Government launches 100m “green car” scheme

The Government is launching a £100m project to promote the benefits of green motoring. Car companies have been invited to bid for the opportunity to promote their electric and ultra-low carbon vehicles across four major UK cities.

The scheme will lead to the introduction of about 100 green cars across Liverpool, Newcastle & Gateshead, Coventry and Leeds. Charging points will be installed across the cities and the local councils will be give £20m to invest in electric vans. Royal Mail and the Metropolitan Police have also signed up to the scheme.

Ford, Mercedes Benz, Citroen and Nissan have been shortlisted to supply the vans.

Geoff Hoon, the transport secretary (pictured), has invited car companies to bid to be part of the project. It is being overseen by the Technology Strategy Board, a government funded body that promotes innovation, research and development in technology.

It is hoped the strategy will encourage consumers to get involved with green motoring and to give feedback on the cars.

A further £20m will be invested in research on improving technology that could make electric and other green cars more practical and affordable.

The green-motoring initiative is part of a wider government plan to make the most of the low-carbon economy, with estimates that around 1 million green jobs could be generated by 2030.

The Government says its £100m investment is part of its commitment to cutting all greenhouse gases by 80% by 2050.

Hoon says: “We must look at these things not only in terms of the impact on the environment but actually in terms of the impact of our economy and the truth is using low-carbon vehicles can often be a great deal cheaper than using their carbon emitting counterparts.”