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We round up which EVs have been price adjusted to less than £35,000

Since the government’s shotgun move to cap the plug-in car grant (PiCG) at £35,000 and knock £500 off to boot, several manufacturers have adjusted the prices of some of their EVs to ensure they are still eligible. Below are the cars in question.  

BMW i3 and i3s: from £31,305

BMW’s i3 might be a bit long in the tooth but it’s still a compelling little car which holds its own against the latest crop of small EVs. Both the i3 and i3s have been price adjusted to continue to qualify for the PiCG with the i3 starting at £31,305 after the grant, and the i3s £32,305. Both are equipped with the 120Ah (42.4kWh) battery, giving the i3 a WLTP range of up to 190 miles and the i3s up to 173 miles.  

Citroën ë-C4 Shine Plus: £32,495

Citroën has realigned the price of its ë-C4, knocking £550 off of its best-selling ‘Shine Plus’ spec car to keep it qualifying for the grant. It has actually capped the ë-C4 model range at £34,995, ensuring that all versions of the car benefit from the brand’s fair pricing strategy. Using the same 50kWh battery and powertrain as other Stellantis Group EVs, we gave the car four out of five stars, praising it for its comfort and good levels of specification.

Hyundai IONIQ Electric Premium SE: £32,495

Previously priced at a shade over £35,000 before the PiCG, Hyundai has also sneaked its electric saloon under the price cap. The 38.3kWh battery offers a range of around 180 miles and in Premium SE spec, it has a lot to offer by way of kit – something we praised it for in our review

Hyundai Kona Electric 64kWh: £32,495

Hyundai has cut the price of its Kona Electric models across the board, including the 39kWh version. However, it’s the Kona Electric 64kWh in Premium trim that is the most interesting prospect, now sneaking below £35k and costing £32,495 once the PiCG is applied. It becomes the EV with the longest range available within the confines of the grant, capable of over 300 miles on a charge.  

Kia e-Niro 2 Long Range: £32,445

The Kia e-Niro 2 Long Range is the entry-level version of Kia’s ever-popular c-segment SUV with the larger of two battery options. It comes with a decent amount of kit and best of all the 64kWh battery combines with a very efficient powertrain for an easy 280 miles of real-world driving. More than 300 miles is eminently possible with a gentle right foot or urban driving. Before the PiCG adjustment the e-Niro 2 Long Range would’ve set you back just under £36k but can now be had for £34,945.

Nissan LEAF e+ N-Connecta and Tekna: from £30,445

Nissan has ensured that all of its LEAF models are eligible for the PiCG by reducing the on-the-road price of the two highest-spec cars. The LEAF e+ N-Connecta can be had for £30,445 (a £5250 drop) and the top-spec e+ Tekna for £32,445 (a £5265 drop). Both cars get the larger 62kWh battery pack for a WLTP range of 238 miles, as well as a ton of kit. The e+ N-Connecta can be had for just £299 per month on finance.

Vauxhall Mokka-e: from £30,540

Both the Mokka-e SE Premium and Launch Edition retain their eligibility for the grant with the former coming in at £30,540 after the grant, and the latter sneaking under the £35k cap by a fiver, retailing at £32,495 after the grant is applied.  

Vauxhall Vivaro-e Life: £32,495

Vauxhall actually knocked two grand off the list price of its all-electric MPV to ensure buyers could still benefit from the plug-in car grant. It now scrapes under the cap by a crisp five pound note and therefore costs from £32,495 once the grant is applied.  

It’s not all bad news

Whilst the cars listed above have had their pricing structures altered to ensure they now cost less than £35,000, there is still a big – and ever-growing – pool of new EVs that qualify for the grant as a matter, of course. You don’t even have to sacrifice too much in the way of space and spec in some cases, with cars like the MG ZS EV being well under £30k and even well-spec’d versions of the VW ID.3 starting at around the £30k mark.  

Another thing to bear in mind is the increasing number of used EVs on the market. Most will still have a manufacturer powertrain warranty and make a compelling entry into the EV world.

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