, financing, owning, and selling new or used vehicles.

The Rotten Tomatoes equivalent for the automotive world, The Car Expert consolidates reviews from 30 of the UK’s top automotive websites to create the Expert Rating Index. Bringing together science and data analysis, the index calculates a weighted average to give an aggregated score – Expert Rating – that is comparable across different brands and models.

The Expert Rating Index factors in the age of each review, so that newer reviews carry more weight than older reviews. It also breaks down the complex web of different scoring systems that various websites use in their reviews.

The Car Expert has logged over 12,000 reviews covering more than 400 cars and over 50 manufacturers, with its Expert Rating Index now trusted as the gold standard for rating and ranking new cars in the UK.

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