More electric cars eligible for new Government grants

Thirteen more electric car models are eligible for new UK Government grants.

Drivers can save £1,500 with the purchase of certain Nissan, Renault and Vauxhall models, the Department for Transport (DfT) said.

The discount will be automatically applied at the point of sale.

This comes after four Citroen cars were announced as the first grant-eligible models on Tuesday.

Sustainability standards

More models are expected to be approved in the coming weeks as manufacturers’ applications are assessed against sustainability standards.

The new £650 million electric car grant scheme enables motorists purchasing some new electric cars costing up to £37,000 to save either £1,500 or £3,750, depending on the vehicle’s green credentials.

All models announced so far are eligible for grants of £1,500.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “With discounts on 17 car models announced this week alone, we’re delivering on our promise to make it easier and cheaper for families to go electric.

“This is about backing drivers, putting money back into people’s pockets and creating the jobs and growth that will drive Britain forward.”

Upfront costs

The DfT has previously said many drivers cite upfront costs as a “key barrier” to buying an EV and the grant will bring down prices so they “more closely match their petrol and diesel counterparts”.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “Another wave of cars qualifying for the Government’s revamped electric car grant is yet more welcome news.

“It’s also very positive to see other manufacturers that don’t meet the grant’s green production targets lowering their prices.

“Those looking to make the switch now have a wider choice of better-value vehicles than ever before. This can only help speed up the transition to electric motoring.”

Online vehicle marketplace Auto Trader said it has seen a spike in interest for electric cars since the grant was announced, with interest in some brands trebling.

James Taylor, managing director of Nissan Motor GB, said the announcement that its models will be eligible is “an exciting step in the UK’s electrification journey”.

Steve Catlin, his counterpart at Vauxhall, said the manufacturer has been “committed to electrifying Britain for years”.

Under the Government’s zero emission vehicle (Zev) mandate, at least 28% of new cars sold by each manufacturer in the UK this year must be zero emission, which generally means pure electric.

Across all manufacturers, the figure during the first half of the year was 21.6%.

Colin Walker, head of transport at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit think tank, warned that the impact of the electric car grant scheme could be “undermined” by recent changes to the Zev mandate which mean it will be easier for manufacturers who do not meet the targets to avoid fines.

He added that this risks “driving down EV sales”.

The Government has pledged to ban the sale of new fully petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2030.

Here are the models eligible for the electric car grant:

Citroen: e-C3, e-C4, e-C5 and e-Berlingo.

Renault: Alpine A290, Megane, 4, 5 and Scenic.

Nissan Micra and Ariya (discounts on the Ariya will be available at dealerships from August 13)

Vauxhall: Corsa Electric, Combo Life Electric, Astra Electric, Mokka Electric, Frontera Electric and Grandland Electric.