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The government has confirmed another five models eligible for its new Electric Car Grant (ECG), including the Cupra Born – rated by Autocar as one of the most fun to drive EVs currently on sale.

The Born, Peugeot e-208, Peugeot e-2008, Peugeot e-Rifter and Volkswagen ID 3 will now receive a £1500 discount, boosting the list of eligible models to 24.

The ECG is applicable to certain EVs priced at £37,000 or under, depending on the emissions output of the countries where they are built, and amounts to either £1500 or £3750.

This first group of confirmed cars have received the lower amount, but some are among the cheapest EVs on sale already, making a £1500 discount all the more significant.

First 24 ECG cars: what they cost now

Alpine A290: £32,000

Citroën ë-Berlingo: £29,740

Citroën ë-C3: £20,595

Citroën ë-C3 Aircross:£21,595

Citroën ë-C4: £26,150

Citroën ë-C4 X: £27,215

Citroën ë-C5 Aircross: £32,565

Cupra Born: £34,190

Renault 4: £25,495

Renault 5: £21,495

Renault Megane: £30,995

Renault Scenic: £35,495

Nissan Micra: £21,495

Nissan Ariya: £33,500

Peugeot e-208: £28,650

Peugeot e-2008: £33,900

Peugeot e-Rifter: £30,750  

Vauxhall Astra Electric: £33,505

Vauxhall Corsa Electric: £26,005

Vauxhall Frontera Electric: £22,495

Vauxhall Grandland Electric: £35,455

Vauxhall Mokka Electric: £31,005

Nissan GB managing director James Taylor has hailed the ECG as "a clear signal to both customers and manufacturers that they are prioritising the uptake of electric vehicles in the UK, and on providing affordable options to consumers".

He also noted that the Japanese firm has three new EVs on the way, referring to the Sunderland-built electric Juke, Qashqai and Leaf - the last of which is due imminently and is in a "very strong position" to benefit from the maximum £3750 grant.

Meanwhile, the UK-built Citroën e-Berlingo and Vauxhall Combo Life Electric were awarded the lower discount. This is likely to be because their batteries come from abroad, while the Nissan Leaf's battery will be supplied by the AESC factory next to Nissan's Sunderland plant. 

The government has not given any indication of when to expect the next batch of ECG-eligible EVs, but many sub-£37k EVs – including many from Asia that are unlikely to be deemed eligible on the basis of their manufacturing and export CO2 footprints – have already been discounted by their makers.

Unlike with the previous Plug-in Car Grant (PiCG), buyers don't need to register for the discount; instead, the ECG is automatically applied to the sale price of the eligible models.

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said: “This summer, we’re making owning an electric car cheaper, easier and a reality for thousands more people across the UK.”

To qualify for the grant, car manufacturers' models must meet science-backed emission-footprint criteria, while the individual model lines must be priced under £37,000 in entry-level trim.

Which discount a model receives – either £1500 or £3750 – is determined by its environmental impact: how much CO2 is emitted in an EV's production and assembly, along with the emissions footprint of its battery manufacture. Threshold levels have yet to be made public.

While any manufacturer can apply for their car to be included in the scheme, it's thought that, due to this criteria, cars produced in Asian countries will not be eligible for the ECG.

Worries about manipulation of the scheme have already been raised. For instance, sources have revealed to Autocar that car makers will be able to self-register EVs to receive the ECG.