• What is the Plug-in Car Grant?
  • What is the Plug-in Car Grant?

What is the Plug-in Car Grant?

UK Government scheme to subsidise electric cars comes to an end

Originally launched way back in 2011, the Plug-in Car Grant (PiCG for short) is a Government-led scheme to encourage motorists of petrol and diesel-fuelled cars to switch to a greener alternative.

In March 2020, another £403 million became available to help drivers transition to a plug-in hybrid or fully electric vehicle (EV). Up to £3,500 could be claimed against the purchase of a new electric car to help the country meet its tough emissions targets. The only caveat was that cars priced £50,000 or more were exempt from the PiCG scheme. 

It was in July 2019 that the Government outlined optimistic plans for what it calls the ‘Road to Zero’ strategy. As part of the plans, the UK confirmed that it has committed to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035, which leaves motorists opting for zero emissions alternatives instead. 

Is the Plug-in Car Grant still available?

As of June 2022, the original Plug-in Car Grant has come to an end. This means that motorists hoping to purchase a plug-in hybrid or electric car can no longer apply for the £3,500 grant which was previously available. However, an 18-month extension has been announced that is only applicable to existing car orders - we’ve explained more about this below. 

The Government is now turning its efforts to improving the electric vehicle charging infrastructure instead. As such, grants for electric car charging points are now available (which we’ve highlighted further below).

What is the Plug-in Car Grant extension?

Due to vehicle supply issues partly caused by the semiconductor crisis, the Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed that it will extend the Plug-in Car Grant, but only for those with an electric car already on order - so new customers aren’t able to apply. 

The temporary 18-month extension will see the PiCG grant for existing applications be extended until 31st March 2023. An extension to the original grant period means that electric car orders which have been delayed, will still be honoured so manufacturers can catch up with demand. All PiCG grant applications logged in the system from 14th June 2021 will be subject to the extension period. 

What grants are available for electric vehicles?

Even though the original Plug-in Car Grant has now been axed (apart from those eligible for the extension) there are a handful of other Government grants available for electric vehicles…  

Plug-in Van Grant

Sole traders and business owners can benefit from a Plug-in Van Grant (PiVG) that operates slightly differently compared to the Plug-in Car Grant. Helping businesses in the UK of all sizes make the transition to an electric commercial vehicle, the PiVG covers over 30 models of van - both small and large.

So how does the Plug-in Van Grant work? Well, the PiVG will pay 35% of the overall purchase price for small electric vans weighing up to 2.5 tonnes, up to a maximum of £2,500. For large vans, the grant is increased to £5,000 for vans and trucks up to 4.25 tonnes in weight.

To qualify for the grant, vans must be able to travel at least 60 miles on pure electric power, while not reaching more than 50gCO2/km of emissions overall. When purchasing a van from a reputable dealership, the PiVG will be automatically applied, so the vehicle’s list price will reflect the discount. 

If you’re looking for an electric van, then why not discover the selection of EVs in stock now and available from our commercial vehicle sister site at Loads of Vans.

Plug-in Taxi Grant     

The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) offers the Plug-in Taxi Grant (PiTG) which has been introduced as an incentive scheme designed for taxi companies. Encouraging taxi drivers to invest in ultra-low emission vehicles, the PiTG scheme provides two options:

Category 1

Taxi drivers can benefit from a grant of up to £7,500 in order to invest in a plug-in hybrid or fully electric vehicle. To comply, the vehicle must have a zero-emission range of at least 70 miles and emit less than 50gCO2/km from the tailpipe.

Category 2

Taxi drivers can benefit from a grant of up to £3,000 in order to invest in a plug-in hybrid or fully electric vehicle. To comply, the vehicle must have a zero-emission range of between 10 to 69 miles and emit less than 50gCO2/km from the tailpipe. 

To be eligible for the PiTG, each taxi must be wheelchair accessible. 

Plug-in Motorcycle Grant

First launched in 2016, the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant (PiMG) was introduced to help motorcyclists invest in a zero emission motorcycle. In September 2022, the Office for Zero Emission Vehicle (OZEV) confirmed that the scheme will run until at least April 2023. 

The PiMG only applies to motorcycles or mopeds that are new, meet all of the eligibility criteria for the scheme and have been approved by OZEV.

EV Chargepoint Grant

As we’ve already mentioned, the Government is focussing its efforts on supplying discounts to help drivers charge their EVs. Launched in April 2022, the EV Chargepoint Grant provides funding towards the cost of installing an electric vehicle charge point at home or at work (including small to medium size businesses). 

Contributing up to 75% of the overall cost of an EV charging unit, the EV Chargepoint Grant replaces the original Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) for the benefit of companies with up to 249 employees. 

Workplace Charging Scheme

The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) provides a grant to help towards the cost of installing an EV charger at a place of work. Businesses, charities and public sector organisations can claim up to 75% of the purchase and installation cost of a charge point. 

It’s worth noting that the WCS grant is capped at £350 per charging unit and businesses are limited to a total of 40 chargers.

Go electric with Wilsons Epsom

If you’re keen on speeding up your journey to owning an EV, then you’ve come to the right place. Here at Wilsons in Epsom, Surrey, you can choose from a vast range of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles to suit your needs.

As the largest family-run new and used car supermarket in the South of England, we can put you in the driving seat of a brand new or preloved electric car. We proudly stock the biggest names in EV and our expert team is on hand 7-days a week with any questions you may have about ‘going green’.

All that’s left to do now is explore our electrifying range of new and used cars which you can view in more detail online.

Transport For London

Cars need to meet minimum emission standards when travelling in the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) or the daily charge must be paid.

Minimum emission standards

Petrol: Euro 4
Diesel: Euro 6

The ULEZ will be enforced based on the declared emissions of the vehicle rather than the age. However:

Information from Transport For London

Check this car on the TFL website before purchasing: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/check-your-vehicle/

All our vehicles are subject to an Admin Fee. Our Admin Fee covers any additional administration needed during your transaction, including a thorough provenance check (HPI Check). The admin fee also includes the cost to fully valet, register and, if necessary, MOT your vehicle (if less than 6 months left of current MOT).

Our administration fee is a variable fee which covers the additional administration needed when transacting with different categories of customers as specified. Retail Customers £199.00 - (Private buyers - NOT an owner, partner or director of a new/used vehicle sales company). Retail Customers using a finance broker outside our official panel of lenders paying funds direct to Wilsons Epsom - £399.00. All fees are inclusive of VAT.