| Sourced From Verdictoncars.co.uk |
The government has announced that it is aiming to achieve a 40% decrease in average new car CO2 by 2020.
The target is contained in a white paper called the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan. Its ambitious nature is highlighted by that fact that the actual CO2 drop between 1997 and 2008 was just 19.8%.
Cutting CO2 from new cars is one measure that will help government meet legally binding CO2 reductions of 34% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. In addition 40% of electricity generation should come from renewable sources including nuclear and ‘clean’ coal, the white paper says.
Separately, the government has published new steps to boost the market for greener cars. These form part of its carbon-reduction strategy in a vision called Low Carbon Transport, A Greener Future.
A new cross-departmental Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) is to be formed with £30m in funding supplied to consortia of cities and companies, who will create a hub of electric car centres across the UK. However, it’s unclear if this is in addition to the £25m announced by the Government Technology Strategy Board at the end of June.
Incentives for new electric and hybrid models, expected to apply from 2011, have also been clarified, with only cars emitting less than 75g/km of CO2 eligible for grants worth up to £5,000.
