First vehicles to receive full £3,750 Electric Vehicle Grant announced

The Ford Puma Gen-E and e-Tourneo Courier are the first two car models entitled to the full £3,750 discount of the Government’s Electric Car Grant scheme.

Launched in July of this year, the other 26 models included in the initiative so far are only eligible for grants of £1,500.

Eligibility criteria requires models to be priced below £37,000 and meet certain CO2 emission standards within their production chains, but specific details of the latter haven’t been fully revealed.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:

“We’re putting money back in people’s pockets and making it easier and cheaper for families to make the switch to electric, by delivering discounts of up to £3,750 on EVs.

“Our measures are driving competition in the UK EV market, boosting economic growth, and supporting jobs and skills.

Carmakers can apply for models to be eligible for grants, which are then automatically applied at the point of sale.

More vehicles are expected to be approved in the coming weeks and the DfT said the policy would bring down prices to “closely match their petrol and diesel counterparts”.

Ford is also helping customers make the switch to electric with its ‘Power Promise’ programme, which will enable private customers to have a free home charger installation, up to 10,000 miles of free charging and an eight-year or 100,000-mile battery warranty.

Lisa Brankin, Ford UK chair and managing director, said:

“We welcome the Government’s decision to accelerate the transition to electric mobility and are proud that Ford’s commitment to sustainability has been recognised with the full EV grant.

With a £3,750 saving available on the Puma Gen-E plus the convenience of the Ford Power Promise, we’re helping to make the switch to electric simpler, more affordable and more rewarding.”

The Puma Gen-E and E-Tourneo Courier with the Government grant are available now, with first deliveries set to commence later this year.