A guide exploring the best electric cars that are eligible for the new electric car grant, including how much of a discount they have.
30 Dec 2025
8 min read
The new Electric Car Grant has landed, bringing discounts of up to £3,750 on new electric vehicles with a list price of under £37,000. The discount is applied automatically to eligible EVs, helping to lower the costs of new EVs for drivers to help them make the switch or upgrade to an electric car.
Automotive brands must submit their electric cars to be assessed by the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA). Once approved, the discount will be applied automatically, unlike other grants which need the driver to apply for the grant.
One of the key requirements is that the car has a list price of £37,000 although this doesn’t include optional extras. For example, if you have two versions of the same EV where one is more than £37,000 and the other is below this threshold, the cheaper model may be eligible to apply for the discount, but the more expensive one won’t be able to.
The Electric Car Grant was announced in July 2025, with a total of £650 million being ring-fenced for the scheme. The UK Government has set a hard deadline of the 31st of March 2029, but of course the scheme could end early if all of the funding gets used up before then. Additionally, the scheme can be amended by the government at any time, so it’s entirely possible the deadline could be extended or even reduced.
The following are our top picks for which EVs are now eligible for the new grant and have the discount applied. Note that there are plenty of other cars beyond this list which you can find here, with more being added all the time.
Band 1 – discount of up to £3,750
Band 2 – discount of up to £1,500
The all-electric version of the highly successful Ford Puma, the Puma Gen-E is a brilliant option for those dipping their toes into the world of electric cars. For starters, it’s one of the cars that has been approved for the maximum £3,750 discount, which is great. Then there’s the fact that, for the most part, it will look and feel very familiar to the non-electric version, except of course the electric motor and 43 kWh battery, giving it a claimed 233 miles of zero-emissions driving range.
Like many EVs on this list, the Ford Puma Gen-E can use rapid chargers, with a decent maximum charging speed of 100 kW, which translates to about 23 minutes to charge from ~10% to 80%. Plus, it’s a hugely practical car, with plenty of boot space (about 523 litres) and excellent handling in towns and cities, as well as an eye-catching Electric Yellow colour choice.
Another Ford car that got approved for the full discount is the E-Tourneo Courier. Designed for the driver that needs lots of space to move things (or, in this case, people), the E-Tourneo Courier is an affordable, all-electric people carrier with five seats. Its 54 kWh battery, equating to a range of about 125 miles in ideal conditions, will be sure to get you wherever you need to go, and can be charged quickly using a 100 kW rapid charger to help make long-distance journeys easier.
Of course, being a people carrier, the Ford E-Tourneo Courier is all about practicality over style. Whilst it may not be the best looking EV out there, it’s because it hasn’t been designed to be. Instead, it offers over 1,000 litres of storage space, and as there aren’t many all-electric people carriers it certainly has its uses, making it an ideal option for those who don’t want to make compromises by buying a crossover instead.
Those looking for an affordable and practical EV could do a lot worse than the Citroën e-C4. As an electric car, it boasts a decent, if not unremarkable, range of around 200 miles; still plenty to get you places on a single charge, but by no means industry-leading. That said, you’re still in for an enjoyable driving experience, with a clever hydraulic system making town and city driving with lots of bumps much more pleasant than in other cars.
It’s the first car on our list to be eligible for the lower end of the discount, but £1,500 off a brand-new electric car is certainly nothing to be sniffed at. With the Citroën e-C4, you’ll get rapid DC charging and an electric cost-per-mile of just 6.83p and zero-emissions all-electric driving. What’s not to love?
Looking for a practical electric car offering impressive value for money? Check out the Nissan Ariya, now available with a £1,500 discount thanks to the grant. For a car that was revealed many years ago (back in 2020, if you can remember back that far!), the Nissan Ariya was certainly worth the wait, offering a respectable 250 miles of range and rapid charging (up to 130 kW) capabilities.
Not only do you get a nice discount from the grant, you’ll also get a stylish electric car inside and out that’s big into minimalist design, with plenty of boot space on top. Whilst it sits in a heavily contested market, with plenty of “better” cars (that come with bigger price tags), the Ariya is an excellently priced choice, with a cost that makes sense for what you get. In some cases, you could even argue that you get more – especially in the looks department – for what you spend than some of the more higher-priced alternatives in its market.
