Jersey's government offers drivers up to £3,500 if they switch to electric vehicles

Drivers in Jersey can get up to £3,500 of government money to help them switch to electric vehicles.

Grants - aimed at reducing the number of petrol and diesel transport on the island's roads - are available for new and used electric cars, vans, mopeds and motorcycles.

The vehicles must be bought through approved retailers and there is also up to £350 on offer to help with the cost of installing a charger at home or outside a small business.

In total, £4.5 million has been set aside from the Climate Emergency Fund to cover these schemes.

"I appreciate and understand that the purchase of a vehicle can be a significant financial cost," Jersey's Climate Change Minister, Deputy Hilary Jeune, said.

"Transport is still responsible for around 40% of our carbon emissions in Jersey, so speeding up the uptake of electric vehicles are a way in which we will start to make real inroads towards our net zero targets."

Jersey has pledged to reach net zero emissions by 2050, which means the amount of greenhouse gases produced is the same as the amount removed from the atmosphere through initiatives such as planting trees to absorb carbon dioxide.

There are just over 68,000 private cars and vans in the island, according to the latest census.

Under the open-ended scheme, electric cars and vans must cost no more than £40,000, with funding offered for up to 35% of the total cost - up to a maximum of £3,500.

There is also £300 available off the price of electric mopeds and motorcycles that cost up to £5,000.

It comes after a similar incentive was rolled out to subsidise e-bikes and more information about the latest government grants can be found here.

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