Vauxhall has tweaked the prices of its electric models in a bid to meet the newly reduced cap on the government’s Plug-In Car Grant (PICG). Earlier this month and with little warning, the Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed the grant would only be available for cars costing less than £32,000.

The grant previously took £2,500 off the price of a new electric car with a list price of less than £35,000, but the latest changes have seen the price cap reduced and the subsidy drop to £1,500. However, the PICG will still take £2,500 off the price of wheelchair-accessible vehicles costing less than £35,000.

When the £35,000 price cap was set earlier this year, a wide range of manufacturers either cut the price or introduced cheaper versions of their electric cars. Kia was among the most notable, but it was far from the only one. Now, Vauxhall is changing its prices to ensure its key electric models, including the Mokka-e electric SUV, remain eligible for the newly reduced grant.

Vauxhall Corsa-e

Both the Mokka-e and the Corsa-e electric supermini have both had their list prices slashed by £3,000, bringing top-of-the-range versions down below the £32,000 cut-off. As a result, the list price of the cheapest Corsa-e has fallen to £27,305 (£25,805 after the PICG has been applied), while the cheapest Mokka-e comes in at £30,865 (£29,365 with the PICG).

At the opposite end of the scale, the price of the most expensive Corsa-e, the Elite, has fallen from £33,910 (£31,410 with the PICG) to £30,910 (£29,410 after the PICG). And the most expensive Mokka-e – the Ultimate – has fallen from £34,995 (£32,495) to £31,995 (£30,495). As far as conusmers are concerned, therefore, there’s effectively a £2,000 price cut across the line-up.

“Vauxhall wants to move the UK to electric motoring as quickly as possible, which is why we have committed to being an electric-only brand from 2028,” said Paul Willcox, the managing director of Vauxhall. “In light of a further evolution to the government Plug-In Car Grant, we have taken the decision to change our pricing policy on our all-electric Corsa-e and Mokka-e models.

“With more attainable pricing from significant reductions on both models, as well as the grant, we hope to put zero-emissions-in-use motoring within the reach of even more British motorists.”

Gallery: 2021 Vauxhall Mokka

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