Applications may be begin to be filled out online beginning Wednesday, but filing of applications will begin at 9 a.m. on January 17, and last until the €600,000 budget for the first application round has been exhausted, according to a KIK press release.

The Ministry of the Environment justified this waiting period by saying that it would give applicants the opportunity to carefully consider what they want and what opportunities are available to them. Applications for support will be reviewed in the order in which they are received.

According to Minister of the Environment Rene Kokk (EKRE), the state wants to use this subsidy to promote environmentally friendlier vehicles.

"Electric vehicles are currently a more environmentally friendly alternative to gas- and diesel powered vehicles," Kokk said. "The more we start using electric vehicles, the more air pollutant emissions are reduced."

"We have thoroughly worked out aspects of the subsidy together with the Ministry of the Environment, taken interest groups' feedback into account and done our best to reach balanced and good conditions," KIK director Andrus Treier said. "We hope that we'll be seeing new environmentally friendly vehicles on Estonia's roads soon."

The investment center is encouraging those with intensive transport needs in particular to apply for the subsidy, including those whose vehicles have high mileage and who do most of their driving in towns and cities, Treier added.

A total of €1.2 million has been earmarked for the program, which will be funded from the proceeds of EU carbon emissions auctions.

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