Do You Drive A Green Car In The UK? Make Your Ride Stand Out With The New Green Plates From The DVLA
The accelerated and unprecedented rate of climate change has led many Governments including in the UK to change how they approach environmental protection. Given that the use of fossil fuels in powering machines has been fingered as the main culprit in the deterioration of the climatic conditions, Governments are fostering the adoption of use of sustainable energy especially in the automotive sector.
In the UK, authorities have put in place incentives to encourage the use of sustainable energy in the automotive sector by introducing favourable policies for manufacturers and importers of green cars. Today, drivers of green cars can also use low emission lanes on highways as well as use a line of special new plates known as ‘Green Plates’ which can only be used on green cars.
At this point, you may be wondering if your car qualifies for a green plate. To understand the answer to this question, we must first define what type of vehicle is considered to be green or environmentally friendly.
A green car is a vehicle that is powered through sustainable forms of energy. This basically means a vehicle that does is not powered by fossil fuels such as diesel or gasoline. The green cars in the market today use alternative types of fuel. Your vehicle is a green car if:
- It is powered purely by electricity
- It is powered by solar
- It is a hybrid car that uses both gasoline and electricity
- It is powered by hydrogen
Note that though there are plans to introduce green plates for all cars that rely on clean energy in the UK, the new green plates will only be available to drivers of cars that are powered purely by electricity.
So, how do the new green plates differ from conventional plates?
The new green plates are similar to the standard plates that you will find on UK cars except that they have a green label on the edge.
If you are wondering why you should install these new plates, here are the benefits…
For starters, you will get to stand out as a citizen who is fully committed to the global goal of lowering carbon emissions. Given that human beings are social animals who like to ape the actions of their peers, you are highly likely to influence people in your close circles to start using green cars once you install this type of plate on your vehicle.
With each passing day, local authorities are passing new laws designed to increase the uptake and use of green energy. As a trendsetter in the use of a green car which will be highly visible through the new green plates, you will be in a prime position to enjoy any new incentives introduced by both national and local authorities.
With a car that bears green plates, you will also be able to freely access and drive through zones that are designated as low-emission zones. Drivers with cars that do not bear green plates on the other hand will not be able to access these zones.
Additionally, though they are not many road lanes that have been set aside for use by green cars, the Government through the Ministry of Transport is mulling the addition of such lanes across the country. This means that with green plates, you will have a more convenient and hassle-free driving experience since you will have access to these decongested lanes.
To apply for the new green plates, you can visit the official DVLA website or make your application through www.theprivateplateco.co.uk.