The UK’s electric car market just got a serious boost. Labour’s full £3,750 Electric Car Grant has officially landed, and the first EV models to qualify have now been confirmed. Leading the charge are Ford’s Puma Gen-E and E-Tourneo Courier — both meeting the government’s top-tier sustainability criteria and now eligible for the maximum discount.
It’s a move designed to make electric vehicles more affordable, more accessible, and more appealing to everyday drivers. With prices slashed and demand already surging, this grant could be the turning point for EV adoption.
Ford Leads The Charge
After weeks of speculation and mounting pressure from the industry, the first electric vehicles to qualify for Labour’s full £3,750 electric car grant have finally been revealed — and it’s Ford that’s leading the way. The Ford Puma Gen-E and the E-Tourneo Courier have officially met the government’s strict sustainability criteria, making them the first models to unlock the top-tier Band 1 discount under the new scheme, says Fleet World.
The announcement comes as part of Labour’s £650 million Electric Car Grant initiative, aimed at making EV ownership more affordable and accelerating the UK’s transition to zero-emission vehicles. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the grant is “putting money back in people’s pockets and making it easier and cheaper for families to make the switch to electric”.
What The Grant Covers
The electric car grant offers two levels of support:
- Band 1: £3,750 discount for the most sustainable EVs
- Band 2: £1,500 discount for models that meet minimum sustainability standards
To qualify for Band 1, a vehicle must meet rigorous environmental benchmarks — including low carbon emissions during battery production, vehicle assembly, and the electricity grid intensity of the country where it’s built.
According to This Is Money, Ford’s success is largely attributed to its European-based production. The Puma Gen-E and E-Tourneo Courier are assembled in Romania, with electric drive units manufactured in Merseyside and battery components sourced from South Korea.
New Prices After The Electric Car Grant
With the full grant applied, prices for Ford’s qualifying models drop significantly:
- Ford Puma Gen-E: from £29,995 to £26,245
- Ford E-Tourneo Courier: from £32,190 to £28,440
Ford UK Chair Lisa Brankin welcomed the news, saying: “We’re proud that Ford’s commitment to sustainability has been recognised with the full EV grant. The Puma Gen-E is already Britain’s best-selling car, and this support makes it even more accessible”.
Who Else Is Eligible?
While Ford is the first to hit the full £3,750 mark, other manufacturers have also joined the scheme — albeit at the lower Band 2 level. These include:
- Peugeot E-308 and E-408
- DS 3 and DS Nº4
Each of these models now benefits from a £1,500 discount, helping to bring EV prices closer to their petrol and diesel counterparts.
Peugeot UK Managing Director Nicola Dobson said: “With six of our all-electric models now confirmed for the Electric Car Grant, we’re proud to give customers more opportunities to benefit from lower upfront costs and greater choice”.
Impact On The Market
According to Auto Trader, interest in eligible EVs has surged by up to 80% since the grant was announced. Edmund King, President of the AA, called the move “a real boost for electric,” noting that upfront cost remains one of the biggest barriers to adoption.
The grant is automatically applied at the point of sale, meaning buyers don’t need to fill out forms or wait for reimbursement. It’s a straightforward discount designed to stimulate demand and support the UK’s automotive sector — which currently supports over 133,000 jobs directly and another 320,000 indirectly.
Final Thoughts
The arrival of the first models to receive Labour’s full electric car grant marks a turning point in the UK’s EV rollout. With Ford setting the pace and other manufacturers close behind, the scheme is beginning to deliver on its promise: making electric vehicles more affordable, more accessible, and more appealing to everyday drivers.
As more models are expected to be approved in the coming weeks, the grant could reshape the EV landscape — giving buyers the confidence to make the switch and helping the UK meet its ambitious zero-emission targets.
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