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Sweden offers rebates for green cars |
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The Swedish Government will reward the purchase of environmentally friendly cars to encourage investment in fuel-efficient vehicles. The bonus scheme will run until end-2009.
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2007-04-02
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The government will provide an incentive of 10,000 Swedish kronors (SEK) – around 1069 Euros - to car buyers of "green cars" that do not emit more than 120 g/km of CO2. The Ministry of Environment expects this move to raise the sales of environmentally friendly vehicles by up to 15%.
The incentive, valid from 1 April 2007 until end 2009, is part of the government's push to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from transport. The new rebate scheme will be the world's first initiative of this kind and could set an example for other countries to follow.
In total, the Swedish government will allocate 50 million SEK in 2007 and another 200 million SEK in 2008-2009 for the rebate. The incentives are applicable to all petrol, diesel, alternative fuel and electric cars registered in the Swedish Road Traffic Register.
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Reactions
"People should feel the environmental benefits with their heart, but also see them in their wallet," Sweden's Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren said.
"This is a means of providing a strong push for fuel-efficient cars. The hope is that the momentum created now will keep the wheels moving after 2009," Carlgren concluded.
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Background
In February, the European Union proposed to limit CO2 emissions from vehicles to 120 g/km by 2012, replacing a target of 140 g/km the auto industry agreed to achieve voluntarly by 2008. Recent studies had shown that ¾ of carmakers operating in Europe would miss this voluntary target.
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More information:
› Press Release Swedish Ministry of the Environment, 30 March
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