Buyers of motorcycles such as the Harley Davidson Live Wire will benefit from the UK’s plug-in grant (bettorodrigues/Bigstock.com)

The first ever electric motorcycle to be subsidised by the government’s plug-in grant system has hit UK streets.

Fred Murphy from Redhill, Surrey, took advantage of the grant, which covers 20% of the cost of a new – motorbike, up to a maximum of £1,500.

Until recently, e-motorcycles did not enjoy the same access to plug-in grants as electric cars, which have been subsidised since 2011.

The government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) gave e-motorbikes the green light in October 2016.

Mr Murphy picked up his new Zero FXS from motorcycle dealership 21st Moto in Kent.

The motorcyclist of 25 years said he was interested in new technology, prompting him to trade in his petrol bike for the e-motorbike.

Murphy said: “As an ‘electronics geek’ and an early adopter, I have always been interested in electric bikes and tried my first Zero back in 2012, so when the ‘plug-in’ grant finally came in, this was enough to justify my jump to electric.”

Boasting a top speed of 85 miles an hour and a range of 60 miles, the Zero FXS can be charged on a domestic plug socket – costing only a penny a mile to power.

Rob Francis, the dealer principal of 21st Moto, said: “The dealership does all the work, so there are no forms to fill out or paperwork to complete.”

“The dealer makes the application direct to OLEV and the price is reduced by £1,500 or 20 per cent of the total purchase cost, whichever is the smaller number.”

Learn more about electric motorbike grants from Gov.uk.