Tesla is so eager to see motorists in the UK pick up the keys to one of its new EVs that it has announced a scrappage scheme designed to encourage owners of old petrol- and diesel-powered vehicles to trade them in for credit.
Those willing to take the plunge into EV ownership can trade in their old petrol or diesel vehicle with a value of less than £2,000 ($2,482). In addition to receiving a credit for the trade-in value of the car, Tesla will provide an additional credit of £2,000 ($2,482), meaning owners could receive a value of up to £4,000 ($4,965). If an old petrol or diesel vehicle is determined to have a trade-in value of just £1,000 ($1,241), Tesla will also provide a £2,000 ($2,482) bonus.
A report from Car magazine notes that eligible motorists need to have had their vehicle registered in their name for at least three months and it must have at least 30 days of MoT. Additionally, customers must receive confirmation of their trade-in value quote between June 1 and June 30, 2023.
Read: Tesla Axes Right-Hand-Drive Model S And X To “Ramp Up Production”
The American EV manufacturer will then proceed to scrap the vehicles. Tesla has not said what company it will use to scrap the cars other than stating that it is a “sustainable partner.”
Not Everyone Is Happy
While some EV pundits may praise the scrappage scheme, many industry experts do have concerns. For example, the scheme may encourage owners of old petrol and diesel vehicles to scrap them, even if they could be used for several more years. Editor of Classic Car Weekly, David Simister, also believes such a scheme could lead to a number of classic vehicles being scrapped unnecessarily.
“During a Government-backed scheme in 2008-09 some 45 Jaguar XJ-Ss, 81 Morris Minors and 88 Citroën 2CVs were canned, and in 2018 a 1959 Standard Ten narrowly avoided being scrapped in a Ford-led manufacturer scrappage scheme,” he said. “These are cars that are being re-used rather than going through the environmental impact of building a new one from scratch.”
Electrifying also notes that the trade-in prices being offered by Tesla are very low. Indeed, it was offering £1,668 ($2,070) for a 2012 Fiat Panda, despite similar examples routinely trading hands for over £3,000 ($3,742).
