Government may pay drivers to go electric

For years either the object of wishful thinking or downright ridicule, it looks like the electric car could soon be dominating Britain's roads.

In the past, motorists have been offered a variety of off-the-wall concept vehicles, including those manufactured by the likes of Sinclair and Segway, though all but a handful shunned promises of cheaper driving for traditional gas-guzzling cars.

Indeed, not even the news that Segway is currently working with General Motors in developing a two-wheeled, two-seat electric vehicle for use in urban areas is likely to hold much sway with many people, with most likely to prefer high fuel bills and a large carbon footprint to public derision.

However, it now appears that ministers are latching on to the one incentive that is likely to tempt UK drivers out of their gas-guzzlers and into lithium-powered alternatives: cold hard cash.

Under new proposals being looked at by prime minister Gordon Brown, motorists could be offered a £2,000 government subsidy to purchase an electric car.

Given that a standard G-Wiz electric vehicle currently costs just £7,995, this means that consumers could be on the road with a new set of wheels for just under £6,000 - a proposition likely to attract some attention, particularly when the current economic climate and future fuel savings are taken into account.

"This is a major part of our plan for recovery in the Budget. We will set our proposals for a greener economy," Mr Brown stated.

"This is a job creator, a quality of life improver, and an environment-enhancing measure. We want to harness a general desire among people to be part of this."

What's more, plans are also being put into place to improve the infrastructure for electric vehicles within the UK, with critics having argued for years that drivers would find it difficult to 'charge-up' anywhere outside of central London.

Under proposals being put forward by one American firm new stations capable of recharging state-of-the-art batteries in minutes rather than hours will be established across the country, though again the initial focus would be on introducing such 'juice points' in London first.

However, the problem of building enough power points to meet the planned boom in electric car numbers remains, though with the government now putting its money where its mouth is when it comes to green motoring, the days of the internal combustion engine-powered family car could indeed be a thing of the past.