First electric cars eligible for new grants announced

The first electric car models eligible for new Government grants have been announced.

Drivers will be able to save £1,500 with the purchase of new Citroen e-C3, e-C4, e-C5 and e-Berlingo cars, the Department for Transport (DfT) said.

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

These are the first models approved under the new £650 million electric car grant.

This will enable motorists purchasing a new electric car to save either £1,500 or £3,750, depending on sustainability criteria.

It is hoped the measure will encourage more drivers to switch to electric motoring.

The DfT 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”.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “With the first four models approved today, and more to come over the next few weeks, this summer we’re making owning an electric car cheaper, easier and a reality for thousands more people across the UK.

“Once again we’re delivering our plan for change by standing firmly on the side of motorists and manufacturers, driving down costs for consumers, supporting jobs and putting money back in people’s pockets.”

Greg Taylor, managing director of Citroen UK, said: “We want everyone to have the opportunity to make the switch to an electric car, and this support will help make our cars more accessible for our customers.”

Edmund King, AA president, said “any Government support to boost the demand for EVs is welcome”, adding: “This discount of £1,500 for some more affordable EVs will help a number of those with tighter budgets.

“We look forward to seeing the full list of discounts up to £3,750 on more models to really push the market forward.”

Dan Caesar, chief executive of lobby group Electric Vehicles UK, welcomed the announcement and called for manufacturers to “support a scheme which the EV industry needs to be conspicuously successful”.

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%.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced in April that sales of new hybrids that cannot be plugged in will be permitted to continue until 2035.

Changes to the Zev mandate also mean it will be easier for manufacturers who do not meet the targets to avoid fines.