ALTHOUGH the UK government has made a cut to the support it was providing drivers wanting to move to an electric car, car makers have already reacted by lowering the prices of their cars.
The cut to the Plug-in Car Grant saw its value reduced by £500 and the qualifying upper price reduced to £35,000.
Justification came from the government that the grant was being cut “for higher-priced vehicles, typically bought by drivers who can afford to switch without a subsidy from taxpayers.”
However, the change in the qualifying price resulted in popular electric cars, such as the Kia e-Niro and BMW i3 and Volkswagen ID.3 being stranded above the price limit, potentially adding to the lease costs of such vehicles.
But keen to keep the electric revolution going, car manufacturers have responded by realigning prices of their most popular electric models, ensuring that list prices are underneath the new £35,000 limit.
“March’s unexpected changes to the plug-in car grant have caused some uncertainty and could well slow down the adoption of emissions-free motoring, but the response from manufacturers has been rapid and positive and will see many customers getting a better deal than before,” commented Martin Brown, managing director of Intelligent Car Leasing.
“We continue to provide customers with exceptional EV leasing deals, making the move to electric easier and simpler for those wanting to drive zero emission.”
Here’s our top 6 Plug-in Car Grant friendly EVs that should be on your next car shortlist:
Kia e-Niro
Kia has introduced an entry-level version of its long-range e-Niro, badged simply as ‘2’, that offers 282 miles of range while undercutting the Plug-in Car Grant threshold by £55. The new Long Range models features the same long-range 64kWh battery pack and high-power 204hp motor as higher-spec e-Niro models, while offering a £34,945 on-the-road price to qualify for the grant.
BMW i3
The biggest benefits come from BMW. Prices across its i3 range have now been cut by as much as £7,415, bringing the models under the price ceiling at £33,805 and £34,805 respectively. Even allowing for the Plug-in Car Grant reduction, that means a saving of almost £7,000, reducing the cost of lease rentals. The i3 offers up to 190 miles range.
Volkswagen ID.3
In addition to lowering the price of its e-Up! model, Volkswagen has also tweaked pricing for certain models in its award-winning ID.3 line up. The Life Pro and Life Pro Performance models now sit below the Plug-in Car Grant threshold with prices starting at £29,170 and £30,490 respectively. Both models offer a WLTP combined range of 263 miles.
Peugeot e 2008
Peugeot has also followed suit with a cut in prices across its entire e-2008 range, with all but the sporty GT-spec models eligible for the valuable grant. As a result, the pre-grant price has fallen to £33,230 for the Active Premium, £34,430 for the Allure, and £34,880 for the Allure Premium. The GT and GT Premium models, at £37,180 and £39,180 respectively, are no longer eligible as they sit above the £35,000 threshold.
Citroen e-C4
Citroen has lowered the pricing of its e-C4 range-topping ‘Shine Plus’ electric hatchback by £550 to £34,995. The cut means the whole e-C4 electric hatch range including the Sense Plus, Shine and Shine Plus trims continue to qualify for the PICG. The e-C4 features a 50kWh battery pack and a WLTP-approved range of up to 217 miles.
Vauxhall Mokka e
The Mokka-e has been extensively reduced by almost £3,000 as the top of the range Launch Edition drops from £37,970 to a Plug-in Car Grant-friendly £34,995, meaning the car is £2,475 cheaper. Pricing for the Mokka-e SE Premium now model now starts from £33,040 OTR. The Mokka e range features a 50kWh battery offering a maximum range of 201 miles.
Brought to you by Intelligent Car Leasing
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