UK Electric Car Grant Scheme Expansion (2026 Eligibility)

Raise your glasses and release the fireworks: the Electric Car Grant Scheme has been extended, and the list of eligible electric vehicles expanded.

Working in a similar vein to the old 2022 Plug In Grant, the Electric Car Grant Scheme offers money off new electric cars in the UK with a starting price at or below £37,000 that meets the eligibility criteria.

After the release of the highly anticipated Autumn Budget, it was announced that the UK government is investing even further in its popular Electric Car Grant Scheme, injecting a further £1.3 billion in the UK’s transition to electric.

Many new electric car models have already been added to the eligible list after the December expansion, including the MINI Countryman, Renault 4, Renault 5, and Renault Alpine A290. In fact, the number of available electric vehicle (EV) models has doubled with the new December update.

Here, you can find an up-to-date, full list of the eligible Electric Car Grant vehicles for both the Level 1 and Level 2 funding, and a guide to the UK Electric Car Grant Scheme expansion.

Updated Band 1 eligible electric cars for the £3,750 Electric Car grant:

• Alpine A290
• Citroen e-C5 Aircross Long Range
• Ford E-Tourneo Courier
• Ford Puma Gen-E
• Mini Electric Countryman
• Nissan Leaf
• Renault 4
• Renault 5 Comfort Range

Updated Band 2 eligible electric cars for the £1,500 Electric Car Grant:

• Citroën ë-C3
• Citroën ë-C3 Aircross
• Citroën ë-C4
• Citroën ë-C4 X
• Citroën ë-C5 Aircross
• Citroën ë-Berlingo M
• Citroën ë-SpaceTourer
• Cupra Born
• DS 3
• DS No4
• Kia EV4
• Kia PV5 Passenger
• Nissan Micra
• Nissan Ariya
• Peugeot E-208
• Peugeot E-2008
• Peugeot E-308
• Peugeot E-408
• Peugeot E-Rifter
• Peugeot E-Traveller
• Renault 5 Urban Range
• Renault Megane E-Tech
• Renault Scenic E-Tech
• Skoda Elroq
• Skoda Enyaq
• Toyota C-HR+
• Toyota Proace City Verso
• Vauxhall Corsa Electric
• Vauxhall Astra Electric
• Vauxhall Frontera Electric
• Vauxhall Mokka Electric
• Vauxhall Grandland Electric
• Vauxhall Combo Life Electric
• Vauxhall Vivaro Life Electric
• Volkswagen ID.3
• Volkswagen ID.4
• Volkswagen ID.5

What is the Electric Car Grant Scheme?

To help achieve a smooth transition to electric, including achieving the UK’s goal of net-zero by 2050 and ease into the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles, the Electric Car Grant Scheme was born.

And, in short, the new Electric Car Grant Scheme (ECG) offers discounts of up to £3,750 off a brand new electric car in the UK at the point of sale, if it meets the eligibility criteria, bringing the total cost of a new EV down. Two grant amounts are available: the full £3,750, or a lower £1,500.

What are the eligibility criteria for the Electric Car Grant?

To be eligible for the grant, the vehicle needs:

• To cost less than £37,000
• To be a zero-emission vehicle (produce 0g CO2/km at the tailpipe)
• Be an M1 passenger vehicle
• Have a minimum battery range of 100 miles
• Meet the minimum sustainability criteria
• Be powered by a battery, which comes with an 8-year warranty or a 100,000-mile warranty (whichever comes first).

Whether it’s payment outright, leasing, financing or salary sacrifice, the Electric Car Grant scheme can be applied.

What’s the difference between the Level 1 and Level 2 amounts?

Two grant amounts are available with the Electric Car Grant (ECG), which are then separated into different levels or sometimes called bands.

Level 1 electric cars qualify for the full £3,750 amount. On the other hand, Level 2 electric cars are eligible for a £1,500 discount.

When does the Electric Car Grant end?

The Department of Transport has stated that the Electric Car Grant Scheme will end on 31 March 2030 at midnight or whenever the funding runs out.

How do I get an electric car with the electric car grant?

Visit your local dealership or the dealership of your preferred manufacturer. The grant will be automatically applied at the point of sale from the recommended retail price.

You don’t need to apply for the grant yourself, as you do with certain EV charger grants; it’s automatically applied at the point of sale.

Has the Electric Car Grant been a success so far?

Absolutely, the grant has been heavily supporting the UK’s transition to electric already. Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, has listed the quick wins of the Electric Car Grant since its creation in July 2025:

Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: 

“Our Electric Car Grant has already supported over 40,000 drivers to choose electric, and this latest expansion doubles the number of models available for the top discount – putting thousands of pounds back in more families’ pockets.

We’re doubling down on our drive to help people buy EVs, extending the grant to push down costs and boosting charging access with a further £200 million to expand the charging network across the UK.”

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*Based on charging with Intelligent Octopus Go during off-peak hours at a rate of 7p per kWh.