Vauxhall ‘pre-empts' Electric Car Grant with its own £1,500 discount
Now offered on the pure-electric versions of the Vauxhall Corsa, Mokka, Astra, Frontera and Grandland, Vauxhall's £1,500 'Electric Car Grant' comes just days after Citroen became the first manufacturer to be officially eligible for the Government grant. Vauxhall said the offer applies to all of its electric cars from today, but also expressed confidence that it would meet the criteria for the Government's grant, stating the move was 'ahead of official confirmation of eligibility from the Office of Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV)'.
Vauxhall and Citroen are both part of the Stellantis empire and many of those aforementioned Vauxhall models share parts, batteries and platforms with Citroen models that have already been declared eligible for the government's new Electric Car Grant. The grant process run by the government is a 'first come, first served' system, so while Vauxhall's EVs might not qualify for the government grant right now, considering the shared technology between the brands, we wouldn't be surprised to see them accepted for the official grant soon. Advertisement - Article continues below Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
Citroen's cars sit in the lower 'Band 2', qualifying for a grant of £1,500, but no cars have been announced yet for the larger 'Band 1' grant of £3,750. Vauxhall's grant obviously counters this, essentially meaning that, at least for the customer, there's no difference.
With Vauxhall's new £1,500 discount in place, the Corsa Electric now has an entry price of £26,505, the Frontera Electric starts from £22,495, the Mokka Electric from £31,005, the Astra Electric £33,505 and the Grandland Electric flagship £35,455.
If that still sounds too expensive, then you can check out the Auto Express marketplace for fantastic deals on used electric Vauxhalls from under £9,000.
Vauxhall's new £1,500 grant might not last long because the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has previously indicated that a more detailed list of the qualifying cars for the Government's grant will be published on August 11. With Citroen already formally announced, Vauxhall is expected to follow soon after, while we're also yet to hear from fellow Stellantis firm Peugeot, with its Corsa Electric sibling, the E-208, and the E-2008 possibly in line for the £1,500 grant.
Even with Vauxhall's new grant, the company's 'Electric All In' package remains, adding eight years of roadside assistance (including charging assistance), £500 towards an Ohme home wallbox, Tesco charging or Octopus charging credit, plus 10,000 miles worth of free home charging when switching to an Octopus tariff.
Buy a car with Auto Express. Our nationwide dealer network has some fantastic cars on offer right now with new, used and leasing deals to choose from...
Find a car with the experts Volkswagen, Skoda and Cupra slash electric car prices
Volkswagen, Skoda and Cupra slash electric car prices
Volkswagen, Skoda and Cupra aren't waiting around for the government grant by cutting £1,500 from their EV prices Car Deal of the Day: MGS5 EV for under £200 a month is a true bargain
Car Deal of the Day: MGS5 EV for under £200 a month is a true bargain
The ZS EV's replacement is an excellent small electric SUV, and our Deal of the Day for August 4 How green is an EV? BMW reveals the surprise truth about EV vs ICE carbon footprints
How green is an EV? BMW reveals the surprise truth about EV vs ICE carbon footprints
The new BMW iX3 will have less of a carbon footprint than the petrol-powered X3 after just 12,428 miles of driving
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
4 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
British brands are back in vogue despite gloomy economic outlook
The economic outlook may be gloomy but a bright spot is the re-emergence of Britishness as a successful business formula. Epitomising the return of Cool Britannia were the Lionesses, with the England football team in Marks & Spencer tailoring, draped with national flags on their victory bus. Florals are one quintessential strain of Britishness seen in Laura Ashley's womenswear, its furniture and homeware. It was acquired this year by US firm Marquee Brands, whose portfolio includes the Martha Stewart lifestyle business. Poppy Marshall-Lawton, who is leading Laura Ashley's revival, said: 'British brands that dial into and stay true to their roots cut through the noise. The global appetite is very strong and, if you can lean into this unique identity, you can really connect with a new generation of customers.' Another beneficiary is Burberry. Shares in the brand are up almost 60 per cent over the past three months. Its turnaround is focused on iconic products such as trench coats – and bucket hats. These are back in vogue thanks to Oasis, whose concerts have reignited the popularity of this Cool Britannia streetwear accessory. Steve Fine, head of stockbroker Peel Hunt, said UK firms were seen as bargains by US investors because 'our domestic self-esteem is quite low'. He called for Britons to 'gain confidence, the political situation notwithstanding'.
