Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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411. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the estimated first and full year cost of extending toll waivers to electric and hybrid vehicles. [50964/17]

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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412. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the estimated first and full year cost of extending toll waivers to electric and hybrid vehicles. [50988/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 411 and 412 together.

The Government is committed to facilitating an increased uptake of electric vehicles (EVs). The Deputy may be aware that my Department and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment (DCCAE), have jointly convened an interdepartmental LEV Task Force to consider the range of measures and options available to Government for the purpose of accelerating the deployment of low carbon technologies, especially electric vehicles (EVs). The wide ranging work of the Taskforce has been divided between three working groups addressing: Market Growth Stimuli and Visibility; Infrastructure, Energy Regulation and Pricing; and Planning Legislation, Building Regulations and Public Leadership.  As part of its programme of work, Working Group 1 of the Taskforce, which is chaired by my Department, is assessing options for potential Government and public body leadership initiatives and opportunities, as means of further demonstrating support for LEV uptake. To this end, Working Group 1 considered recently a TII paper on options for incentive toll rates for EV drivers. Although the modalities are still under consideration I have secured funding in Budget 2018 to introduce a toll incentive regime which I hope could be introduced early next year. 

In relation to extending the cost of toll waivers to electric and hybrid vehicles, it is estimated based on 2015 figures that the average toll paying motorist pays €100 in tolls per year. At current penetration levels of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles on the road in Ireland and assuming a full toll waiver that would equate to a cost of approximately €230,000 over the course of a full year. This full waiver cost would rise to an estimated €2 million should the target level of 20,000 electric vehicles by 2020 be reached.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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413. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount that his Department has allocated to a scheme to encourage the use of electric vehicles among taxi drivers for 2018. [51003/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I was delighted to secure funding as part of Budget 2018 to support a range of low carbon transport options, including the transition of our SPSV (Taxi/Hackney/Limousine) sector to electric vehicles. This sector plays a vital role in championing the use of electric vehicles to members of the public, and in reducing harmful tailpipe emissions particularly across our urban areas.

€5.5m is allocated in 2018 and €29m from 2019-2021 for the Carbon Reduction Programme to fund measures to support decarbonising the transport sector.

A ‘Green Public Transport Fund’ will support use of low carbon technology in the public transport fleet e.g. emerging low emission technologies, particularly for buses.  The fund will bridge the price differential between conventional and alternative fuelled vehicles and infrastructure.

Funding will also be targeted in support of the LEV Taskforce’s efforts to increase electric vehicle (EV) uptake e.g. encouraging the transition of the national taxi fleet to alternative technologies including the new EV Taxi Grant and introduction of a tolling incentive.

The electric SPSV grant scheme will be administered on behalf of the Department by the National Transport Authority (NTA). Opening to applicants from 01 February 2018, the electric SPSV grant scheme will be available nationwide and will offer a grant of up to €7,000 euro for the purchase of a battery electric vehicle (BEV) and up to €3,500 euro for the purchase of a plug in hybrid vehicle (PHEV). Second hand electric vehicles will also be eligible for the scheme (at pro rata reduced grant rates) up to a maximum age of 6 years.

The scheme can be used in conjunction with an existing range of supports including the NTA WAV grant scheme in the case of an electric WAV; and the SEAI commercial grant scheme for new electric vehicles.

Further details of the electric SPSV grant scheme will be made available on the NTA website and SPSV industry newsletter.