Plug-in Car Grant and Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme

Both the Plug-In and Homecharge grant schemes are part of a recently-announced £600 million package of measures from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) over the course of the next parliament, with the government committing to make nearly all cars and vans zero-emission by 2050.

Plug-in Car Grant

The government's Plug-In Car Grant has been extended to at least March 2018.

From next March buyers of the greenest cars will be able to save up to £4,500 off the overall purchase price of an ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEV).

According to the government, since it was created in 2011, the Plug-in Car Grant has been “instrumental in the UK becoming the biggest ULEV market in the EU, and the fourth largest in the world” with around 50,000 people benefitting from the grant so far.

From 1st March 2016, two grant rates will be available:

'Category 1' vehicles
with a zero emission range of over 70 miles will benefit from a grant of £4,500
'Category 2 and 3' vehicles
with a shorter zero emission range - such as plug-in hybrid vehicles with a petrol or diesel engine - will receive £2,500

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which also produce zero tailpipe emissions, are also eligible for the £4,500 grant.

For more details see:

Plug-in car and van grants - on the gov.uk website

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Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme

From 1st March 2016, the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme will offer £500 per home charge point installation, which on average will cover around half of the cost of getting a charge point.

To encourage zero emission vehicles and “maximise the number of everyday motorists who can benefit from government support”, a price cap will also be introduced from 1st March 2016.

Category 2 and 3 models with a list price of over £60,000 will not be eligible for the grant,
but
all category 1 vehicles with a zero emission range of over 70 miles will be eligible for the full £4,500 grant

For more details see: