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New Green Registration Plate for EV Cars

As the month of March approaches and therefore the new car registration, will we see more of the new plate on the roads? And how many will be GREEN?

The Government gave the green light back in December and the plates won’t be fully green, but instead expect to see them feature a green strip down the left-hand side. These new plates will also only be fitted and eligible to fully zero emission vehicles. This therefore means hybrids and plug-in hybrids are not eligible for the new plate.

The decision has come about as the Government are hoping it will raise awareness of the number of zero-emission cars on the road and highlight the benefits involved in local initiatives such as cheaper parking and in some cases cost-free entry into zero-emission zones which are becoming more popular.

The plates are currently going to be optional but there’s the option for them to be retrofitted to existing zero emission vehicles. Recent research from Nissan and YouGov has shown that 32% of people would be more likely to buy an electric car because of the new green strip on the plate and what the benefits can be.

Other research has shown that the plate may influence one in five drivers to buy an electric car. This news follows the Government’s announcement that they plan to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK by 2030.

Grant Shapps, Transport Secretary said, “Green number plates could unlock a number of incentives for drivers and increase awareness of cleaner vehicles on our roads, showing people that a greener transport future is within our grasp.”

AA president Edmund King added, “To achieve government targets on zero emissions we need to encourage more drivers to switch and almost half of AA members say they will consider an EV when they next change their car.”

The electric car market is growing quickly, with more than 164,100 pure-electric cars on UK roads at the end of September 2020. Figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show that electric car sales in the UK have risen dramatically over the past few years. Take a look at how popular they became in 2020 here.

If you’re thinking of making the switch to an Electric Vehicle and you’d like to get more of a feel for information like this or simply the market in general, please get in touch today and one of our team will be happy to assist with any queries you may have.