Copyright jerseyeveningpost
MORE than half of Islanders who bought an electric vehicle say they would not have done so without the government’s incentive scheme, according to new data highlighting the impact of Jersey’s now-closed grant programme. A government survey of grant recipients found that 59% of individuals and 71% of businesses said the Electric Vehicle Purchase Incentive (EVPI) was the deciding factor in their decision to buy an EV. The £3 million scheme – which offered up to £3,500 off new electric cars and vans – ran from 2023 until December 2024, when its funding was fully allocated. The survey found that 82% of respondents were first-time EV owners, and two-thirds had replaced their petrol or diesel cars entirely. Among businesses, 41% reported that all company mileage was now electric. Most EV owners charge their vehicles at home, with 79% saying they rely primarily on private charging. While satisfaction with running costs and driving experience was high, respondents raised concerns about charging infrastructure. Only 6% reported using public chargers regularly, with some complaining that they are hard to access or sometimes broken. One business responding to the survey said: “The price has recently jumped which has made us very aware of how beholden we are to a single supplier, unlike other locations which have greater choice”. The government report concluded that the EVPI had accelerated Jersey’s transition to low-emission transport, but said that further progress will depend on improving public charging access and local servicing capacity.
