If you’re not familiar with the Plug-In Car Grant (PICG) you should be – it’s a grant provided by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) which gives you up to 35% discount or a maximum of £2,500 off the price of a brand-new low-emission vehicle – effectively making the car even cheaper to lease.
Earlier this year, a sudden cut by the UK government resulted in the PICG being reduced from a maximum of £3,000 to £2,500 and the eligibility threshold reduced from £50,000 to £35,000.
Meaning, today, only vehicles priced under £35K with CO2 emissions of less than 50g/km and that can travel at least 70 miles without any emissions qualify for the grant.
But something interesting has been going on amongst the manufacturers…
The change in qualifying price has resulted in many vehicle manufacturers, including Volkswagen, BMW and Citroen, slashing the list prices of their most popular electric vehicles to fall below the revised PICG £35,000 threshold.
The forward-looking decision from manufacturers to lower their EV prices, some by as much as £7,415, has welcomed a number of vehicles including the BMW i3 and Volkswagen ID.3 back under the price ceiling.
So, if you’re planning to make the move to greener driving, you now have a wider selection of the best EVs on the market and can still benefit from the plug-in car grant.
First up, it’s Nissan’s all-electric LEAF. This EV continues to excel as one of the world’s best-selling EVs and for good reason too. Featuring a baffling array of advanced tech and up to 168 miles of zero tailpipe emissions. Nissan quickly reacted to the Government cuts by slashing the price of its 40kWh and 62kWh models by a whopping £5,265 meaning every LEAF model in the range now qualifies for the grant. It’s no surprise it’s on our list.
Next up, it’s the e-C4. Citroen were also quick to react to the recent changes. The brand announced it was slashing its most popular all-electric e-C4 variant, the Shine Plus, by £550 to £34,995 so that it continued to qualify for the PICG. The e-C4 brings a dose of Citroen individuality to the family hatchback segment. It boasts an impressive 210-mile electric range and is one of the most comfortable cabins in its class. There’s plenty to like here.
Next on our list of low-emission cars under £35K is Peugeot’s e-2008. It’s where SUV meets EV. This delightful Peugeot delivers the full-EV formula with up to 206 miles WLTP range in a trendy, very lifestyle orientated package alongside a whole range of next-generation technology making it hard to resist. Following Peugeot’s price cuts the Active Premium, Allure and Allure Premium specifications all fall under the £35K limit.
The all-new fully electric ID.3 hatchback from Volkswagen offers a range of up to 263 miles and Passat-levels of interior space in a Golf-sized package. With the excellent cost savings available on the Pro and Pro Performance models make the ID.3 difficult to resist. The Pro and Pro Performance models now sit below the Plug-in Car Grant threshold priced at £29,170 and £30,490 respectively.
We round out our top 5 with one of our favourite models and the most substantial saving – the BMW i3. A £7,415 price cut across BMW’s i3 and sportier i3 models has allowed BMW fans the chance to drive a prestige badged EV for even less. Debuted at the 2011 International Motor Show, BMW’s 190-mile range super-compact EV has enjoyed huge success worldwide and will continue to prove popular with starting prices now from £33,805 and £34,805.
At Intelligent Car Leasing, we’re driving the electric revolution and the Plug-In Car Grant allows us to offer you even better leasing deals on the latest electric vehicles. Are you ready to go green?
Our Leasing Specialists are here to help and answer your questions. Please contact us today or call 0344 387 2727. Alternatively, you can browse our latest Electric deals here.
This entry was posted in Other on by Charlie Strand
Categories : Other, Top Car Choices