The Independent
5 minutes ago
- The Independent
Thousands march against plan to build massive bridge linking Sicily to Italy's mainland
Thousands of people marched in the Sicilian city of Messina on Saturday to protest a government plan to build a bridge that would connect the Italian mainland with Sicily in a massive 13.5-billion-euro ($15.5 billion) infrastructure project. Protesters staunchly oppose the Strait of Messina Bridge project over its scale, earthquake threats, environmental impact and the specter of mafia interference. The idea to build a bridge to connect Sicily to the rest of Italy has been debated off and on for decades but always delayed due to these concerns. The project, however, took a major step forward when a government committee overseeing strategic public investments approved the plan this week. Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, the project's main political backer, called it 'the biggest infrastructure project in the West.' Salvini cited studies estimating the project would create up to 120,000 jobs annually and help stimulate economic growth in economically lagging southern Italy, as billions more are invested in surrounding road and infrastructure improvements. Opponents are not convinced by these arguments. They are also angry that about 500 families would have to be expropriated in order for the bridge to be built. 'The Strait of Messina can't be touched,' protesters shouted as they marched in Messina. Many carried banners that said 'No Ponte' (No Bridge). Organizers estimated crowd size at 10,000 people. The proposed bridge would span nearly 3.7 kilometers (2.2 miles) with a suspended section of 3.3 kilometers (more than 2 miles). It would surpass Turkey's Canakkale Bridge by 1,277 meters (4,189 feet) to become the longest suspension bridge in the world. Preliminary work could begin as early as late September or early October, pending approval from Italy's Court of Audit. Full construction is scheduled to begin in 2026, with completion targeted between 2032 and 2033. Plans for a bridge have been approved and canceled multiple times since the Italian government first solicited proposals for one in 1969. Premier Giorgia Meloni's administration revived the project in 2023. With three car lanes in each direction flanked by a double-track railway, the bridge would have the capacity to carry 6,000 cars an hour and 200 trains a day — reducing the time to cross the strait by ferry from up to 100 minutes to 10 minutes by car. Trains would save 2/12 hours in transit time, Salvini said. The project could also support Italy's commitment to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP targeted by NATO, as the government has indicated it would classify the bridge as defense-related. Italy argues that the bridge would form a strategic corridor for rapid troop movements and equipment deployment, qualifying it as 'security-enhancing infrastructure.' Environmental groups, however, have lodged complaints with the EU, citing concerns that the project would impact migratory birds. Italy's president has also insisted that the project remain subject to anti-mafia legislation that applies to all large-scale infrastructure projects. Salvini pledged that keeping organized crime out of the project was a top priority.
Daily Mail
5 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
JPMORGAN CLAVERHOUSE: Trust is backing British as it delivers its 53rd year of growth
Investment trust JPMorgan Claverhouse is in pretty good shape. Bar any shocks in the coming months, the £507 million fund is well on its way to delivering 53 years of annual dividend growth. And with interest rates cut on Thursday to 4 per cent, the managers of the UK-focused trust are very much in a positive mood. 'The trust's dividend record cannot be sniffed at,' says Anthony Lynch, part of a three-strong team at JPMorgan Asset Management that oversees the fund's 63-stock portfolio. 'Bar City of London, no other trust investing purely in UK equities has a longer record of income growth and the annual increase over this period has averaged 9 per cent – well ahead of inflation.' So far this financial year, the trust has announced two quarterly dividends of 8.4 p a share – 1.8 per cent ahead of equivalent payments made last year. With a share price of just above about £7.90, the trust offers investors an appealing annual dividend yield of 4.5 per cent. Lynch says another big plus is the quality of the investment team that have been together on the trust since June last year. He explains: 'All three of us – Callum Abbot, Katen Patel and myself – have at least 15 years of investment experience under our belts and at least 20 years ahead of us. We're in it for the long term.' The performance numbers are solid, with the trust outperforming its benchmark – the FTSE All-Share Index – over the past one, three and five years. Over five, for example, it has generated a total return of 78.8 per cent. The Index sits at 75.4 per cent. Lynch believes the UK stock market remains cheap and says that with 70 per cent of the revenue from FTSE All-Share stocks coming from overseas, it represents a super way to secure exposure to global companies at bargain prices. 'In the year to date, UK equities have outperformed both the US and global stock markets,' he adds. 'And there is no reason why it can't continue.' Although the trust's biggest stakes are in FTSE 100 stocks, the investment team has been buying more mid- and small-capitalised stocks. Key positions have been taken in FTSE 250 stocks Serco and Dunelm. 'Outsourcer Serco has had its troubles in the past ten years,' says Lynch, 'but the market misses the fact that 40 per cent of its order book is defence-related. As for Dunelm, the furniture retailer continues to grab market share, in the process outperforming the likes of Argos and John Lewis.' The fund's diverse portfolio allows the managers to mine dividend income from a multitude of sources, he adds. The trust's biggest sector position is in financials which account for just less than a third of the portfolio. Its biggest overweight position in this sector is NatWest. 'This bank will become more profitable and offers the prospect of dividend growth,' says Lynch. Although the banks face a multi-billion-pound compensation bill as a result of the motor finance mis-selling scandal, he says the cost is likely not to be as big as many feared. Some bank shares rose after Monday's announcement from the City regulator that the redress would total between £9 billion and £18 billion. The trust's annual charges total 0.63 per cent and will tickle down as its assets grow. Its market ticker is JCH and identification code 0342218. The shares currently trade at a 6 per cent discount. Lynch says shares are bought back to ensure the discount stays as close to 5 per cent as possible.
