Nissan has drastically lowered prices of its Ariya electric SUV to make it eligible of the Government's Electric Car Grant (ECG), with one model seeing a whopping a £9,000 price slash.

Previously starting at £39,655, the entry-level 63kWh Engage now costs £33,500 – a drop of £6,155 – thanks to Nissan’s pricing changes combined with the £1,500 Government grant. This model offers up to 251 miles of range, with the same powertrain in higher trims also eligible for the ECG. The Advance trim now starts from £37,500, while the Evolve trim is priced from £42,500. 

However, the long-range 329-mile 87kWh Ariya has received an even larger cut of £9,155. Prices for an Ariya with the bigger battery used to start from £44,655, but this version is now available from £35,500.

To qualify for the ECG, Nissan needed to reduce the starting price of the long-range models to below £37,000. The price gap between the two battery options has narrowed from £6,000 to just £2,000, and more Ariya versions now fall under the £40,000 luxury car tax threshold, helping to cut running costs.

Although the more powerful all-wheel-drive e-4ORCE versions do not qualify for the grant, their prices have still been reduced by over £5,000, with entry-level versions now starting from £45,500 – around £6,500 less than the equivalent Tesla Model Y. The high performance Ariya Nismo remains at £56,630.

Nissan has also announced a new special edition. The Ariya Shiro launches with the 63kWh battery and a starting price of £33,500, making it eligible for the £1,500 grant. It will feature exclusive monotone pearlescent white paint, Nissan’s ProPILOT driver-assistance system, a wireless smartphone charger, and the Design Pack with LED front foglights and rear privacy glass.

No vehicle from any manufacturer has yet qualified for the maximum £3,750 grant, though Nissan expects the upcoming third-generation Leaf to achieve this. The new Nissan Micra, due next month, will start at £21,495 but also falls short of the top grant tier, being eligible only for the £1,500 level.

Fiona Mackay, marketing director for Nissan GB, said: "Securing eligibility for the UK Government’s £1,500 Electric Vehicle Grant makes Ariya more accessible than ever. It now offers greater value without compromising on the innovation, design, and performance our customers expect, and reflects our approach of removing barriers to EV ownership and empowering more drivers to make the switch to zero-emission driving."

New Shiro special edition brings extra kit and starts from £33,500