Vauxhall announced price cuts for its Mokka-e and Vivaro-e electric models after the UK government granted plug-in-car (PiCG) grants for electric cars.
The government decided last week to lower the maximum amount of the plug-in grant by £ 500 to £ 2,500 and to lower the list price threshold from £ 50,000 to £ 35,000.
In response, Vauxhall has cut starting prices for the Mocha-e (pictured above) to £ 33,040, while the Vivaro-e Edition starts now at £ 34,995.
Earlier this week, several other electric car manufacturers started offering similar offerings to their customers. By the end of March 2021, Tesla will assume the grant amount of £ 2,500 for the Tesla Model 3, which is no longer eligible for the grant due to the policy change.
Elsewhere, Citroen has announced that all versions of its e-C4 family car will continue to be eligible for the grant after lowering the price of the e-C4 Shine Plus trim level by £ 550 to ensure it falls below the threshold.
Similarly, MG has also confirmed that the MG ZS and MG 5 electric models will still be eligible for the grant and committed to making up the £ 500 difference between the old and new grant levels for orders in March 2021.
Due to the UK government’s decision, some electric cars, including the Polestar 2 and the Ford Mustang Mach-E, are no longer eligible. Other electric cars such as the Volkswagen ID.3, Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Kona Electric are still permitted, but only in lower equipment variants.
Mike Hawes, chairman of the board of the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), criticized the UK government’s decision last week, saying it was “the wrong move at the wrong time”.
The Department of Transportation (DfT) defended its decision, saying the changes mean the money available for the grant program should last longer.
