Electric car grant

Level of grant available^{1, 2}	2025/26	2024/25
Cars with lowest carbon emission scores	£3,750	N/A
Cars with higher carbon emission scores	£1,500	N/A

The grant is only available on cars that have been approved as eligible. Applications opened on 16 July 2025 and close in 2028, subject to amendment or closure notice when funds are exhausted. Manufacturers can place orders for eligible vehicles via the grant portal from the 11 August 2025. Legitimate orders agreed with customers for vehicles that are assessed and confirmed eligible for the grant between 16 July 2025 and 11 August 2025 can be honoured.
The grant requires manufacturers to have committed to a verified Science Based Target and have embodied carbon scores below a certain threshold in vehicle assembly and battery cell production locations. Cars made by manufacturers who have not a set science-based target will not be eligible for the scheme.

To be eligible, cars must meet the following technical standards as a minimum:

be an M1 homologated passenger vehicle;
produce zero CO₂ g/km at the tailpipe;
have a recommended retail price of £37,000 or below;
have a minimum battery range of 100 miles (measured under WLTP);
have a battery or fuel cell, used to drive the vehicle’s propulsion system, with an acceptably low rate of degradation:
- battery electric vehicles:
  - the battery must maintain at least 80% of its initial rated charge capacity for the initial 3 years, and at least 70% of initial rated charge capacity for the initial 8 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.
- fuel cell vehicles
  - the fuel stack must maintain at least 90% of its rated voltage output for the initial 5 years.
have a warranty that guarantees the following:
- in respect of any traction battery, hydrogen fuel cell stack or hydrogen tank and electric drivetrain, a warranty period of at least 8 years, or a distance of at least the first 100,000 miles, whichever is reached first;
- in respect of any traction battery, providing for replacement of the battery if it falls below 70% capacity during the first 8 years;
- in respect of any fuel cell, the fuel stack must maintain at least 90% of its rated voltage output for the initial 5 years; and
- in respect of the remainder of the vehicle, covering a warranty period of at least 3 years, or a distance of at least the first 60,000 miles, whichever is reached first.

To be eligible for the grant, a car must be priced at or below £37,000 recommended retail price, which includes:

VAT, including VAT reclaimable by a business;
vehicle manufacturer or dealer’s mandatory extras including delivery charges or administration fees;
the battery cost (including where the battery is leased); and
any non-standard option fitted by the manufacturer or dealer affecting the capacity of the battery, drive train configuration or maximum net power;

but excludes:

any non-standard option fitted by the manufacturer or dealer which does not affect the capacity of the battery, drivetrain configuration or maximum net power;
modifications such as ‘police packs’, ambulance/fire engine modifications;
modifications for disabled users, including WAV conversions;
warranties, excluding the mandatory warranties identified below;
insurance and service packages etc;
first registration fee and cost of first licence; and
discounts—including rebates.

Where a vehicle model has multiple powertrain options (that is options that affect the capacity of the battery, drive train configuration, or maximum net power) eligibility will be determined by the recommended retail price for the lowest priced variant of each distinct powertrain.

For example, if a vehicle model has a 50KWh battery option priced at £35,000 to £40,000 and a 60KWh battery option priced at £40,000 to £45,000, all of the 50KWh battery variants would be eligible, none of the 60KWh battery variants would be eligible.