Electric cars grant scheme to be rolled out for e-scooters
Transport Minister says e-bikes could play a key role in cutting emissions if they are used to replace our shorter car journeys
THE Government is planning to extend the current grant scheme for electric cars to e-bikes and e-scooters, the Irish Mail on Sunday has learned.
The only grants available for electric-powered vehicles consist of a maximum grant of €5,000 for qualifying new battery-electric vehicles.
However, e-scooters and e-bikes cannot receive grant aid of any sort because they have yet to be legalised here – though this is due to change when the Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021 is enacted later this year.
The Bill, which is before the Houses of the Oireachtas, is expected to complete all stages in the coming months, a Department of Transport spokesman said.
Transport Minister and Green party leader Eamon Ryan has now indicated that once it is passed, he will make grants available for e-bikes and for e-scooters.
Mr Ryan was responding to queries from Green Party TD Brian Leddin, who asked whether he planned to ‘extend the SEAI [Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland] grants scheme for electric vehicles to smaller and lighter electric vehicles, including e-bikes and e-cargo bikes as an energysaving initiative.
Mr Ryan said: ‘I am keen to encourage greater adoption of e-bikes and e-cargo bikes. My department is examining various options which could involve direct and/or indirect financial supports either through existing or new schemes.’
A department spokesman confirmed: ‘We are continuing to examine a number of options in relation to encouraging the takeup of electric bikes and cargo bikes as part of our unprecedented investment in cycling and walking infrastructure. ‘No decision has been made at this stage on the scope or type of grant or cost reduction measures to be delivered.’ Commenting on the move, an informed source said: ‘There’s a growing realisation that if we are to meet the target of 945,000 electric vehicles on our roads by 2030, every avenue needs to be explored, even electric scooters.’
Speaking to the MoS, Mr Leddin said: ‘We have to get smart in how we cut emissions and the scooter and bike can play a key role in this.
‘Over 37% of transport emissions are from cars going on short trips of less than 8km. School runs, the groceries, Mass, sports, that is the low-hanging fruit we should aim for. We need to and are moving from the two-car driveway to the one car, one electric scooter driveway.’
The options for the Government include extending the Cycle to Work scheme or direct grants under the SEAI scheme. The Government already promotes climatefriendly transport via Cycle to Work, a tax-break on the first €1,250 of expenditure for bicycles and €1,500 for specified e-bikes.
The bikes must be a ‘pedelec, ie a bicycle or tricycle, which is equipped with an auxiliary electric motor having a maximum continuous rated power of 0.25 kilowatts, of which output is progressively reduced and finally cut off as the bicycle reaches a speed of 25kph, or sooner if the cyclist stops pedalling’.
Expenditure on the Cycle to Work scheme was €4million in 2020, the latest available figure shows.
There is no indication of how much will be spent on the e-scooter and wider e-bike fund.
Mr Leddin said SEAI-style grants would be more accessable than the Cycle to Work scheme.
He said: ‘The latter is somewhat exclusionary, it is confined to those on PAYE, there is no scheme for the elderly or for self-employed.’
Grants worth several thousand euro are paid for electric cars on a sliding scale for vehicles costing €14,000 to a cap of €60,000 with no payment being made below the €14,000 and above the €60,000 threshold.
There are currently more than 41,000 electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid cars on Irish roads.
‘E-scooters and e-bikes could help cut emissions’
‘We need to move away from two-car driveways’