Electric Car Grant shock! First six cars announced, but none get the full £3,750 saving
Citroen’s line-up of electric cars will receive a £1,500 discount, although all miss out on the top £3,750 saving
The first batch of cars to get the government’s new Electric Car Grant have been announced, although none of the six EV models qualify for the full amount despite being made in the UK and Europe, raising questions about how many – or perhaps how few – will be eligible for the top £3,750 price cut.
The Government has announced the first models to receive the ECG will all be from Citroen: the Citroen e-C3 supermini, plus its SUV e-C3 Aircross sibling, the Citroen e-C4 in regular family hatch and swooping e-C4 X forms, the Citroen e-C5 Aircross SUV and the spacious Citroen e-Berlingo MPV.
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As above, all will be receiving a £1,500 discount courtesy of the government, bringing the price of the Citroen e-C3 down to just £20,595 for all – including those making use of Auto Express’ Buy A Car service. Meanwhile, the Citroen e-C5 Aircross will now start from £32,565, while the top-spec Max model (£39,345 without grant) shares its powertrain and battery configuration, so will also get the grant.
“We welcome the support of the Electric Car Grant and are delighted to be the first to have our electric range approved and eligible,” responded Citroen’s UK managing director, Greg Taylor. “At Citroen, 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.”
The Electric Car Grant will automatically be applied to the price of eligible vehicles, meaning buyers won’t have to do anything to secure the savings. Such discounts are set to continue alongside Citroen’s current finance offers, including a deal which, if you place a 20 per cent deposit, allows you interest free credit for a fixed 24-month PCP term.
Nevertheless, while discounts are almost always good news for thrifty car buyers, this announcement does raise concerns about how few cars may be eligible for the top tier of the government’s EV grant.
The original assumption was that cars built in places such as the UK and EU are likely to be the ones in-line for the biggest savings; Citroen’s announcement suggests that even with the low-carbon energy usage of countries such as the UK, France and Spain, this isn’t quite green enough in the government’s eyes for the most generous grants.
Regardless, Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “With the first 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.”
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