Want Money Off A New EV? Here's Everything Eligible For The Electric Car Grant

If you’re shopping for a new electric car this year, the Government’s Electric Car Grant (ECG) could knock anything from £1,500 to £3,750 off the price — and the list of eligible models keeps growing.

The grant launched on 15 July 2025 as the replacement for the old Plug-in Car Grant, with a budget of £650 million committed through to the 2028/29 financial year. Unlike the old scheme, applications are handled at the dealer end. You don’t need to fill in any forms — if you buy an eligible car, the discount is applied automatically at the point of sale.

There are two tiers. Band 1 — worth up to £3,750 — goes to EVs assessed as meeting the highest sustainability standards, including renewable energy use above 80% during manufacturing and verified carbon-neutral production. Band 2 — worth up to £1,500 — covers the wider list of EVs that meet a lower threshold. To qualify at all, a car must be priced at £37,000 or less, produce zero tailpipe CO2, have a minimum 100-mile battery range, and meet the warranty and sustainability criteria the Government has set.

So who’s in?

Band 1 — £3,750 off

Currently a smaller group. The cars approved for the full £3,750 discount include:

Ford Puma Gen-E
Ford E-Tourneo Courier
Renault 5 (52kWh battery versions)
Renault 4 (52kWh)
Renault Megane E-Tech (52kWh)
Renault Scenic E-Tech
Alpine A290
Nissan Micra (52kWh)
BMW MINI Countryman Electric
Citroen ë-C5 Aircross Long Range

Ford was first off the mark, helped by the fact its Puma Gen-E powertrains are built in the UK. The Puma EV is now cheaper to buy than the petrol-powered Puma — a milestone moment.

Band 2 — £1,500 off

A much wider list, currently running to more than 40 cars and growing. Notable inclusions:

Citroen ë-C3, ë-C3 Aircross, ë-C4, ë-C4 X, ë-C5 Aircross, ë-Berlingo, ë-SpaceTourer
Peugeot E-208, E-2008, E-308, E-408, E-Rifter, E-Traveller
Vauxhall Corsa Electric, Astra Electric, Frontera Electric, Mokka Electric, Grandland Electric, Combo Life Electric, Vivaro Life Electric
Volkswagen ID.3, ID.4, ID.5
Fiat 600e, Abarth 600e
Jeep Avenger Electric
Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica
Toyota C-HR+
Kia EV4 (Air Standard Range and Long Range)
Skoda Elroq, Enyaq (SE L 85)
Hyundai Kona Electric

Some manufacturers have layered their own discounts on top

Several brands are running parallel “house” grants to match or exceed the Government rate. Jeep, for instance, has offered an own-brand £3,750 grant across the Avenger Electric range. Suzuki’s “Granted” discount knocks £3,750 off the e Vitara. Jaecoo and Omoda each offer £3,750 deals on their electric models. Hyundai is contributing £3,750 toward Inster deposits on PCP deals, with smaller contributions on Ioniq models. Smart is offering combined manufacturer-plus-grant savings of up to £5,000 on the #1.

Chinese EVs don’t currently qualify

This is worth flagging. The Government has indicated that Chinese-made cars don’t currently meet the scheme’s sustainability criteria — and so far, no Chinese-built model has been approved. Brands like MG and BYD have responded with their own promotional discounting to compete on price.

What it means for drivers

For taxi and private hire drivers who do high mileage, the Electric Car Grant is a useful but not transformational saving. £1,500 to £3,750 off helps, but it’s the running cost gap that does the real heavy lifting — typical home-charging costs of 3-8p per mile against 16-20p for petrol can save high-mileage drivers thousands per year.

The list will keep updating. New approvals come through regularly, and manufacturers are still applying. If you’re shopping for a new EV in 2026, it’s always worth checking the latest position with the dealer or on the official Government list before signing on the dotted line.

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