Every Car That Qualifies For The UK EV Grant

Wondering what cars are eligible for discounts under the UK government’s new grant for EVs? Wonder no more, as the range of EVs you can save money on is slowly but steadily growing. 

Most recently, the new Citroen e-C5 Aircross has been confirmed as eligible for the full £3750 Band 1 discount – although curiously, only the version with the 97kWh long-range battery. The standard-range car can only claim the £1500 Band 2 grant. 

It's only the third car to qualify for the bigger Band 1 grant, following on from the Ford Puma Gen-E and E-Tourneo Courier. The Band 2 discount, though, is available on a much wider range of cars, including some CT favourites like the Renault 4 and 5 and the latter's sporty cousin, the Alpine A290.

What does a car have to do to qualify for the grant?

Firstly, it has to be electric. Obviously. It has to have a range of at least 100 miles too – that's basically every full size EV these days, but you're out of luck if you're hoping to get a Citroen Ami for even less money. 

Secondly, the list price has to be under £37,000, although this applies to the entry point for powertrains rather than specific models. This is why a couple of versions of the Skoda Enyaq qualify, despite them starting at over £37k – because they share a powertrain with the smaller, cheaper Elroq.

However, the government has narrowed this loophole somewhat by introducing a price cap of £42,000 for models sharing powertrains with sub-£37,000 cars. So, providing a qualifying car starts at under £37,000, any other qualifying cars with the same powertrain costing up to £42,000 can get the grant. Still following?

Thirdly – and this is the kicker – it has to meet sustainability criteria relating to its manufacturing. Its manufacturer must be part of the Science Based Targets Initiative, a programme that companies can sign up to help reduce their CO2 emissions. This presently rules out cars from major EV manufacturers including Fiat, Kia, Hyundai and BYD. A number of these companies have introduced their own offers in response.

Also factored in are the countries where both the batteries are manufactured and the car is assembled. If these happen in countries with lower-carbon energy grids, according to the International Energy Agency, a car is more likely to be eligible. It's thought that these limitations rule out pretty much any Chinese-built car.

Based on these criteria, cars are sorted into two bands that determine how big a discount they get. Band 2 cars can get up to £1500 knocked off their price, while more sustainably-manufactured Band 1 cars can receive a full £3750 off. It seems being eligible for Band 1 is no small feat, as only three of the cars included in the scheme so far qualify for it.

Which cars qualify?

Band 1

So far, only two cars qualify for Band 1 and get the full £3750 discount, both from Ford. Nissan, though, reckons its new UK-built Leaf will also get the full amount when it goes on sale later this year.

• Citroen e-C5 Aircross (Long Range versions)
• Ford E-Tourneo Courier
• Ford Puma Gen-E

Band 2

A growing list of cars is eligible for a £1500 discount by meeting Band 2 criteria.

• Alpine A290
• Citroen e-Berlingo (excluding XL version)
• Citroen e-C3 and e-C3 Aircross
• Citroen e-C4 and e-C4 X
• Citroen e-C5 Aircross (Standard Range versions)
• Citroen e-Spacetourer
• Cupra Born (excluding VZ)
• DS 3 E-Tense
• DS No4 E-Tense
• Mini Countryman Electric
• Nissan Ariya (excluding all-wheel drive versions)
• Nissan Micra
• Peugeot e-208
• Peugeot e-2008
• Peugeot e-308 and e-308 SW
• Peugeot e-408
• Peugeot e-Rifter
• Peugeot e-Traveller
• Renault 4
• Renault 5
• Renault Megane
• Renault Scenic
• Skoda Elroq (excluding vRS)
• Skoda Enyaq (59kWh versions only)
• Toyota Proace City Verso
• Vauxhall Astra Electric (Hatch and Sports Tourer)
• Vauxhall Combo Life Electric
• Vauxhall Corsa Electric
• Vauxhall Frontera Electric
• Vauxhall Grandland Electric
• Vauxhall Mokka Electric
• Vauxhall Vivaro Life Electric
• Volkswagen ID3 (excluding GTX)
• Volkswagen ID4 (selected trims)
• Volkswagen ID5 (selected trims)

What if I want an EV that doesn’t qualify?

Well, depending on what you’re after, you might be in luck. Following the announcement of the scheme, various car manufacturers have introduced ‘grants’ of their own, either to spur on demand while they wait to find out if their cars are eligible, or because they know they likely won't be.

Because these 'grants' are totally at the discretion of the manufacturers, we’ve seen discounts applied to cars that otherwise likely wouldn’t be eligible, including some well above the £37,000 threshold.

That sees some of our favourite EVs get cheaper. Both equally excellent ends of Hyundai’s EV spectrum, for instance – the cutesy Inster and phenomenal Ioniq 5 N – get discounts, as do two very fun Stellantis twins, the Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce and Abarth 600e. While it’s not necessarily a car we’d recommend, the brutally quick MG4 XPower also sees its price cut. We’ve put together details of some of the manufacturers introducing grants of their own here.