Dubbed “Driving the Future Today”, the roadmap sets out five pillars to use the funding to help support ULEV take-up, including with fleets, and grow the UK economy.

These cover supporting the early market for ULEVs including through plug in grants or other incentives and by encouraging higher uptake in the public sector. Infrastructure will also be covered through investment for the installation of chargepoints in homes, railway stations and public sector car parks and rapid charge points for longer journeys, as well as new network of hydrogen refuelling stations to support introduction of fuel cell electric vehicles in the UK.

The strategy also says that tax incentives for the purchase of ULEVs should be maintained until at least 2020, while the tax position on ULEVs should be clarified more information provided for fleet managers on costs.

The announcement of the new strategy was made by the Transport Minister during his visit to the LCV2013 event in Bedfordshire.

Norman Baker said: ‘These are exciting times for the motoring industry as ultra low emission vehicles are the future for road travel. Our vision is that by 2050 almost every car and van will be an ultra low emission vehicle with the UK at the forefront of their design, development and manufacture. This strategy moves us up a gear in pursuing that vision.’

The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) is now inviting industry to have a say through a call for evidence on how best to invest the £500m of funding. The call for evidence will be launched shortly.