Ford has become the first manufacturer to secure full eligibility under the UK Government’s Electric Car Grant, with two new models qualifying for the top-tier £3,750 subsidy.
The Ford Puma Gen-E and Ford E-Tourneo Courier are the first vehicles to meet the government’s sustainability standards for the ‘Band 1’ grant.
Lisa Brankin, Ford UK chair and managing director, said:
“We welcome the government’s decision to accelerate the transition to electric mobility and are proud that Ford’s commitment to sustainability has been recognised with the full EV grant.”
Additional Band 2 approvals
Alongside Ford’s Band 1 success, four further models have been confirmed for the £1,500 ‘Band 2’ grant:
Peugeot E-308
Peugeot E-408
DS 3
DS No4
Nicola Dobson, Peugeot UK managing director, commented:
“With six of our all-electric models now confirmed for the Electric Car Grant, Peugeot is proud to give customers more opportunities to benefit from lower upfront costs and greater choice.”
Industry reaction
The move has been welcomed across the automotive and motoring sectors.
AA president Edmund King said:
“Drivers frequently tell us that the upfront costs of new EVs are a stumbling block to making the switch. It is great to see some of these more substantial £3,750 discounts coming online, because for some drivers, this might just bridge the financial gap.”
RAC head of policy Simon Williams added:
“It’s great to see details of the first two models qualifying for the full £3,750 Electric Car Grant. This represents a significant saving for drivers which we hope further stimulates demand and encourages other manufacturers to follow suit. We’ve long called for an EV grant aimed at the more affordable end of the market, so it’s very positive to see this happening in support of the switch to electric motoring.”