Electric car grants cut by 30% from July

Grants for electric vehicles are to be cut by €1,500 to €3,500 for private buyers from July 1st, when the new 232 registration period begins.

The current maximum grant for car buyers, Sustainable Authority of Ireland (SEAI), is €5,000 and this will remain in place until June 30th.

Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (Zevi), an office within the Department of Transport, announced the changes, saying the focus is turning towards incentivising infrastructure investment and is in line with changes in other European countries.

It said the other supports for electric vehicle purchases remain unchanged. "Vehicle incentives for business stay the same and SEAI will continue to administer the commercially bought EVs and large panel vans grants at current levels. The small public service vehicles (SPSV) grant for taxi and hackney drivers administered by the National Transport Authority (NTA) was renewed in February, while the Alternatively Fuelled Heavy Duty Vehicle Purchase Grant Scheme, managed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland, has also remained unchanged," Zevi said in a statement.