The Peugeot e-208 is the car maker’s first foray into the battery-electric market since their iOn model, and it’s been built from the ground up. Thankfully, too, because the e-208 is a very nice looking car. It’s a zero-emissions supermini with a sharp and sleek design inside and out that pays homage to the much-loved 208. It also drives exceptionally well for a small and light vehicle, giving you a WLTP range of 248 miles (real world around 225 miles in ideal conditions) and rapid charging of about 30 minutes for a 10-80% charge.
It’s another excellent choice for those still on the fence about EVs, giving new drivers the familiarity of the 208 and a new experience with its all-electric driving. What it lacks in room (being a mini) it more than makes up for in driving experience and personality, and the £1,500 discount from the grant goes a long way to bringing its otherwise relatively hefty price tag down.
One of the most stylish looking EV hatchbacks currently on the market is undoubtedly the Renault Megane E-Tech. In a sector as stacked as it is, with some big competition, it’s certainly one of the best looking, and the extra £1,500 off from the grant definitely sweetens the deal.
In return, you’ll get a solidly designed electric car with a very respectable ~280 miles of range and a maximum rapid charging rate of 130 kW. That equates to a cost-per-mile of about 6.71p, which makes it very affordable to run. That’s not to mention a super comfortable ride, which is often cited as one of the car’s many strengths, as well as its large boot (around 440 litres) and plenty of buttons to press on its infotainment screen.
If you’re looking for an all-rounder SUV, the ŠKODA Enyaq is one of the best ones out there. It’s got pretty much everything you could ask for – plenty of range, plenty of space, plenty of fun, plenty of style, the list goes on! As if that weren’t enough reasons to consider getting one, the extra £1,500 discount from the grant makes it even more of a bargain.
The Enyaq range starts at 247 miles for the entry level trim, which is plenty to be getting by with, whilst its ability to charge using rapid chargers makes it excellent for long journeys. In fact, the Enyaq has been praised for its motorway driving experience, offering a smooth and quiet drive at faster speeds, whilst its great safety rating (4 out of 5 stars by Euro NCAP) make it a winner for anyone looking for a solid long-distance all-rounder.
For drivers who want a simple, no-thrills-yet-still-brilliant EV, Toyota’s first purpose-built fully electric SUV, the bZ4X, is the one for you. In short, it gets the job done, with plenty of style and boot space for most driving needs and a quality infotainment system featuring an 8-inch touchscreen and crisp graphics. It’s also incredibly comfortable to drive or be a passenger in it, with heaps of in-built tech to make longer-distance motorway trips more pleasant, such as adaptive cruise control.
That, in a way, is one of the car’s best selling points. Unlike plenty of other EVs, a lot of the fancy tech and gadgets come as standard, regardless of which Toyota bZ4X trim you go for. That means you’ll also get all the other hallmarks of modern cars like keyless entry, LED headlights, and reversing cameras.
Incidentally, for those who’re wondering, the name stands for “beyond zero”. And no, sadly that doesn’t mean it produces negative emissions.
Vauxhall’s incredibly popular small hatchback is now available as a fully electric vehicle. Just like the petrol/diesel version, the Corsa Electric gives decent range at an affordable price, made even cheaper thanks to the grant. If you’re looking for a small car with plenty of range, the Corsa Electric pulls ahead compared to other competition in its market segment, with move range (and boot space!) than other popular cars like the Fiat 500, Mini Electric, or Honda e. Plus, it can charge at up to 100 kW, giving you a full charge in as little as 30 minutes.
If you’ve driven a Corsa before, you’ll find things are very similar here. The Corsa Electric feels very much like its ICE equivalents, with smooth handling translating to an altogether comfortable ride. It’s also less showy than other EVs, with the exterior having had only a minor facelift, which may appeal to drivers who aren’t looking to stand out.
For drivers who want a bigger mid-sized hatchback, the Volkswagen ID.3 is a great choice – especially if you’re a fan of minimalist interiors. Digital touchscreen displays are all the rage in modern cars, and the ID.3 takes it to the next level, with very few physical buttons to press. Instead, almost everything is controlled via the car’s massive 12.90 inch screen, which you’ll get as standard, or you can connect using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto if you prefer. Or, for more of a futuristic vibe, you can use the optional augmented reality heads-up display to project some information on the windscreen.
Other than that, the ID.3 is a solidly reliable car built by a reputable car maker, and even more of a bargain with the £1,500 discount applied by the grant. Ranges start at around 240 miles for the entry-level model, and the battery can be charged using a rapid 120 kW charger for sub-30 minute charging to 80%.
