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Ministers introduce plan for electric cars
Sunday, November 23, 2008 By Niamh Connolly, Political Correspondent
The government is expected to unveil a plan this week to meet a target of having 10 per cent of the vehicles in the country powered by electricity by 2020.

The Electric Transport Programme, which will be announced by energy minister Eamon Ryan and transport minister Noel Dempsey, aims to cut carbon emissions from transport.

The Finance Bill last week extended the capital allowance scheme to include alternative fuel vehicles and the government wants Ireland to become a centre for ‘clean’ investment opportunities.

It has been examining countries such as Israel and Denmark, which are developing new electric grid systems that can handle large amounts of electric vehicles. Better Place, an international technology company that designed the system in Israel - which uses smartcard technology and battery swaps - has already been in talks with Ryan and with the ESB.

Some in the industry believe that 25 per cent of all cars could be electrified by 2020 if further incentives and proper infrastructure are put in place. The infrastructure required would include charging points, dedicated parking areas, on-street sockets, and extra bus lanes.

Green Aer, a Dublin firm that sells the Reva electric commuter car, has been lobbying the government for tax incentives to encourage a switch to green vehicles. The company will soon have a lithium-ion battery allowing a vehicle to travel 125 kilometres without a recharge.

Car manufacturers, including Renault-Nissan, expect to have long-distance electric cars in production by 2011.Fine Gael’s energy spokesman Simon Coveney has called for ‘‘radical and ambitious thinking’’ in electric transport.

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