Scotland aims to be car emission free by 2050

The Scottish Government wants all towns and cities across the country to be free of petrol and diesel emissions by 2050.

It has produced a new report outlining plans to help get private buyers and businesses to switch to electric cars like the Renault Zoe and Nissan Leaf.

Part of the plan includes a £14 million investment for the Government to ditch all the petrol and diesel models currently on its fleet for electric vehicles. And it will also install charging points at all of its main buildings.

The report, called Switched on Scotland, claims that Scottish towns, cities and communities will be free from the ‘damaging effects’ of diesel and petrol model.

It also predicts that by 2040 almost all new vehicles sold will be near zero-emission. And by 2030 half of all fossil-fuelled vehicles will be phased out of urban environments.

As well as the £5,000 grants available to potential buyers, Scottish households can also benefit from a 100 per cent grant for a home charging point.

Meanwhile, the Government says it will help support potential buyers by giving advice on the environmental and financial benefits of buying an E.V. And electric car owners will soon benefit from discounted ferry fares on all routes to Mull and Bute.

Around a third of journeys in Scotland is less than two miles long, while nearly a quarter are less than one mile.