Government Incentives 2 - The Cons

There will also be uncertainty issues for the EV buyer, largely of the sort which inevitably emerge when a new technology hits the market. Consumers will talk about range anxiety (basically your car running out of charge), the length of recharging times (on around six hours or overnight to fully charge the Mitsubishi) and a so-far limited national EV recharging infrastructure.

There has also been initial uncertainty within the industry about EV resale values, though residuals expert CAP said in October that the Leaf will have a shallower depreciation curve than normal cars. They foresee it retaining 46% of its original price (including the grant), after three years or 30,000 miles of usage.

For those of us though who want to be green but remain unconvinced, the ideal compromise might be to buy an extended-range electric vehicle such as the Ampera in 2012. Its electric engine powers the front wheels but once the batteries are depleted, a petrol engine is used to recharge them while on the move. But with the Ampera set to cost £28,995 (including the £5,000 grant), that's still a huge initial outlay in such a much-hyped age of austerity.

There is then a lot of thinking to be done for the new EV buyer. Bide your time and you could miss out on the subsidy. Leap in however and it's an expensive dream fraught with uncertainty.