Volkswagen Group introduces £1,500 'Grant Guarantee'

Volkswagen Group has introduced a £1,500 grant for certain electric models from its Cupra, Skoda and VW brands.

The 'Grant Guarantee' ensures retail customers benefit from a lower price, ahead of the Government confirming eligibility for its recently announced Electric Car Grant.

Discounts are offered on the Cupra Born, Skoda Elroq and Enyaq, and VW ID 3 and ID 4.

“We welcomed the Government’s announcement of its Electric Car Grant and wanted to make sure customers could start benefitting from lower-cost electric motoring as quickly as possible,” said Rod McLeod, director of Volkswagen UK. “We have already seen an uplift in enquiries since the Government’s grant was announced, which is great news for Volkswagen’s electrification plans.”

The Government’s new electric car grant will be worth up to £3,750 off a new battery electric vehicle (BEV).

To qualify for the £650 million scheme, electric cars must have a recommended retail price (RRP) of £37,000 or less, with two levels of grant available depending on the carmaker’s sustainability standards.

The ‘greenest’ vehicles in band one will receive up to £3,750, with band two vehicles receiving up to £1,500.

The electric car grant (ECG) requires manufacturers to have committed to a verified science-based target (SBT) and have embodied carbon scores below a certain threshold.

Vehicles made by manufacturers who have not set an SBT will not be eligible for the scheme, says the DfT. 

The Government has already suggested that Chinese-made EVs will struggle to qualify, with manufacturers such as Leapmotor, GWM and MG introducing their own 'green' discounts. 

Even models sold by European brands that are produced in China, or have EV batteries made in that country, are less likely to get the grant or may only receive a discount of £1,500