A Danish scheme to incentivise the purchase of electric cars has been authorised by the Commission under the EU State aid rules. The pilot program, aimed at testing electric vehicles in realistic conditions, will benefit by an investment of approximately €2m of public money. The scheme is intended to increase the number of wholly electric powered cars in Denmark. The aid will benefit the purchasers or financial lessees of electric cars and will cover the necessary additional expenditure that purchasing electric vehicles entails including the equipment for charging the vehicles and any expenditure required for the trials. The overall aim of the scheme is environmental protection and with the reduction of CO2 emissions from cars forming an important part of the EU environmental policy.