The government’s Electric Car Grant has expanded again, and the big addition this time is the new Nissan Leaf - the Sunderland-built EV that will qualify for the full £3,750 discount when it goes on sale early next year.
The Leaf becomes the fourth model line to secure the maximum grant, joining a list that now stretches to 39 eligible EVs across brands such as Ford, Citroën and Vauxhall. More than 35,000 buyers have already used the scheme since it launched in July, and the government says demand for qualifying models has spiked sharply in recent weeks.
Built in the North East, priced from £32,249
Nissan will start building the new-generation Leaf at its Sunderland factory next month, with a 6,000-strong workforce preparing for volume production of what remains one of the UK’s most significant electric nameplates. With the grant applied, pricing starts at £32,249.
According to Nissan GB Managing Director James Taylor, the new Leaf offers a claimed 386-mile range and carries “all the tech” expected of a next-generation EV. The company says its 15-plus years of EV development, dating back to the original 2010 model, underpins the car’s real-world usability and appeal.
Government sees strong uptake as EV share grows
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander welcomed the Leaf’s inclusion, pointing out that Nissan helped normalise early EV ownership and that the new model’s grant eligibility should make it easier for families to switch. The government is framing the move as both a consumer saving and a manufacturing boost, with Sunderland remaining a key part of the UK’s automotive industrial base.
The latest data shows electric cars accounted for one in four new UK registrations in October, and some grant-eligible models have seen enquiries rise by more than 100% immediately after joining the scheme. The grant itself forms part of a broader industrial and consumer package designed to support the UK’s EV transition and protect domestic manufacturing capability.
Charging network scaling up, with local focus
Alongside the grant expansion, the government says charging infrastructure remains a priority, with the £381 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund helping councils roll out neighbourhood chargepoints. A new public charger is reportedly being added every 33 minutes, and the fastest growth is happening outside London, in regions including Yorkshire, Wales, the West Midlands and the East of England. Rural installations in England are up 26% year-on-year.
The government is also investing £25 million to help renters, flat dwellers and drivers without off-street parking access home charging, aiming to widen access to cheaper overnight electricity rates that can bring running costs down to roughly 2p per mile.
A familiar name returns as competition intensifies
The new Leaf enters a more crowded and more mature EV market than the car that established the segment a decade and a half ago, but qualifying for the full £3,750 grant gives Nissan a useful competitive edge at a time when affordability and supply chain stability remain central to buyer confidence. With Sunderland preparing to resume Leaf production and grant-eligible EV options continuing to expand, the UK’s push for wider adoption shows no signs of slowing.
