The government has announced that plug-in grant scheme for electric cars has been extended to include electric vans.

This means that buyers will get 20% off the price of a plug-in electric van, up to a maximum of £8,000.

Eligibility criteria for vans include:

• Vans must new and have a gross weight of under 3.5t
• Tailpipe CO2 emissions of 75g/km or less
• Minimum range of 60 miles for fully electric vans or 10 miles on electric power for plug-in hybrid vans
• Maximum speed of at least 50mph
• A 3-year vehicle and drivetrain warranty.

You can see full details of eligibility requirements here, on the DfT website. The grant is only available to vans which are on the DfT’s approved list – van manufacturers can submit their vans for approval at any time and the deadline for inclusion on the initial list is 31st January 2012.

Commenting on the decision, Transport Minister Norman Baker said:

“Electric vehicles are the arrowhead for a low carbon revolution in motoring and as more models come to market we’ll begin to see sales gather pace.

“Car buyers have had a year to take advantage of our grant and now it’s time for van buyers to get their chance to go electric. This is great news for businesses given the lower running costs of these vehicles – fleet buyers tell us that this is one of the most important factor influencing their decision on what to buy.”