In an electrifying move, Fiat is sparking up conversations with the UK Government, urging them to recharge their electric car grant program. The Italian car giant, known for its zippy Fiat 500e and the family-friendly Fiat 600e, is revving up its efforts by boosting its own FIAT E-Grant to a generous £3,000 (INR 3.15 lakh). This initiative comes as the private electric vehicle (EV) market shows a decline, with sales down by a shocking 25.1% compared to last year.
“More needs to be done,” proclaims Fiat UK’s Managing Director, Damien Dally, as he drives home the need for more support to switch gears to electric. This call to action is in line with the alarming report by the House of Lords, warning of a climate change ‘slow lane’ if the Government doesn’t step on the accelerator.
Currently, EV sales are trailing at just 14.7% of new registrations. With the UK’s ambitious target of 80% EV sales by 2030 looming, the road ahead looks challenging. Fiat’s expansion of its E-Grant demonstrates its commitment to this eco-friendly journey, yet Dally emphasizes the need for governmental fuel in this race against climate change.
“The UK has crossed the one million EV mark, a milestone indeed, but the private car market is hitting speed bumps,” Dally adds. With the Spring Budget on the horizon, Fiat’s rallying cry is clear: reintroduce consumer incentives or risk putting the brakes on the progress made so far and jeopardizing net zero climate targets.
Fiat’s pioneering stance isn’t new. They were the first to introduce their own electric car grant in response to the Government pulling the plug on financial incentives for retail customers to go electric. Initially available for the Fiat 500e models, the grant now extends to the new Fiat 600e and Abarth 500e, showing that Fiat isn’t just idling around when it comes to electric dreams.
