New industry campaign to promote electric cars

Car makers have joined forces to launch a new Government-backed campaign to encourage more people to buy an electric vehicle.

The ‘Go Ultra Low’ campaign is being run jointly by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) and the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV). BMW, Nissan, Renault, Toyota and Vauxhall are supporting the campaign, which highlights the electric cars currently on offer from these brands.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said that the £5000 Plug-In Car Grant will continue alongside the scheme, saying: 'We are not there yet and the judgement that future Governments will have to make is at what point to start taking their foot off the subsidy pedal. There is no date in the diary, you do that when you feel the industry and the technology and the consumer interest is enough to stand on its own two feet.'

Clegg said that the Government has not set any sales targets for electric cars at which point the grant would be removed.

Central to the new campaign is the Go Ultra Low website, which has been designed as a ‘one-stop shop’ for information about owning and running an electric car. The website explains the different types of electric car available, as well as offering a ‘car chooser’ to help potential buyers consider the most suitable vehicle.

The Go Ultra Low website includes a map showing the 5000 public charge points currently available across the country. As part of the campaign announcement, the Government confirmed funding of £5.8m for 140 new rapid charge points, which will increase the UK network of these ultra-fast chargers to around 500 locations.

An additional £2.9m will be spent on 450 charging locations for staff at Government departments, emergency services and local authorities, while £600,000 will be used to install 80 new charge points in train station car parks.

You can find out more about electric cars in What Car?’s Green cars hub.