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The government has extended its support for NFDA’s Electric Vehicle Approved (EVA) accreditation scheme until the end of the financial year in April 2023.

The EVA accreditation scheme was developed in 2019 by the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) to encourage retailers to enhance their expertise in the electric vehicle (EV) sector and support consumer confidence.

The EVA scheme is endorsed and subsidised by the government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and is independently audited by Energy Saving Trust.

EVA certifies the efforts and investments that retailers are making to meet the growing consumer demand for EVs. It is the only scheme that provides an EV-specific accreditation to retailers who meet a set of standards. It recently reached the milestone of 300 EVA accredited sites, with more retailers in the pipeline.

For the year ending April 2023, government will continue to fund the scheme, only for small franchised and independent dealers. Further to this, ministers have agreed to extend the Repair and Aftersales centre pilot scheme for six months, closing at the end of September.

Transport minister Trudy Harrison said: “As we drive towards our net zero ambitions, it’s vital dealerships have the right level of skills and expertise to advise drivers on the important benefits of switching to electric vehicles.

“That’s why this government has supported the brilliant EVA scheme to build buyers’ confidence when thinking of buying an electric vehicle and encourage more motorists to go-electric.”

Tim Anderson, group head of transport at Energy Saving Trust, said: “The Electric Vehicle Approved (EVA) scheme has been instrumental in empowering retailers to enhance their expertise and supporting consumer confidence when purchasing electric vehicles. We welcome the government’s decision to focus the scheme on smaller dealerships, to ensure that funding for the necessary audits reaches the businesses that need it most.

“We look forward to continuing our support of the scheme and working closely with the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) in the transition to net zero.”

Sue Robinson, NFDA chief executive added: “NFDA welcomes the government’s decision to extend funding for the Electric Vehicle Approved (EVA) accreditation scheme. The continued support from governing bodies is testament to the key role that retailers play towards electrification and the transition to a zero-emission market.

“We look forward to extending our collaboration with the government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and Energy Saving Trust for another year.”

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