Electric cars are becoming a popular sight on Britain’s roads and now the government has launched its Electric Car Grant scheme.
The scheme is designed to entice buyers into EVs by giving substantial discounts of up to £3,750 off any electric vehicle priced under £37,000.
There are two price bands in the scheme, with Band One vehicles receiving the full £3,750 discount and Band Two are vehicles that receive a £1,500 price reduction.
The cars on this list are affordable, practical and are great all-rounders, to make them worthy contenders in the EV market.
So, if you’re in the market for a new EV and want to save a bit of cash, what are the best EVs that are eligible for the Electric Car Grant?
The Ford Puma is one of Britain’s best-selling cars and the Gen-E is the electrified version of this popular crossover.
The Puma Gen-E is the only EV in the Electric Car Grant that receives the full £3,750 saving, taking the starting price to £26,245, making it one of the cheapest electric crossovers on the market.
Underneath, the car comes equipped with a 43kWh battery with an electric motor to produce a total of 166bhp and 290Nm of torque. Ford claims the car can travel up to 233 miles on a single charge and that 100kW DC rapid-charging is compatible, allowing for a 10 to 80 per cent top-up to take 23 minutes.
The Puma Gen-E is one of the most practical cars in its class, thanks to the ‘Megabox’ located in the boot, giving a total capacity of 523 litres of space.
If you want something that is a little bit sportier, yet still very practical, then there is the Cupra Born.
The Born sits on the same MEB platform as the Volkswagen ID.3, but sits slightly lower, has a 3mm lower roofline and a more driver-focused interior.
It qualifies for Band Two, which means customers can save up to £1,500 off the list price, allowing for prices now to start at £34,190.
The little Cupra is also practical and offers a boot capacity of 385 litres, while there are plenty of handy storage spaces dotted around the cabin.
The Renault 5 is one of the best compact EVs on the market and being eligible for the Electric Car Grant has only made it even more appealing.
The R5 sits in Band Two, which means prices now start at a tempting £21,495, which makes it one of the cheapest EVs on the market.
Out on the road, the R5 is great to drive with it feeling agile, nimble and light, while the accurate steering and peppy acceleration from its electric motor gives it a unique charm.
It’s also available with a choice of 40kWh and 52kWh batteries. The former manages a claimed 186 miles on a single charge and the latter increases the range to a claimed 252 miles between trips to the plug.
Another Renault on this list is the impressive Scenic SUV, which is one of the best cars in its class.
Customers can save up to £1,500, taking the starting price to £35,495 and the car comes packed full of standard equipment.
There is a choice of two battery options on offer, with the ‘Standard Range’ model featuring a 60kWh unit that can manage a claimed 260 miles on a single charge, while the ‘Long Range’ car comes equipped with an 87kWh battery that can deliver a claimed 381 miles.
The Scenic provides lots of interior space, has an extremely large boot area and is very pleasant to drive.
The e-208 is one of the most stylish and easy to live with EVs on the market, due to its compact dimensions and affordable running costs.
The e-208 is based on the Vauxhall Corsa Electric, but has a much more interesting exterior design and futuristic interior layout.
Customers can save up to £1,500 off an e-208, taking the starting price to £28,650.
Underneath, there is a choice of two battery options, with the first being a 50kWh unit with an electric motor that can do a claimed 226 miles, or there is a larger 51kWh battery that can manage a claimed 268 miles.
One of the best electric SUVs on the market is Skoda’s Enyaq, and for very good reason.
It has an impressive amount of interior space, a large 585-litre boot capacity and a premium-feeling cabin, while being excellent to drive and provides a decent electric range.
Customers can save up to £1,500 with a new Enyaq, taking the starting price down to £45,760.
There is a choice of battery options as well, with the entry-level car coming fitted with a 59kWh unit with an electric motor that can deliver a claimed 268 miles and there is a larger 77kWh battery with an electric motor that can manage a claimed 359 miles.
