Photo: BMW
An unexpected blow was dealt to progress in the electrified vehicle market as the Government of Ireland announced it would be reversing a decision giving substantial monetary grants to pre-orderers of plug-in hybrid cars and trucks. RTE, Ireland’s national news publication, reported the response from the public was less than cheerful after the announcement.
According to RTE, representatives within the Irish motor industry have described this abrupt reversal in policy as “shocking” and “deplorable,” among other not-so-kind words in response to the latest news, sparking outrage from PHEV consumers and industry representatives alike.
The new deal was supposed to guarantee a monetary grant of up to €2,500 ($2,912.11). It appears that guarantee has just gone up in smoke. RTE also reported that the Society for the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) claimed the sudden change in policy without prior warning gave no time for retailers, manufacturers, and financing agencies to make necessary adjustments.
SIMI also claimed that the move undermines the international push to achieve a carbon-neutral automotive infrastructure sometime before the next decade is out. According to reports, some 7,658 plug-in vehicles were pre-ordered by Irish citizens in 2021.
Assuming that number doesn’t increase (which it almost certainly will), that’s a total of over €19,000,000 in guaranteed rebate money now faded into the great void of non-existence in the case none of the money had been dispersed to consumers yet.
“This is a terrible decision, which is anti-consumer and anti-environment, only adding to the cost for the customer making a better environmental decision,” Director General of SIMI, Brian Cooke told RTE.
This latest sleight of hand by the Irish government not only undermines the will of Irish motorists but also spits in the face of new regulations by several European Union nations as well as crucial American states like New York and California. Those regulations pledged to eliminate the sale of combustion-powered vehicles sometime in the next ten years.
In the meantime, Ireland will have to find another way of enticing citizens over to the electric revolution. It’s an unnecessary shot in the foot that could have easily been avoided.
The new deal was supposed to guarantee a monetary grant of up to €2,500 ($2,912.11). It appears that guarantee has just gone up in smoke. RTE also reported that the Society for the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) claimed the sudden change in policy without prior warning gave no time for retailers, manufacturers, and financing agencies to make necessary adjustments.
SIMI also claimed that the move undermines the international push to achieve a carbon-neutral automotive infrastructure sometime before the next decade is out. According to reports, some 7,658 plug-in vehicles were pre-ordered by Irish citizens in 2021.
Assuming that number doesn’t increase (which it almost certainly will), that’s a total of over €19,000,000 in guaranteed rebate money now faded into the great void of non-existence in the case none of the money had been dispersed to consumers yet.
“This is a terrible decision, which is anti-consumer and anti-environment, only adding to the cost for the customer making a better environmental decision,” Director General of SIMI, Brian Cooke told RTE.
This latest sleight of hand by the Irish government not only undermines the will of Irish motorists but also spits in the face of new regulations by several European Union nations as well as crucial American states like New York and California. Those regulations pledged to eliminate the sale of combustion-powered vehicles sometime in the next ten years.
In the meantime, Ireland will have to find another way of enticing citizens over to the electric revolution. It’s an unnecessary shot in the foot that could have easily been avoided.
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