50 signatures reached
To: Department of Transport & Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Demand Government Subsidies For EV Conversions In Ireland
Start by signing this petition.
Then contact the Department of Transport ([email protected]) and the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications ([email protected]) telling them that you want:
- Access to affordable second-hand electric cars
- That current subsidies only help the wealthy people buying brand new cars
- That VAT, VRT and import tax on used EVs from the UK must be removed to create an affordable second-hand electric car market in Ireland
- That Government subsidies for EV conversions would create an affordable second-hand EV market - as seen in France, with €5,000 conversions
Why is this important?
Ireland has repeatedly missed its greenhouse gas emissions targets and, with the transport sector accounting for 20% of the nation's CO2 emissions, switching to electric vehicles represents a great opportunity to cut emissions quickly.
This also has the benefit of reducing air pollution, which will benefit public health, while the cheaper running costs will help many who are already struggling due to the Cost of Living Crisis.
At present, incentives are only available for brand new electric cars - which makes them unaffordable for the majority of people. This is also delaying an affordable second-hand EV market, which needs to be prioritised if the majority of people are to be able to make the switch.
A key mantra for tackling the Climate Crisis is doing more with less.
Converting petrol, diesel and hybrid cars to run as full EVs is a great example of this – as it takes cars that run perfectly well, but which have high and harmful emissions, and delivers all the benefits of electric cars – such as lower running costs and no air pollution – at an affordable price.
We have previously seen the Irish Government offer scrappage schemes for cars – but this has come at the cost of a lot of metal, plastic and oil waste.
By funding EV conversions instead of supporting scrappage schemes, the Government can not only avoid unnecessary waste, but also help to keep natural resources in the ground by effectively recycling the cars that we already have.
The French Government has made EV conversions available for a price of just €5,000, which is a much more realistic entry point for most people in Ireland. Especially during a cost of living crisis