Filenews 2 October 2021 - byAngelos Nikolaou
Citizens who will proceed with the purchase of a new electric car, in combination with the withdrawal of an old vehicle, will benefit up to €10,000. The plan, which takes its final form through consultations with stakeholders, is expected to be ready for announcement towards the end of October and immediately afterwards interested parties will have to submit their applications.
With the generous plan for the promotion of an electric vehicle, an amount of €4 million is expected to be allocated with the first announcement. and an estimated 300 new types of electric vehicles will be purchased. The project will continue with new calls for tenders with the available budget amounting to €30 million. for all categories of private car purchase until 2030.
According to information from 'F', this plan will have two gradations. The first purchase of an electric vehicle will have a sponsorship of €9,000 and if combined with the withdrawal, another €1,000 will be available. This plan concerns only those who wish to buy an electric vehicle whose purchase price does not exceed €65,000 (VAT is not included). The procedure to be followed by the notice concerns the application of the principle of priority time "first come first served". Therefore, whoever makes his application first will be put on a first come, first served basis. It is estimated that the project from the moment it opens due to the great interest that will be observed will be closed in about half an hour, after which the available funds will be exhausted. The conditions of the plan that will be announced include the registration of a new vehicle in the name of the applicant and there are already companies selling electric vehicles that have prepared relevant lists with the interested parties. Electric vehicles combine a number of benefits that have to do with the fact that they do not pollute the environment, are completely silent and have zero fuel consumption. At the same time, there are models on the market that can cover distances with only one charge, exceeding even 500 kilometres.
The main factor that affects the price of electric vehicles is the battery which has high production costs, which affects the price of the vehicle as a whole. At this point comes the sponsorship of €9,000 by the Government that enables the citizen instead of buying a conventional car of the brand of his choice, which costs €20,000, to buy the corresponding electric vehicle that costs €29,000.
It is noted that lately there is a heated debate and it is still pending for the sponsorships that will be given to used electric vehicles provided that they are of new technology up to two years old. The reason why the sponsorship of the purchase of used vehicles has not yet been determined has to do with the differences between the two camps that have been created, that of the sellers of new vehicles and that of the used vehicles. Once the consultations are completed, the transport minister is expected to get a comprehensive proposal to the Cabinet for approval.
It is emphasized that incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles will be given for all private cars, mopeds, buses, commercial, even taxis.
At the same time, the Government will announce additional incentives for the purchase of an electric vehicle, which will be combined with tax reliefs.
Besides, the government's desire is to create a critical mass in the electric car market that will be supportive of other actions that will proceed in parallel with the charging network of electric vehicles at central points, even on motorways.
In all the plans there is provision for the development of parking and recharging infrastructure for electric vehicles in accessible places. Within five years, 1,000 charging stations will be installed in cities and at the same time 40 fast-charging stations will be installed on motorways and public places.
The charging network will be expanded depending on sales of zero-emission cars. It is noted that the installation of charging points will be at regular intervals on major highways, approximately every 60 km for electric charging.
Furthermore, there are other government plans in progress which are reviewed at regular intervals with financial incentives for the installation or expansion of photovoltaic modules in homes, with a charging point, as well as a smart electricity meter from the EAC.
Target 25% of new registrations by electric
The implementation of the General Policy Framework for the promotion of the use of electric vehicles will contribute both to the de-dependence on polluting fuels and to the reduction of pollutants, which is also the goal of the European Union in the context of the Green Deal. In the transport sector, Cyprus has an obligation to reduce polluting emissions to 50%. Based on the national target set within a decade, by 2030, 25% of new vehicle registrations must be electrified. From 2030, almost all government vehicles will also be electrified.
Commission decisions to reduce emissions
Recently, the Commission announced stricter CO2 emission standards for cars and trucks that will accelerate the transition to zero-emission mobility, requiring a reduction in average emissions of new cars by 55% from 2030 and 100% from 2035 compared to 2021 levels and by 50% and 100% for new vans respectively. As a result, all new cars and vans registered from 2035 will have zero emissions.
The following could be described as significant benefits of this legislation: (a) the reduction of CO2 emissions from vehicles and vans by 55-56% in 2035 and 83-89% in 2040 compared to 2005, (b) the improvement of air quality and the reduction of air pollution in mainly urban areas, (c) the reduction of the cost of using vehicles, (d) the creation of new jobs, (e) the reduction of oil imports.
