What cars qualify for the electric car grant? Full list with our best (and worst) picks
However, as you probably know (and may have guessed) not every electric car on sale is eligible for a Government-funded price cut. We're not just talking about incredibly opulent EVs such as the Rolls-Royce Spectre or Lotus Evija. There are complex criteria that car manufacturers and their models have to meet in order to receive the ECG.
Firstly, only cars starting from less than £37,000 are eligible to receive the Government's subsidy. Then there are two distinct bands. Band 1 is for the most sustainably produced EVs, and they qualify for the full £3,750 discount. Those considered to meet a lesser standard fall into Band 2 and receive £1,500 off. Advertisement - Article continues below
At the time of writing, no cars receive the full £3,750 grant. But there is now a rather diverse selection of more than 20 EVs that get the £1,500 discount.
If any of the cars on the list take your fancy and you feel like now is the right time to go electric, we can help. Our electric car deals page has all the top offers, and our parent site Carwow is running a live hub page for the latest EV discounts. You can also spec your perfect new electric car through our fantastic Buy a Car service .
Alpine will be known to most people as either a sports car maker or Formula One team. But earlier this year, the performance brand launched its first-ever EV: a meaner version of the new Renault 5 called the Alpine A290, and the exciting electric hot hatch is officially eligible for the Electric Car Grant. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Alpine A290 – best EV grant car for keen drivers - prices now start from £32,000
The first six electric cars eligible for the Government's new grant were all Citroens, including the Auto Express 2024 Car of the Year, the Citroen e-C3. Its more practical sibling, the Citroen e-C3 Aircross, and the all-new Citroen e-C5 Aircross family SUV are also eligible. Advertisement - Article continues below
The Cupra Born is among the latest batch of cars that the Government has confirmed is eligible for its new grant. The sporty electric hatchback offers up to 346 miles of range, punchy performance and a roomy yet sporty-feeling cabin. Cupra Born - prices now start from £34,190
Nissan is confident that the all-new, third-generation Leaf coming soon will be eligible for the full £3,750 grant. In the meantime, the new Micra supermini (which is based on the Renault 5) has received the £1,500 grant. Meanwhile, the Nissan Ariya family SUV is now up to £9,000 cheaper than before thanks to the ECG and Nissan itself cutting the price. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
At the time of writing, Peugeot has confirmed three of its electric models are eligible for the Government grant: the E-208 supermini, E-2008 small SUV and E-Rifter MPV. However the stylish French car maker has more EVs in its line-up which might receive the grant later. Advertisement - Article continues below
Renault's entire line-up of electric cars is now officially eligible for the Electric Car Grant, including two recent Auto Express New Car Award winners: the new Renault 5 supermini, which is our Affordable Electric Car of the Year for 2025, plus the reborn Renault 4 that won the hotly contested Small SUV of the Year award. Renault 4 - prices now start from £25,495
Renault 5 - Best value EV grant car - prices now start from £21,495
- prices now start from £21,495 Renault Megane - prices now start from £30,995
Renault Scenic - Best EV grant car for families - prices now start from £35,495
Vauxhall also has six electric cars in its line-up all eligible for the EV grant, from the Corsa Electric supermini to the very big, very practical Grandland Electric. Thanks to the grant, the new Vauxhall Frontera Electric is actually now more affordable than the petrol-powered versions of the small SUV, as prices start from just £22,495. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
Like Peugeot, Volkswagen has several electric cars in its line-up, but so far only has one model that's officially eligible for the Government grant. The VW ID.3 is the Cupra Born's less athletic cousin. It's incredibly refined on the motorway and it delivers up to 352 miles of range, so is a good choice for people who cover a lot of miles. Advertisement - Article continues below Volkswagen ID.3 - prices now start from £29,360
We expect many more models will be getting a price cut over the coming weeks and months, but these are our picks for the best cars that come with the EV grant right now.
Leading the pack has to be the Renault 5. For a small electric car, it feels very sophisticated and well-rounded, thanks to its impressive handling abilities, refinement and Google-powered technology. The retro looks and charm sprinkled throughout are the cherry on top. What more could you want? Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
If your answer to that question was space, there's the slightly larger and boxier Renault 4, our Small SUV of the Year. As well as a bigger boot and more rear-seat space, the R4 also offers one-pedal driving – something its sibling doesn't right now – which is great for driving around town.
Another Auto Express award winner, the Citroen e-C3, focuses on comfort, efficiency, affordability and just being a very easy car to live with. Alternatively, if you want something more practical, there's the Citroen e-C3 Aircross which is available for just £1,000 extra, has a bigger boot and offers beefier SUV design.
For family buyers, our recommendations are the Renault Scenic and Nissan Ariya, which are actually based on the same platform but have very different styles and technology onboard. Both provide plenty of space and range though.
While there are lots of excellent, hugely capable electric cars available with the EV grant, we'd recommend buyers avoid the Peugeot E-208 and E-2008, as well as the Vauxhall Mokka.
All three are certainly stylish EVs, but they're all several years old at this point, yet considerably more expensive than their rivals. For instance, the entry-level E-208 costs about the same as the top-of-the-range version of the Renault 5, yet offers less range and features rather dated technology.
The Vauxhall Mokka and Peugeot E-2008 seem even more overpriced when you consider they start from £31k and £33k respectively, after the EV grant has been applied. That's about the same price as the Citroen e-C5 Aircross – a much newer, full-size family SUV with more range – and several thousand pounds more than their key rival, the Renault 4.
Did you know you can sell your car with Auto Express? Get the highest bid from our network of over 5,500 dealers and we'll do the rest. Click here to try Auto Express Sell My Car now ...
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