The Government’s policy on electric cars and vans is thwarting its own green agenda, electric vehicle manufacturer Aixam Mega warns.

A report published by the Government’s Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) reviews the progress that has been made to date on sustainable development.

However, it provides details of how the 2005 Government strategy ‘Securing the Future’ has failed in several areas, notably its aim to bring about a reduction in greenhouse gases of 20% by 2010.

The report says that there has actually been an increase, once emissions from trade and travel are taken into account.

Aixam Mega says that government electric vehicle programmes and incentives focus exclusively on models and technologies that are still a long way from being commercially available.

“By allowing commercially ready vehicles such as ours onto their programmes, the government could make real progress towards achieving its carbon reduction targets,” explained Aixam Mega general manager Lawrence Holland.