News that London’s new mayor has scrapped plans to exempt cars with CO₂ emissions below 120 g/km from the congestion charge may have left some reeling. But not NICE electric car customers. Owners will continue to pay nothing to enter the central London zone because exemptions for alternative-fuelled vehicles stay in place.

“After all the confusion, debates and expense, nothing has changed,” said NICE Car Company co-founder Julian Wilford. “For our customers this is good news, but there is no doubt that many who have recently bought a lower-CO₂ emitting petrol or diesel model will be disappointed. The reality is that mixed messages on incentives for the cleanest cars are not helpful for anyone in the long term.”

“Electric cars like the NICE Mega City emit no CO₂ or other air quality pollutants,” added Wilford. “It’s right that these compact, clean vehicles pay nothing to enter the zone.

Concerns about mixed messages were recently raised by NICE after the City of London announced moves to scrap free parking for electric vehicles. The good news is that this is out-of-step with other authorities in the capital - and across the country.

Forward-thinking councils like Westminster have recently improved incentives, increasing the number of electric recharging points to 12, complementing free parking for residents and at on-street pay-and-display bays.

For an up-to-date list of incentives available to owners of all-electric vehicles in London, council-by-council visit: http://www.electricparking.com/lists.html