Lucky 13 more cars confirmed for Electric Car Grant… but there’s a catch
The Renault 5 is one of a number of cars to qualify for the Government's new Electric Car Grant, however none of them get the higher £3,750 amount
The hatchback of the moment is amongst a raft of 13 cars from Renault, Alpine, Nissan and Vauxhall confirmed to receive the government’s Electric Car Grant, bringing the starting price of the retro-styled Renault 5 supermini down to just £21,495. The new models are in addition to six Citroens confirmed earlier this week.
But no car has yet qualified for the higher £3,750 amount, with all 19 now announced models coming in at the lower £1,500 level.
Buyers will now be able to secure a grant on a new 5, as well as other EV models in the Renault line-up such as the boxier Renault 4 (now £25,495), the Renault Megane hatchback (now £30,995) and the Renault Scenic SUV (now £35,495).
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Furthermore, if the 5 isn’t quite sporty enough for you, Renault has confirmed that the R5’s sporty sibling, the Alpine A290 will also qualify, although the most-powerful GTS model doesn’t make the cut, as this costs over the £37,000 threshold.
The 5’s cutesier cousin, the Nissan Micra (which shares many of its parts and matches the Renault on price) will also get the government £1,500 discount, as will the larger Nissan Ariya SUV. This previously started from £39,655, with Nissan chopping enough from the list price to get the entry Engage trim below £37,000.
The entire Vauxhall EV range will also get the official government grant, following the brand pre-emptively announcing a company-backed alternative in the interim. The electric versions of the Vauxhall Corsa, Mokka, Frontera, Astra and Grandland will all benefit from a £1,500 grant.
Citroen was first to confirm its entire EV line-up would be eligible for the grant early this week, across the e-C3, e-C3 Aircross – including the longer-range model announced last week – and e-C4, plus the new e-C5 Aircross and e-Berlingo, all of which only qualify for £1,500 of funding per vehicle.
While any discount is undoubtedly good news for buyers, it does beg the question as to how eco-friendly a car needs to be in order to qualify for the top-level £3,750 grant from the government.
There’s also the question of brands having (or not having) the appropriate Science-Based Target Initiative (SBT) accreditation. This displays a firm’s commitment to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, working towards a target of net-zero, and is mandatory for receiving the government’s grant.
However, speaking to industry insiders, Auto Express understands that there are brands with parallel certifications representing similar climate goals that are unable to receive the grant because they don’t specifically have an SBT.
Therefore, as more cars are announced for the grant, and we are aware of several brands that have completed the application process and are awaiting confirmation, there may be some glaring omissions from the list as companies without the stipulated accreditation argue their case to the government in hope of receiving the much-coveted discount.
Auto Express has approached the Department for Transport for comment on this issue, but is yet to receive a response.
Industry reaction
John Veichmanis, chief executive, Carwow
"The confirmation that more affordable, practical EVs have been approved for the Electric Car Grant is exactly what the market needsData from Carwow's platform shows that buyers are ready to act; demand for EVs under £37,000 jumped 124 per cent in the week following the scheme’s announcement. Interest in already-approved models has surged, and we expect these newly added vehicles to draw immediate attention.
Steve Catlin, managing director, Vauxhall
We welcome the support of the Electric Car Grant for every electric model in the Vauxhall line-up - including those manufactured here at our Ellesmere Port plant - and hope this will enable more British motorists to enjoy the benefits of switching to electric.”
James Taylor, managing director, Nissan Motor GB
“Nissan has always been electric vehicle pioneers and this announcement is an exciting step in the UK’s electrification journey. Micra and Ariya are first, and we have three new EVs on their way, including the all-electric British-built Leaf which will go on sale later this year.”
Adam Wood, managing director, Renault UK
“We have been asking Government to match its environmental ambition with action to accelerate demand for electric vehicles, and it has delivered on that with the creation of the Electric Car Grant (ECG).
“Moving forward, it is critical that manufacturers, charging infrastructure providers and Government continue to collaborate as a team to build the required electric vehicle ecosystem, building on the positivity that this latest scheme injects into the market.”
Simon Williams, had of policy, RAC
“Another wave of cars qualifying for the Government’s revamped Electric Car Grant is yet more welcome news. It’s also very positive to see other manufacturers that don’t meet the grant’s green production targets lowering their prices. Those looking to make the switch now have a wider choice of better value vehicles than ever before. This can only help speed up the transition to electric motoring."
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