The UK Government has today confirmed the first four electric vehicles eligible for its new £1,500 discount under the £650 million Electric Car Grant – with Citroën models taking the early lead.
Buyers of the Citroën ë-C3, ë-C4, ë-C5 Aircross and ë-Berlingo can now benefit from the incentive, which is applied automatically at the point of sale. There’s no need for buyers to submit applications or claim rebates – the saving comes straight off the price.
These are the first cars to be approved under the Government’s latest EV support scheme, with more makes and models set to be announced over the coming weeks. When it announced the grant, the Government suggested that the maximum grant available would be £3,750. None of the Citroen models announced today qualify for the higher amount and it remains to be seen which models will benefit from the larger discount.
Launched last month, the Electric Car Grant (ECG) allows manufacturers to apply for approval to offer up to £3,750 off eligible new electric vehicles, based on strict sustainability and production criteria. So far, Citroën is the only brand with models confirmed, but the Department for Transport (DfT) says more announcements are coming soon.
As the rest of the industry waits for the Government to reveal the full list of qualifying models, numerous brands have introduced their own grant ‘guarantees’ in the expectation of receiving the go-ahead from authorities. Many Chinese brands, however, are expecting to be locked out of the new discount scheme on environmental grounds, and have reduced prices to remain competitive. In recent weeks, MG, Ora and Leapmotor have all announced significant discount packages.
The Electric Car Grant (ECG), revealed as part of a broader £4.5 billion investment package to accelerate the transition to electric motoring, is intended to bring the cost of EVs closer to petrol and diesel equivalents – and tackle one of the biggest barriers to adoption: affordability.
Citroën UK Managing Director Greg Taylor welcomed the announcement: “We’re delighted to be the first manufacturer with models approved for the Electric Car Grant. This support will help make our electric range more accessible for more customers, particularly with the arrival of the new ë-C3.”
That model, expected to go on sale with a starting price around £21,000 before the grant, could fall below the £20,000 mark once the discount is applied – making it one of the most affordable new EVs on sale in the UK.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “With the first four models approved today and more on the way, we’re making electric cars a reality for thousands more drivers. This is all part of our Plan for Change – driving down costs, supporting jobs, and putting money back in people’s pockets.”
