Sun, 13 Jul 2025

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 Electric cars will be cheaper to buy, pledges minister

The Transport Secretary says she will announce measures to cut the cost of buying an electric car.
The UK government plans to make electric cars cheaper, with Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirming that measures will be announced later this week. However, she refused to confirm whether taxpayer-funded subsidies would be introduced to encourage people to switch from petrol or diesel vehicles. Alexander stated that the government wants to make it easier for people without driveways to charge their electric vehicles (EVs), and allocated £25m to councils to fit "cross-pavement gullies" for on-street charging. An additional £63m will be invested in expanding charging infrastructure across the UK, including signposting larger EV charging hubs on major roads. The average price of a new EV in the UK is around £22,000, nearly double the cost of a typical petrol car. The government has been criticized for "forcing" families into buying expensive EVs, with some Chinese brands marketing their electric cars for as little as £18,000. Alexander said that the measures will make it cheaper for people to buy an electric vehicle, but did not confirm whether subsidies would be introduced. The Department for Transport declined to comment further. According to recent figures from the UK motor trade association SMMT, around a fifth of new cars sold in the first half of this year were electric, but sales remain below the mandated targets ahead of a ban on selling new petrol and diesel cars in 2030. The government's plans have been welcomed by some, including Edmund King, president of the AA, who said that improved signage is "vital" to create confidence in the transition to EVs.
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