The top band of the Electric Car Grant (ECG) expanded on 3 December 2025 to include the MINI Countryman, Renault 4, Renault 5 and Renault Alpine A290, the Department for Transport and the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles said1. The change doubles the number of models eligible for the maximum £3,750 reduction to eight1.
The government said the expansion follows an extra £1.5 billion announced at the Autumn Budget, including £1.3 billion to increase available funding and extend the ECG for a further year, to 2030, alongside £200 million to accelerate the rollout of chargepoints1. The grant has helped over 40,000 drivers choose electric since its launch in July1. Buyers can choose from brands including Ford, Vauxhall, Citroen and Nissan, whose LEAF model is set to be built at its Sunderland plant1.
One maker's account gives a different figure for the previous discount on the newly added Renault and Alpine models. Andersen EV said the Renault 4, Renault 5 and Alpine A290 will now qualify for the full £3,750, "a significant uplift from the previous £1,500"2. It added that the Renault 5 40kWh models will only qualify for the £1,500 incentive, with the increased amount applying to the 52kWh models2. The government announcement does not set out a previous rate for these models1.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:
"Our Electric Car Grant has already supported over 40,000 drivers to choose electric, and this latest expansion doubles the number of models available for the top discount, putting thousands of pounds back in more families' pockets."
The government also said September and October saw record EV sales, with 1 in 4 new cars sold in the UK now electric, and that there are almost 87,000 chargers already live across the country, with rural chargepoints in England up 26% on the year1. It said it has launched a review into the cost of public electric vehicle charging, looking at the impact of energy prices, wider cost contributors and options for lowering these costs for consumers1. Overall, it said it is investing £7.5 billion to accelerate the transition to electric1.
Why it matters for households
The grant reduces the upfront purchase price of an eligible new electric car, which the government describes as traditionally one of the biggest barriers to EV uptake1. For a household weighing up a switch, the discount applies at the point of purchase rather than to running costs, so it changes the capital outlay rather than the cost of electricity used to charge at home.
Running costs depend on where a car is charged. The government said its £25 million scheme to help residents without driveways install home chargers enables them to access cheaper electricity rates and charge up for as little as 2p per mile1. It also said proposals to cut red tape and remove planning permission requirements for home charging solutions such as cross pavement charging could speed up residents' applications and save drivers up to £250 in application fees1. Details of how the Electric Car Grant operates, and of the closed Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme, sit alongside the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant for renters and flat owners.
For a household without off-street parking, the cost of public charging is the main variable, and the government said its review is examining that1. Autotrader's chief commercial officer, Ian Plummer, said the grant is making electric cars more affordable and that views of grant eligible models on its site have increased by over 100% in some instances1. He added that EVs "enjoy significant running cost benefits, but only when the cars can be charged mainly on driveways or cheaper off street locations"1.
What happens next
The ECG has been extended to 2030 under the £1.3 billion funding allocation1. The government said the additional £200 million for chargepoints will build on £381 million to help councils deliver over 100,000 new public chargers1. The review into the cost of public charging is under way, with no completion date given1.