Written answers

Thursday, 10 March 2022

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Electric Vehicles

Photo of Jackie CahillJackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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174. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on whether persons who bought plug-in hybrid electric vehicles before the removal of the toll should have the right to keep this benefit given the number of these cars which were bought when the measure was introduced was relatively small (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13669/22]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The SEAI grant scheme aims to encourage behavioral change and support the Government’s commitment to achieving a 51% reduction in transport emissions by 2030.

The grant schemes are kept under continuous review to ensure that they are as effective as possible in driving the decarbonisation effort.

In the past year, many new BEVs with ranges of over 400km on a single charge have been introduced to the Irish market. Range anxiety is no longer an issue for electric vehicle purchasers, and while PHEVs provided an interim option, but emit both CO2 and air pollution emissions, this interim option is no longer necessary. Government supports should be provided to full electric vehicles, which will be the most effective means of reaching our carbon reduction pathway. 

I announced after the budget that grant support for PHEVs was to be removed from 1 January 2022. Any PHEV which registered for the grant in accordance with the scheme rules before this date would be approved and the commitment carried forward into Q1 2022. However, from 1 January 2022 the SEAI no longer accepts grant applications in respect of PHEVs. 

Under the Terms and Conditions of the grant process, drawdowns normally need to be made by year end (31 Dec). However, due to the slowdown in global car manufacturing, we extended this drawdown date to 31 March 2022, to allow time for customers to take final possession of the vehicle.

It should be noted that PHEV owners are still able to avail of other incentives currently in place including: 

- Low rate of annual motor tax; and

- Home charger grant of €600 per household.

In addition, the LEVTI Scheme which offers toll discounts for alternatively fuelled vehicles was introduced in July 2018 and is expected to run until December 31st, 2022 (available only to a maximum of 50,000 LEVs). BEV and PHEVs continue to qualify for 50% and 25% toll reductions respectively up to a maximum €500 annual threshold for private vehicles and a maximum annual threshold of €1,000 for commercial vehicles (greater off-peak rates also apply to the M50 toll).  

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