It's incredible that no EV has got the full Electric Car Grant amount

As more cars become eligible for the Government’s electric car grant, it’s interesting that none of them yet qualifies for the higher £3,750 amount, with the total now sitting at 24 vehicles to choose from with a £1,500 contribution. 

With the latest batch of five including the likes of the Cupra Born, Volkswagen ID.3 and Peugeot 2008, there’s now a decent array of cars included in the scheme, from the chic Renault 4 and 5 through to the practical, family-friendly Nissan Ariya – a former Auto Express Car of the Year! – the Vauxhall Frontera and the Renault Scenic. 

But it is interesting that nothing has yet achieved the full grant, especially as it’s not clear from the outside how the calculations are being worked out.

Many industry commentators predicted the Renault 4 and 5 should be in pole position for the higher amount, but that didn’t happen. That may have revealed something about where the batteries are coming from, and not all are yet being produced at the shiny new plant in northern France. When that facility is up to speed, there’s a chance the Renault cars eligible for the grant – the 4, 5, Megane and Scenic are the ones that currently get £1,500 – could be moved to the higher level. But that’s far from clear, due to the way the system has been set up. 

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I’ve heard some cynical types suggest glibly that the bar for eligibility for the full £3,750 has deliberately been set unachievably high, so the headlines featured a nice big number, but behind the scenes the Government knew full well that few cars, if any, were going to achieve it. I’m sure that wasn’t the case, but the lack of clarity isn’t helpful. 

From what I hear, even manufacturers don’t know how close they have come to achieving the higher grant level – they can reapply if anything changes, such as battery supply coming from a different country. However, it sounds like there’s little transparency as to why a car is only eligible at the lower level, and if it’s down to the environmental credentials of where the batteries are built  – coal reliance versus nuclear, for example. The big one will be when the UK-built Nissan Leaf goes on sale in the coming weeks; if that car isn’t eligible, then I’m guessing nothing will be. 

At least the grant scheme will last longer if it’s ebbing away at £1,500 a car, rather than nearly £4,000. Pessimistic early projections had it running out as soon as next spring if too many cars were eligible for the higher level. It’s obvious that won’t be happening now! 

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