7
Electric
Electric Car Grant: here's every car in the UK that gets the discount
Top Gear's big fat roundup of every EV eligible for a bit of money off
Good news: the Electric Car Grant has returned! As surely everyone is thinking, ain’t no party like an ECG party. And like all good ECG parties, this one comes with fun like: rules! Stipulations! Eligibility criteria!
The government of the United Kingdom has introduced two bands in order to obtain this ECG: Band 1, which offers a fat £3,750 discount for those cars with the lowest CO2 manufacturing footprint, and Band 2, which offers a less fat £1,500 discount for those cars above a certain threshold.
The government of the United Kingdom has not yet confirmed what those thresholds are, but after a slow start we're now seeing electric cars that do actually qualify for the fat £3,750 discount.
Here’s a big list of every car that gets at least some money off...
Advertisement - Page continues belowAlpine A290
What is it?
The hot version of the new Renault 5 supermini.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500 (Band 2).
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £32,000.
What do you think of it?
It's a very different experience to hot Clios of old, but still a good one… there’s a sense of humour, good looks, usable performance, gadgets to play with and it’s well priced.
Citroen e-C3
What is it?
It’s the electric version of Citroen’s best-selling car ever, the C3.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £20,595.
What do you think of it?
There’s a lot we really, really like about the Citroen e-C3… and not a lot we don’t.
Advertisement - Page continues belowCitroen e-C3 Aircross
What is it?
Essentially a slightly larger, raised version of the standard C3 supermini.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £21,595.
What do you think of it?
It fulfils its brief as a slightly roomier C3 without becoming too posh or too expensive.
Citroen e-C4
What is it?
Good question. It’s still a hatchback, but slightly taller. Not tall enough to be an SUV, and too sleek of boot to be a crossover.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £26,150.
What do you think of it?
It's an interestingly styled hatch with a very reasonable asking price.
Citroen e-C4 X
What is it?
Largely identical to the e-C4, only with an elongated rear end.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £27,215.
What do you think of it?
Could do with a slightly firmer setup for better body control: the extra weight (over 200kg vs the hybrid) means it suffers from a bounce and a wallowyness that isn’t there in the hybrids.
Citroen e-C5 Aircross
What is it?
A big, friendly Citroen, now in its second generation and freshly electrified.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
What will it cost?
From £32,565.
What do you think of it?
We've not driven it yet, but it sits on the same bones as the Peugeot e-3008 and e-5008, and both of those are decent...
Advertisement - Page continues belowCitroen e-Berlingo
What is it?
A van-based car that offers immense practicality and loads of space.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £29,740.
What do you think of it?
Enormously practical and built for family life, the Berlingo does all you could realistically ask of it.
Cupra Born
What is it?
A very competent electric hatchback.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £34,190.
What do you think of it?
The Born is an entirely predictable and yet very well executed first electric car from Cupra. Just don’t go thinking it's an electric hot hatch. Unless it's the VZ, in which case... it pretty much is.
Advertisement - Page continues belowDS 3 E-Tense
What is it?
A posh electric hatchback on stilts.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £35,495.
What do you think of it?
The DS 3's quirky design, upmarket trim and premium features will be reasons enough to get one over the more practical rivals, even with its dynamic shortcomings.
DS No4 E-Tense
What is it?
A facelifted version of the old DS 4 with a new face, new name and all-electric powertrain.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £35,495.
What do you think of it?
Whether or not you actually want a car with such self-conscious styling is a question that comes up with any DS model. But with the 4, we think it's easier to want than the others. And that styling wraps a properly competitive car.
Ford Puma Gen-E
What is it?
Ford’s Fiesta-based crossover with its engine ripped out and batteries shoved in.
How much of the grant applies?
£3,750.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £24,745.
What do you think of it?
Given the Puma Gen-E was a late afterthought on Ford’s not-that-grand electrification plan – cobbled together on the hop and delivered three years after it was teased – it’s turned out remarkably well. Some of that inherent Puma-ness lives on and from a practical point of view it performs much better than many of its closest rivals.
Ford E-Tourneo Courier
What is it?
A little MPV that actually uses lots of old bits from the Fiesta.
How much of the grant applies?
£3,750.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £28,440.
What do you think of it?
It can’t just be us thinking that the Tourneo Courier is now a genuinely cool little car. Yes, it’s based on a van, but that bluff front end and the Active trim’s chunky styling makes it look like a proper rufty-tufty MPV.
Nissan Ariya
What is it?
Only Nissan’s second attempt at an electric car since it introduced the Leaf in 2010 and stole a march on everyone.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £33,500.
What do you think of it?
Looks fun, but drives a bit more like you’d expect a Nissan to. If you’re after an electric family SUV with a decent amount of range, then you could do a lot worse.
Nissan Micra
What is it?
Everyone’s favourite learner car, here reimagined as an electrified supermini, ready to be silently dinged into oblivion by an entirely new generation of drivers.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £21,495.
