The shift to ultra-low emission vehicles presents unique environmental and economic
opportunities for the UK. It offers the potential to decarbonise road transport while still enabling
mobility and stimulating the kind of green jobs and investment that we require to help rebalance
our economy.

Reducing transport emissions will require a range of different technologies and solutions in the
future. To help support this transition, the Government is committed to growing the market for
plug-in vehicles in the UK. This is due to the contribution that they, and other low and ultra-low
carbon technologies, can make across our economic and environmental priorities – climate change,
green growth, energy security, decarbonising the electricity system and air quality.

The Government is taking an integrated and pragmatic approach to support market growth:

• The Spending Review made provision of over £300m over the life of this Parliament for the Plug-
In Car Grant to reduce the upfront cost of eligible vehicles to consumers and businesses.

• Consumers and businesses also benefit from a favourable tax regime, with plug-in vehicles
receiving Vehicle Excise Duty and Company Car Tax exemptions, as well as Enhanced Capital
Allowances.

• The Plugged-In Places programme has made £30m available to match-fund eight pilot
projects installing and trialling recharging infrastructure in the UK to support the Carbon Plan
commitment to install up to 8,500 chargepoints.

• Recognising that continued growth in recharging infrastructure will be driven by private sector
investment, which could be constrained by the ability to raise finance, there is the potential
for the Green Investment Bank to provide targeted financial solutions for appropriate plug-in
vehicle infrastructure projects.

• The Government is also supporting low and ultra-low carbon vehicle Research, Development
and Demonstration focusing on priorities identified in conjunction with the UK Automotive
Council.

This Strategy sets the framework for the development of recharging infrastructure to support plugin
vehicle owners and industry in the UK. By providing a clarity of approach and removing barriers
for those wishing to invest in, provide or benefit from such infrastructure, this Strategy aims to
stimulate and accommodate the expected growth in the plug-in vehicle market.

In the period up to 2015, we expect to see tens of thousands of plug-in vehicles on the roads in
the UK, with manufacturers bringing increasing numbers of models to market. In the period from
2015 to 2020 we expect to see the number of plug-in vehicles accelerate as costs reduce and
vehicle manufacturers bring forward a wider range of plug-in vehicle models in order to meet their
stringent 2020 CO2 targets under the European New Car CO2 Regulation.

The rate at which the plug-in vehicle market develops in the UK will be determined by a range of
factors, such as consumer acceptance and oil prices, which are difficult to predict. Independent
forecasts suggest that hundreds of thousands of plug-in vehicles could be on the road by 2020 and
we need to be equipped to deal with this; but we also need to be ready to accommodate an even
more rapid rate of growth should this occur.
 

The evidence base
The Plugged-In Places programme is the key mechanism for commencing the roll-out of
recharging infrastructure in the UK and providing learning to inform the future development
of a national network. In addition, the Energy Technologies Institute Plug-In Vehicle Economics
and Infrastructure Programme and the Technology Strategy Board’s Ultra-Low Carbon Vehicle
Demonstrator Programme have informed this Strategy. We have also worked closely with the
energy utilities, plug-in vehicle manufacturers, chargepost manufacturers and have sought insights
from a range of global initiatives.
 

Our vision for recharging
Our approach is not to mandate ‘a chargepoint on every corner’ – this is not necessary to help
the market grow and would be uneconomic. Rather, for plug-in vehicles to appeal to, and be a
viable solution for, consumers, we want recharging infrastructure to be targeted, convenient and
safe. We want to see the majority of recharging taking place at home, at night, after the peak in
electricity demand. Home recharging should be supported by workplace recharging for commuters
and fleets, with a targeted amount of public infrastructure where it will be most used, allowing
people to make the journeys they want.

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