Government Grants Are Subsidising Luxury Electric Cars For The Rich

Friday, 4 March 2022 11:20

By Caoimhe Harney

That's the finding of a new study.

Government grants are subsidising luxury cars for the rich and jeopardising Ireland's targets for electric vehicles.

That's the finding of a major new study by Trinity College Dublin and Queens University Belfast, which found that most charging points at private houses were in affluent urban areas.

Based on evidence of where electrical vehicles (EVs) recharging points have been installed in private households, the equity gap is most pronounced in urban areas and especially south Co Dublin.

The report recommends that interest free loans would make the target of almost 1 million EV's here by 2030 much more achievable.

Report author Professor Brian Caulfield says the current grant schemes are only benefitting the well off:

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