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Electric van grant: every model eligible for plug-in van grant

It’s possible to save as much as £5000 on the list price of a new electric van. We share how and which models qualify...

Best electric vans 2024

Just like the Electric Car Grant, which was reintroduced earlier this year, the UK Government is running a scheme to cut the cost of new vans with low carbon footprints. The Plug-in Van Grant can cut between £2500 and £5000 off the list price of a new plug-in hybrid and electric vans, depending on their size. 

First introduced in 2012, the scheme has now been extended to run until the end of March 2026. Both private customers and businesses can benefit from the scheme, and with more electric vans being introduced, it’s possible to save a fortune on the right model for you.

Here, we share which vans are eligible for the grant and how you can apply for it. We’ll also examine a separate grant which can help you cover the cost of installing a charging point at your home or place of business.

Citroën ë-Berlingo Van front cornering

Small and medium vans

Under the Plug-in Van Grant, small and medium-sized vans are eligible for a saving of £2500. Your company can claim up to 1000 of these grants each year, with the limit re-setting on 1 April. That means, if you’re ordering multiple vans for your business, you’re able to claim a grant for each of them.

To qualify for the grant, a small van must have a gross weight of under 2500kg, have CO2 emissions of less than 50g/km and be capable of travelling for at least 60 miles on electric power alone.

The following small and medium-sized vans all qualify for the grant:

Citroën e-Berlingo
Dacia Spring Cargo
Fiat e-Doblo
Ford e-Transit Courier (Trend and Limited variants)
Ford Transit Connect PHEV (short wheel base and FlexCab variants)
Maxus eDeliver 3 (short wheelbase versions)
Mercedes eCitan
Nextem Orca
Nissan Townstar
Peugeot e-Partner
Renault Kangoo E-Tech (standard wheelbase versions)
Toyota Proace City Electric
Vauxhall Combo-e

Nissan Townstar EV front right driving

Large vans

You can get a grant of up to £5000 on an eligible large van under the Plug-in Van Grant. Much like you can with small and medium-sized vans, you can claim as many as 1000 grants per year.

To qualify for the grant, a large van must have a gross weight of between 2500-3500kg, have CO2 emissions of under 50g/km and have an electric-only range of at least 60 miles

The following large vans qualify for the grant:

Citroën e-Dispatch
Citroën e-Relay
DFSK EC31
DFSK EC35
Fiat e-Ducato
Fiat e-Scudo
Ford E-Transit (Limited, MS-RT, Sport and Trend)
Ford Transit Connect PHEV (long wheel base and FlexCab variants)
Iveco eDaily
LEVC VN5
MAN eTGE
Maxus eDeliver 3
Maxus eDeliver 5
Maxus eDeliver 7
Maxus eDeliver 9
Maxus T90
Mercedes eVito
Mercedes eSprinter
Nissan Townstar (Crew Van and L2)
Peugeot e-Boxer
Peugeot e-Expert
Promod L City
Renault Kangoo E-Tech (long wheel base and crew van versions)
Renault Master E-Tech (panel and conversions)
Renault Trafic E-Tech
Toyota Proace Electric
Vauxhall Movano Electric
Vauxhall Vivaro Electric
Volkswagen E-Transporter
Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo (Commerce and Commerce Plus)

Renault Master E-tech driving on the motorway

How do I claim the grant?

Just like the Electric Car Grant, the discount is automatically applied to the price of any eligible van you purchase – meaning you won’t have to do anything extra to claim it. The grant is paid directly to the vehicle manufacturer or dealer, who will deal with any paperwork involved on your behalf.

Can I get a grant to cover a charging point?

The Office for Zero-Emission Vehicles (OZEV) is running another grant to help reduce the cost of buying and fitting an electric car charger. Under the OZEV scheme, the Government will cover 75% of the cost of a new chargepoint, up to a maximum of £350.

However, not all drivers are eligible. If you’re planning to install a home chargepoint under the scheme, you’ll need to live in a flat or rented property and have off-street parking. 

The EV chargepoint grant also applies to owners of small and medium-sized businesses (with less than 250 employees). The scheme can also provide as much as £15,000 to go towards preparing the property for chargepoints and any related infrastructure.

Nevertheless, unlike the grants on new electric cars and vans, the OZEV grant isn’t applied automatically. Instead, you’ll need to ask an OZEV-qualified chargepoint installer to make an application for you and fill out an eligibility survey. If this is approved, the installer will deduct the fee from your invoice.


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