The government has announced that motorcycles and scooters will be part of ecological vehicle projects in the future, following consultation with industry giants including Suzuki, Harley Davidson, BMW, Volt, and Mahindra.

To support this policy adjustment, £7.5 million in funding has been earmarked to boost the uptake of electric bikes and scooters until 2020. This will be used to provide grants of up to £1,500 to those who purchase the vehicles, which will allow them to offset their initial investment and subsequent running costs.

It will also make low-emission models available at a similar price to more conventional petrol versions.

The announcement was made by business minister Matthew Hancock, who said: “Low emission vehicles are the future and show that we can meet our climate change commitments without giving up our cars or motorbikes. Electric motorcycles and scooters have got fantastic potential and can be a real force for good.”