What Electric Cars will receive the New Government Grant (ECG) - Update 16 August 2025

The New Government Grant (ECG) upadate 16 August 2025 What Electric Cars will get it?

The latest plug-in grant for the UK Government is keeping the electric car industry very busy. From its announcement and inception in July 2025, through the implementation during August, many UK personal and business leasing customers have been stalling making a purchasing decision until they know unequivocally that their vehicle will, or will not, receive the new ECG.

To help British people understand what is going on, the Government have produced a list of manufacturers / cars which have been approached under their new system.   As at 16 August 2025, we have 22 options which qualify for the Band 2 support, which is £1,500.

No vehicles have yet made the qualification for a Band 1 subsidy, which is a numeric value of £3,750. To be clear, the new ECG is far different from some of the historic grants, where the vehicle’s value and zero-emission status was enough to help them qualify for the financial support.

The new ECG is far more onerous and detailed, with the access to the support being based on a number of factors. While the £37,000 value has been used as the vehicle maximum, there are a wide array of qualifying points, all of which we have listed in a recent industry review  .

The big news we have for today is that we have two key vehicle options joining the grant in the form of the Cupra Born and the VW ID3. The two best-selling electric hatchback options are fundamental to the industry and are, in essence, the equivalent of the VW Golf, Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra when combustion was the dominant choice.

Having these essential cars attain ECG status will almost certainly encourage even more UK drivers to consider the possibility of going electric with their next new car. The interesting move is where the brands will now price their vehicles as part of this grant / subsidy. A key point to note is that the ECG is available for vehicles priced at £37,000 or below This value is the RRP and will include VAT, manufacturer or dealer extras, battery cost and any non-standard options.

This doesn’t include warranties / insurance or servicing packages AND it does not include any discounts or rebates which will be applied. However, if the model has various powertrain options (options that affect the capacity of the battery or drive train), eligibility is calculated by the RRP price for the lowest priced variant of each distinct power train. For example, if the Born has a 59kWh battery option priced at £35,000 to £45,000 and a 79kWh battery option priced at £40,000 to £50,000, the ECG would apply to ALL of the 59kWh options and NONE of the 79kWh ones.

To help e-car lease customers, we are now separating  ECG applicable vehicles  for review. You can find these on our homepage .This is an apt time for the Cupra team to secure their ECG, as they recently announced that their latest Born model would feature the 79kWh battery being utilised by the ID3 pictured here. If you go to the Cupra website, you will see that the new V1 79kWh model will start from an RRP of just £36,995 .

Not unlike the previous edition, the updated 79Wh Born will feature three key specifications including:

•  V1 - 20” alloys, electrically adjustable and folding heated door mirrors, full LED lights, heat-insulated glass, navigation system, rear view camera, road sign display, 7 speaker system, heated steering wheel, climate control, aluminium pedals, keyless go, dynamic steering, lane assist, park distance control and a mode 3 charging cable;

• V2 - this adds privacy glass, augmented HUD and the heated front seats; and
• V3 -  this upgrades the alloys to the 20” Thunderstorm, adds ambient lighting, 12-way electrically adjustable seats, lumbar support and massage function for seats.   

The colours include  Glacial White, Geyser Silver (no cost),Midnight Black, Aurora Blue and Vapor Grey. You can upgrade the 20” Firestorm alloy wheels. In terms of additional options consider - the Skyline (panoramic sunroof), heat pump, Dynamic Pack (dynamic chassis control), Tech Pack (wireless phone charger and KESSY advanced), Pilot Pack (park assist, park memory, top view camera and lane keeping system) and the interior smart lights.

How will the new Born 79kWh electric hatch perform?

•  79kWh e-boost  - this FWD hatch will have a 79 kWh usable battery which will offer 0 – 62 times of 7.1 seconds, 99 mph top speeds and 170kW (or 228hp). Expect a combined winter range of 245 miles with warmer weather allowing for 335 miles – a 290 mile combined. On charging, the 11 kW AC max will allow 8 hour and 30 min 0 – 100% charging times with the 185 kW DC maximum allowing 26 minute 10 – 80% times. A cargo volume of 385L is available with this car. It has a vehicle fuel equivalent of 149 mpg. You cannot tow with this EV. It also has no V2L or V2G capabilities (so far). The heat pump is optional.

Need more help and advice on the ECG or the Born 79kWh for 2025?

Head to the e-car lease brand website to build your perfect option or just get in touch with our team on 01942 910 001 or by emailing us at [email protected]

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