A new limited €10m scheme which aims to accelerate and incentivise the transition from older, more polluting internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to cleaner electric vehicles (EVs) is being introduced by Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien.

The ICE2EV scheme is a targeted measure to reduce emissions on Irish roads, through the removal of diesel and petrol (ICE) vehicles aged over 13 years from Ireland’s private car fleet and by replacing them with new battery EVs.

The scheme has been designed to focus on the continued use of older, high-emitting diesel and petrol vehicles, often among households facing financial barriers to transition to EVs.

What you need to know

  • The scheme will launch on 1 July.
  • It will be administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).
  • Eligible applicants can receive €5,000 for the scrappage of a qualifying ICE vehicle registered in 2013 or earlier.
  • The payment must be used towards the purchase of a new battery EV.
  • The €5,000 grant is in addition to the existing €3,500 EV grant administered by the SEAI, bringing total available support up to €8,500 per vehicle.
  • Applicants must demonstrate on the date of application that the ICE vehicle has been registered in their name within the State for at least 12 months prior.
  • The ICE vehicle must hold a valid NCT certificate, or one that expired by no more than six months on the date of application.
  • The ICE vehicle must be taxed and insured for road use during the six months prior to the application.
  • The scheme consists of €10m in funding from the Climate Action Fund under the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment.
  • To ensure balanced access, 65% of the funding will be allocated to rural applicants and 35% to urban applicants, based on Central Statistics Office Census 2022 definitions.