What do you think of it?
We've yet to drive the new one, but it's based on the ‘AmpR Small’ platform that underpins the award-winning Renault 5.
Peugeot e-208
What is it?
The electric version of the 208 supermini. And because it looks very much like the combustion-engined alternative, this isn’t a car for anyone who wants to show off their zero emission, planet-saving credentials.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £28,650.
What do you think of it?
Its combination of strong range, easy personality, and surprising desirability make it a strong contender.
Peugeot e-2008
What is it?
Peugeot's small electric crossover that accounts for nearly a fifth of all 2008 sales and is one of the most successful small e-crossovers out there.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £33,900.
What do you think of it?
A crossover with a point: a practical, fun place to be and quite a spirited drive.
Peugeot e-308
What is it?
Peugeot’s recently facelifted – and very handsome – electric hatch
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £33,460.
What do you think of it?
The facelifted e-308 hatch gains 23 miles of range over its predecessor to up its WLTP total to 281 miles from a 55.4kWh usable battery. There’s also a standard heat pump on GT Premium trim that’s optional on the lower Allure and GT. Exciting!
Peugeot e-408
What is it?
We’re not sure even Peugeot itself knows the answer to that…
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £34,670.
What do you think of it?
The all-electric variant of the Everything Everywhere All At Once Car - a fastback-styled crossover SUV - has finally launched, and like its ICE and hybrid sibling, it looks... rather striking.
Peugeot e-Rifter
What is it?
A seven-seat electric people carrier spun off the same bones as luminaries like the Vauxhall Combo Life Electric and Citroen e-Berlingo.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £30,850.
What do you think of it?
Probably the pick of the bunch, because it gets Peugeot’s iCockpit interior with that compact steering wheel and high-mounted instrument cluster.
Renault 4
What is it?
Closely related to the wonderful Renault 5 EV, but with an 8cm longer wheelbase. That's why it's a little more expensive than the R5, even if their names might make you think the prices are the other way around.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £25,495.
What do you think of it?
There's goodness in the R4 that goes beyond design: the interior is sublime, the tech is well executed, it’s value for money and (most importantly of all) unfailingly uplifting to drive. Renault has hit another home run with this.
Renault 5
What is it?
More than just a simple electric supermini, this is a small car you desire rather than merely decide upon.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £21,495.
What do you think of it?
It feels consistent: as charming to drive as it is to look at and to sit in. Your first love should last.
Renault Megane E-Tech
What is it?
Renault's family hatch, designed and built all-in for battery power.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £30,995.
What do you think of it?
The Megane is conventionally desirable, handsome, well-finished and easy to use... there's very little wrong with it.
Renault Scenic
What is it?
It's a long-ish wheelbase, long-range electric family car.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £35,495.
What do you think of it?
Space, efficiency and superb tech count in the Scenic’s favour. But it's also good-looking on the outside and well-finished within.
Vauxhall Astra Electric
What is it?
It’s an Astra. And specifically, the Astra Electric. There aren’t many more recognisable names in the heartland of British motoring these days.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £32,630.
What do you think of it?
We like the eighth-generation Astra, and the electric one is the best of the lot… we’re just not head-over-heels in love with it.
Vauxhall Corsa Electric
What is it?
In case you hadn’t guessed yet, it’s the fully electric version of one of Britain's best-selling cars.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £25,280.
What do you think of it?
It’s significantly less peacocky than its Honda or Mini rivals, and it’ll go further and has bags more room for people.
Vauxhall Combo Life Electric
What is it?
The same van-based car as the Citroen e-Berlingo and the Peugeot e-Rifter.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £30,690.
What do you think of it?
The Combo is well judged for family life and makes no misguided attempts at sportiness.
Vauxhall Frontera Electric
What is it?
It’s the new Vauxhall Frontera, making its return after a 20-year absence.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £23,995.
What do you think of it?
It feels well judged. Its driving manners exceeded our expectations, it blends the company's now familiar image with the kind of rugged looks people favour these days, and above all there’s no arguing with the cost.
Vauxhall Grandland Electric
What is it?
It’s the second-generation Vauxhall Grandland, available for the first time with electric power, in case you hadn’t already guessed by the name.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £34,555.
What do you think of it?
This is a car you'll buy with your sensible shoes on, and not those fluorescent trainers you got on a whim and haven't worn since.
Vauxhall Mokka Electric
What is it?
Vauxhall’s smallest crossover.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £30,180.
What do you think of it?
What the Mokka does is make a Corsa-sized crossover more interesting than it has any right to be.
Volkswagen ID.3
What is it?
Volkswagen's mainstream electric family hatch.
How much of the grant applies?
£1,500.
So what does it cost after the grant?
From £29,360
What do you think of it?
More fun than a crossover, roomy, comfortable, efficient and importantly, it's got character and is likeable.
