“ACFO initially welcomed the Budget Statement announcement confirming extension of the Plug-In Car Grant to 2022-23.

“However, ACFO was subsequently dismayed to read in a later announcement by the Department for Transport and the Office for Low Emission Vehicles that the current £3,500 Grant for zero emission vehicles was actually being cut with immediate effect to £3,000, while cars costing £50,000 or more would be excluded.

“ACFO is hugely disappointed that a supplementary note was issued with a key change – the cut to £3,000 – that has a huge impact on many currently popular electric cars.

“Whilst ACFO welcomes the overall Budget Statement, any erosion of the benefits of electric vehicles will impact uptake and this £500 cut goes against the raft of ‘green’ motoring-related initiatives contained in various announcements by the Chancellor.

“The Budget Statement made great play on the Government “getting things done” and it being a “Budget that delivers in challenging times”. Well this cut to the Plug-In Car Grant makes a swathe of electric vehicles more expensive and thus dilutes the benefits.”