THE take-up by motorists of a Government scheme to promote “green” vehicles has been “less than electrifying”, the RAC Foundation said.

Highlighting official Government figures, the foundation said that just 215 electric cars were bought under the scheme in the period April-June 2011.

This compared with 465 for January-March 2011 – the first three months of the scheme.

Under the Plug-in Car Grant scheme, individuals and businesses have been able to apply for discounts of up to £5,000 on the purchase of cars producing 75g or less of C02 per one kilometre.

However, the cars qualifying for the scheme cost much more than £20,000 even including the Government discount, although the Government hopes that in time, as manufacturers make these vehicles in greater volume, the cost will come down.

The RAC Foundations said: “Low-carbon vehicle take-up has been less than electrifying.”

It added that the figure of 680 represented – in grants – just £3.4 million of the £43 million the Government has set aside for the scheme until the end of March 2012.

The foundation’s director Professor Stephen Glaister said: “We back this scheme but the figures show the mountain we have to climb if the national car fleet of 28 million vehicles is to turn truly green.