Labour has unveiled which zero emission vehicles will be part of its first wave of eligible EVs for the new Electric Car Grant, with drivers being able to save up to £3,750.
A new £650million Electric Car Grant was launched in mid-July, with the Government aiming to boost the uptake of EVs and remove petrol and diesel vehicles from the road.
Drivers can save up to £3,750 off the price of new electric vehicles under the threshold of £37,000, with Labour now rolling out the discounts for the first round of eligible vehicles.
In a landmark announcement alongside Citroen, the Government will be moving ahead with grants worth £1,500 for four different models, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed.
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The first four vehicles have been announced for the new Electric Car Grant
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The four electric vehicle models from Citroen include the e-C3, e-C4, e-C4 X and the e-Berlingo, with the discount automatically applied in the purchase of the vehicle. Grants will also apply to the new e-C3 Aircross and e-C5 Aircross.
The Transport Secretary confirmed that the Government would be moving forward with new measures to support electric vehicles, with more eligible models being announced in the coming weeks.
Motorists will not need to fill out any paperwork as part of the grant, with manufacturers applying for the discount on behalf of the consumer.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: "With the first four models approved today and more to come over the next few weeks, this summer we're making owning an electric car cheaper, easier, and a reality for thousands more people across the UK.
"Once again, we're delivering our Plan for Change by standing firmly on the side of motorists and manufacturers, driving down costs for consumers, supporting jobs and putting money back in people's pockets."
When purchasing the vehicle, drivers will not need to do anything as the grant will be deducted from the purchase price at the point of sale once the Government has confirmed the eligibility of the vehicles.
Automakers have been invited to workshops with the Government to ensure manufacturers have the information they need to understand which vehicles can be eligible for the grants.
Eligible electric cars must meet certain criteria set out by the Department for Transport to be eligible for the grant.
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The Citroen e-C5 Aircross now costs £32,565
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This includes a minimum battery range of 100 miles, produce 0g/km of CO2 at the tailpipe, have a battery or fuel cell and a warranty of at least eight years or 100,000 miles.
Commenting on the awarding of the Electric Car Grant to the four Citroen models, Greg Taylor, managing director of the brand's UK operations, said the company wanted all drivers to have access to electric vehicles.
He added: "We welcome the support of the Electric Car Grant and are delighted to be the first to have vehicles in our electric range, including the new e-C3, new e-C4, new e-C5 Aircross and e-Berlingo, approved and eligible.
"We're pleased that the support from the UK Government makes our range more accessible with six vehicles under £36,000."
The price of the Citroen e-Berlingo will fall to just £29,740
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In total, Citroen has six electric cars under £36,000, with the four models receiving the Level 2 support worth £1,500 as all vehicles are assembled in Europe.
Motorists can also make use of the French automaker's WE CARE warranty that applies to the battery for eight years or 100.000 miles, with an additional two years or 16,000 miles available after each maintenance service performed within the network.
Manufacturers must also hold a Science Based Target, which shows the levels of carbon involved in the production of the vehicles, in addition to the location where the battery cell was produced.
This has led to suggestions that Chinese car brands will not be eligible to apply for the Electric Car Grant, as many factories in China rely heavily on coal and fossil fuels.
Speaking at the time of the launch of the Electric Car Grant, Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said that it was counterproductive to award manufacturers a grant on clean vehicles if the process is carbon-intensive.