The Association of British Drivers (ABD) is calling for the Government to immediately stop giving £5,000 of taxpayers’ money to buyers of new electric cars, typically costing around £25,000 after subsidy.

ABD chairman Brian Gregory said: "Leaving aside the considerable doubt that CO2 has any significant impact on climate change, it is quite clear that when so many are struggling to survive, there is no excuse for giving away taxpayers money to anybody who has £25,000 to spend on a new car. This is even more the case when the environmental claims for the vehicles in question are shown to be unfounded".

ABD spokesman Nigel Humphries added: "It could be argued that the most environmentally friendly vehicles are those that last the longest. If the government wish to 'social engineer' the car market, they may be better encouraging manufacturers to produce simple, easy to repair cars with guaranteed spares backup for many years. They could also reintroduce subsidies for LPG conversions which would help poorer drivers converting older vehicles."