First Volvo electric tractor units approved for £25,000 plug-in grant

Volvo Trucks has become the first truck manufacturer in the UK to have four different models of low-emission vehicle approved for the government’s plug-in grant of up to £25,000 on new registrations.

This follows approval of the FH Electric and FM Electric, both as 4×2 tractor units and with the maximum six batteries. The FM Electric can even be specified to meet the three-star Direct Vision Standard for city use, Volvo said.

Both models join the FL Electric 4×2 rigid and the FE Electric 6×2 rigid, which have already been approved for the plug-in grant.

Terms of the large truck grant scheme allow a business, organisation or individual to receive up to five large truck grants each financial year (April 1 to March 31) at £25,000, with a total of 100 large truck grants available across the market annually.

Once these limits have been reached, the grant will be paid at £16,000 for the next 250 grants, and each business, organisation or individual can get up to 10 grants at the £16,000 rate.

After that limit is reached, the maximum a company, organisation or individual can apply for is £5,000, subject to the 1500 grants per customer limit.

“We ended last year with more than 250 electric truck orders secured for the UK and Irish markets,” said Hannah Mayo, director of new vehicle sales, Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland. “With the plug-in grant now extended to include the FH and FM Electric, there’s an extra incentive for UK fleets to begin the transition.

“Plus, with the grant scheme soon resetting for the new financial year, it’s the perfect time to be preparing applications.”

Volvo said all its truck dealers are familiar with the grant process and are ready to make applications on behalf of customers for new registrations.

Claims cannot be made retrospectively.