More and more of us aren’t actually buying our cars - we’re financing them. Spreading the cost of the car over a couple of years makes getting a new set of wheels all that bit easier, but it often comes with interest and fees attached: Annual Percentage Rate - more commonly referred to as APR. 

Hunting around for the best rate can make a lot of sense then, as in the long run, it can potentially save you thousands of pounds. And the absolute best deals - though not common these days - come with no APR whatsoever; so called zero finance deals. 

To squeeze into a zero finance deal you’ll almost certainly have to fit your deposit, contract length and monthly payment around what the manufacturer wants. But if you can meet their demands, you’ll bag a bargain. And four of the UK’s favourite electric cars are currently available this way. 

Vauxhall Corsa Electric and Mokka Electric zero finance deals

Over at Vauxhall, the company has zero finance deals on both the Corsa Electric supermini and the Mokka Electric compact SUV. Both deals are Personal Contract Purchase agreements, so a deposit, followed by a period of monthly payments, concluding with a one-off ‘balloon payment’ that you can either pay to make the car yours, or refuse, and return it. 

Vauxhall’s terms to access the 0% APR deal are straightforward enough, but it comes with a decent whack of cash up front. A 30% minimum deposit against the vehicle’s list price is required, and the term of the contract is short, at only 24 months. 

So opt for the Corsa Electric - Vauxhall’s example deal for a GS trim car with optional ‘Premium’ paint - and you’ll have to pay £9,788.99 up front, with 23 monthly payments of £292 to follow. It’s a big wedge of cash up front. But if you can afford it, with the monthly payments, and keep under the 6,000 annual mileage limit, you’ll not pay a penny over the list price of the car, with an optional final payment of £16,128. 

The Mokka Electric is a larger car, and it’s offered under the same terms. The figures work out quite differently though. A slightly larger deposit of £10,900.50 is required, followed by smaller monthly payments of £243 for 24 months, plus a final balloon payment of £19,857 to own it at the end of the deal.

Ford Mustang Mach-E zero finance deal

Ford’s fantastic Mustang Mach-E electric SUV is currently available on a zero finance deal - but not for much longer. It's only available until the end of March. 

The details pertaining to the deal aren’t as extensive as those laid out by Vauxhall, perhaps because the deal is conditional ‘subject to status.’ In other words, you’ll only be offered it once Ford’s happy with your credit history and the amount of money you can put down on the table. 

Like the Vauxhall deal, the duration of the Mach-E’s zero finance deal is a snappy one at only 24 months and on a PCP agreement. But you can go into Ford’s finance online calculator to work out what that may look like for you, depending on your deposit. 

We found a Mach-E AWD Extended Range in Ford’s UK inventory with a lead time of only two weeks and an on-the-road price of £65,880. With a 10% deposit of £6,580 and 9,000 miles per annum, you’d pay £1,135.08 for 23 months, with a final payment of £32,050. Up the deposit to the 30% mark Vauxhall demands (£19,740), and the monthly rate drops to £570.

Renault Zoe zero finance deal

Renault is offering 0% APR deals on its electric supermini, the Zoe, with three versions to choose from. Again, the length of term is short at just 24 months. But that’s the only barrier to entry we can find - your deposit size or mileage won’t disqualify you. 

The brand’s three offers include the high-spec R135 50 in Iconic trim with rapid charging, at £329 a month with a customer deposit of £6,706 - a hefty amount on a car with a list price of £31,995, but you’ll save money in the long run. A similar deal can be had on the mid-range Techno model, from £299 a month or £309 for a Techno grade car with rapid charging.