Comment from Stuart Masson, Editorial Director of The Car Expert, on the recently announced Electric Car Grant from the UK Government. It is part of the Plan for Change and comes into effect on 16 July.
London, UK 24 July 2025
The UK government’s new electric vehicle (EV) grant – billed as a way to support uptake and affordability – is fast becoming a textbook example of how not to run industrial policy.
Right now, no one seems to know which cars will qualify, or what the actual grant values will be. The result? Consumer confidence has collapsed overnight. Manufacturers say EV sales have ground to a halt, with customers cancelling orders left and right in anticipation of price drops that might come with a £3,750 grant – if they’re lucky.
One major carmaker said it would be a miracle if they get clarity within three months. That’s three months of paralysis in a sector that needs momentum. Others aren’t waiting: Chinese brands like Leapmotor, MG and GWM have already slashed prices to mimic the potential grant in a bid to restart stalled sales. European brands, like Alfa Romeo, are now following suit.
This lack of clarity is not just damaging confidence – it’s distorting the market.
What’s worse is that the fallout is entirely avoidable. With July sales already dented, and August traditionally quiet, the government is in danger of sabotaging the crucial September sales month unless it gets its act together, fast.
The underlying issue is depressingly familiar: the government – and the civil service advising it – doesn’t seem to understand how the car industry works. Constant policy reversals, vague guidance, and last-minute decision-making have left manufacturers and consumers alike in limbo.
If the UK is serious about leading the EV transition, this isn’t the way to do it. The government must urgently provide clear, detailed guidance – or risk losing both credibility and momentum in the shift to electrification.
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About The Car Expert:
Established in 2011, The Car Expert is the UK’s leading automotive consumer advice platform, reaching over two million readers annually. It offers unbiased and comprehensive guidance on all aspects of purchasing, financing, owning, and selling both new and used cars.
Often referred to as the Rotten Tomatoes of the automotive industry, The Car Expert’s award-winning Expert Rating Index compiles and aggregates tens of millions of key data points on every new car (as well as a growing number of used cars), including almost 16,000 new car reviews from 35 of the UK’s top motoring websites. It also factors in complete safety data from Euro NCAP, reliability data and five-year running cost information.
This Index uses scientific methods and data analysis to calculate a weighted average score, known as the Expert Rating, which allows for comparison across various brands and models.
The Index also adjusts for the age of each review, giving more weight to recent ones, and standardises the diverse scoring systems used across different platforms. With 20+ million data points covering 500+ cars from 50+ manufacturers, the Expert Rating Index has become the trusted benchmark for evaluating and ranking new cars in the UK.
For more information, visit: thecarexpert.co.uk
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