Nissan, Renault and Vauxhall Electric Models Now Qualify for £1,500 Government Discount

Image Credit: Stellantis

Thirteen electric vehicle models from Nissan, Renault and Vauxhall have been approved for the government’s new electric car grant. However, none of them currently qualify for the full payment available under the scheme.

Buyers of these models will receive £1,500 off the recommended retail price, applied automatically at the point of sale with no forms to fill in. The higher discount of £3,750 remains out of reach for now, as none of the approved cars meet the government’s stricter environmental benchmarks.

The grant is designed to support the purchase of electric cars priced up to £37,000, to direct funding toward more affordable options. When the Department for Transport first launched the scheme, it announced that four Citroen models, the e-C3, e-C4, e-C5 and the e-Berlingo in its medium version, had been approved for the lower grant level of £1,500.

Officials expect more cars to be added to the list in the coming weeks as manufacturer applications are reviewed against the programme’s sustainability requirements. When asked whether any vehicles might qualify for the full £3,750 discount, the department declined to speculate. It also refused to comment on individual applications or explain why certain manufacturers had been excluded from the larger grant.

The £650 million electric car grant, launched in July, sets two key conditions for eligibility. Manufacturers must have committed to a verified science-based target for carbon reduction, and their vehicles must achieve an embodied carbon score below a defined threshold.

The Department for Transport has confirmed that any manufacturer without a science-based target will not be eligible for the scheme. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which was not consulted before the scheme was introduced, only around a third of electric cars currently on the market are likely to qualify under the new rules.

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said: “With discounts on seventeen car models announced this week alone, we’re delivering on our promise to make it easier and cheaper for families to go electric.  

“This is about backing drivers, putting money back into people's pockets and creating the jobs and growth that will drive Britain forward.”

In the meantime, several carmakers have launched their incentives to offset uncertainty or delays in the approval process. Hyundai, MG, Leapmotor, and Volvo have all introduced their discounts. BYD has taken a slightly different route, offering a five-year servicing package for selected new and approved used electric vehicles, including the Dolphin Surf, Dolphin and Atto 3. This package covers scheduled maintenance and labour.

BYD has also extended its power battery warranty to eight years or 155,342 miles for every electric and plug-in hybrid model sold in the UK.

As for today’s approvals, the Vauxhall models now eligible for the £1,500 grant are the Corsa Electric, Combo Life Electric, Astra Electric, Mokka Electric, Frontera Electric and Grandland Electric. Vauxhall had already committed to applying the discount across its electric range in anticipation of approval.

Renault also saw several models added to the approved list, including the Alpine A290, Megane, Renault 5, Renault 4 and Scenic. Adam Wood, managing director of Renault UK, said he was pleased to see every fully electric model in the company’s line-up qualify for the grant.

“Moving forward, it is critical that manufacturers, charging infrastructure providers and Government continue to collaborate as a team to build the required electric vehicle ecosystem, building on the positivity that this latest scheme injects into the market,” he added.

The DfT has also approved the Nissan Micra and Nissan Ariya for the £1,500 grant. James Taylor, managing director at Nissan Motor GB, said: “The Government’s flagship scheme is a clear signal to both customers and manufacturers that they are prioritising the uptake of electric vehicles in the UK, and on providing affordable options to consumers.

“Nissan has always been electric vehicle pioneers and this announcement is an exciting step in the UK’s electrification journey.

“Micra and Ariya are first, and we have three new EVs on their way, including the all-electric British-built Leaf, which will go on sale later this year.”

Nissan will be hoping the British-built Leaf qualifies for the higher grant.