EVs

Electric car grants to be cut in budget amid rising costs from higher sales

One in five new cars bought are now electric as more drivers move away from petrol and diesel engines

The number of electric car grants paid out has more than doubled from 5,160 in 2020 to 13,412 last year. The cost was €63 million last year and the average value per grant was €4,705

Electric car grants are set to be cut in the budget as more drivers are opting for the vehicles over petrol or diesel models.

The government currently pays grants of between €2,000 to €5,000 for electric cars worth €60,000 or less as part of an effort to encourage their take up in the market.

However, the cost of paying the grants is rising each year due to the increasing number of electric car sales, which ...