Motorists would be persuaded to go green with their next vehicle if the government provided a £5,000 grant towards the cost, findings have shown.
According to research by TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk, 60 per cent of visitors to the portal would opt for an electric vehicle if the government provided such a subsidy.
The Department for Transport announced plans for the scheme in April, stating that initiatives for providing Britons with the grants are likely to be in place by 2011, with subsidies expected to be between £2,000 and £5,000.
Vehicles such as the Vauxhall Ampera expected by 2012 and Toyota's plug-in Prius expected in the UK by 2010 are likely to qualify for the scheme, the website suggests, but adds that lower-priced first generation electric models currently available are unlikely to qualify due to strict criteria.
However, the portal claims that many of the models set to emerge onto the electric car market could be priced out of the reach of many consumers, at between £20,000 and £94,000.
As such, the website is calling for the subsidies to be on the generous side, potentially making them a more viable option for budget-conscious
eco car insurance policyholders.
"Even with the incentive, the price difference between conventional cars and these new generation electric and hybrid cars could remain a significant deterrent," commented Faye Sunderland, spokesperson for TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk.
"Our poll shows that there is strong public support for electric cars but without commitment of the car makers and the UK government, prices will remain too high for most," she added.
Eco car insurance policyholders can currently order electric cars from specialist manufacturer Tesla, with the vehicles set to enter the market in 2011.
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