New car scrappage scheme is not as green as we thought

• May. 18 by Rebekah Douglas (2)

Today’s the day that the government put their ‘going green’ car scrappage scheme into play in order to benefit poorer drivers and potentially the environment, but vehicle manufacturers and the ETA (Environmental Transport Association) have challenged how ‘green’ the scheme really is.

The scrappage scheme offers a discount on new vehicles of £1000 – £2000 in exchange for scrapping the old ones and has officially launches today, May 18th.

 The government intend to keep the scheme in production until March 2010 if funds are kept up throughout the rest of the year and they are hoping that the offer will encourage car owners to cash in on a new model and scrap in their old fuel drinking motors.

Research by the AA has also shown that the scheme will benefit drivers who are heavily affected by the credit crunch.

 http://www.clickgreen.org.uk/news/national-news/12173-scrappage-scheme-launched-today-to-benefit-poorer-drivers,-says-aa.html

 Edmund King, the president of the AA motorist’s body, said: “250,000 car owners would be interested in taking up the offer.” There will be an initial rush to the showrooms.”

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/may/18/car-scrappage-scheme-launch

 However most electric vehicles are not included in the discount offer and natural gas vehicles are only a recent development that has just gone into production.

 Ultra-light vehicle manufacturer and importer Aixam Mega argue that the scheme is no where near as green as it could be.

 An article on clickgreen.org states: “Ultra-light vehicle manufacturer and importer Aixam Mega says the trade-in plan discriminates against some motorists and works against the government’s own plans to encourage the use of electric vehicles.”

 Clickgreen also shows that Lawrence Holland, general manager of Aixam Mega, does not believe that the government are doing all they can to enable the environment to benefit from the scheme. 

Holland said: “The government is missing a big opportunity to put more electric vehicles onto the roads of UK towns and cities.
“The only electric vehicles currently available to most motorists have been specifically excluded from the scrappage scheme.”

 http://www.clickgreen.org.uk/news/national-news/12173-scrappage-scheme-launched-today-to-benefit-poorer-drivers,-says-aa.html

 The telegraph has also stated that environmentalists claim that the scheme is a “bail-out masquerading as a green initiative.”

 The ETA have claimed that the scrapping of old cars has a label of being ‘green’ but as electric and natural gas cars are not available in the discount offer it is therefore not an environmentally friendly project.

 ETA director Andrew Davis said: “Even if the new model you buy is more economical, once you take into account the energy needed to scrap the old car and build an entirely new one, the overall benefits are likely to be tiny.”

 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/environment/5159775/Scrappage-schemes-not-green.html