It is due to the Labour government’s new Electric Car Grant portal, which launched this Monday.
Only 20 of the top 40 most accessible and affordable EVs on the Motability Scheme meet the grant’s £37k price limit, leaving half of the most practical models excluded.
This is according to Matt Fieldhouse, Group Managing Director and Car Expert at Mobility in Motion.
Apparently it was Blue Badge enforcement day yesterday. Nearly 2% of inspected badges were seized … lower than I thought but still shameful. @ParkinsonsUK #Disability pic.twitter.com/ZdxCuApm1y
— Kevin Peake (@wcolts12) August 6, 2025
Fieldhouse also shared the top qualifying EVs for 2025 and his key tips for disabled drivers.
He said: “The UK Government’s new Electric Car Grant (ECG), which launched this month, aims to make electric vehicles more affordable by offering up to £3,750 off new EVs under £37,000. However, the policy overlooks the needs of thousands of disabled drivers who access vehicles through the Motability Scheme.
“In the first half of 2025 alone, around 225,000 new EVs were registered in the UK – and if we apply the current Blue Badge holder rate ( 4.9% of the UK population), that suggests around 11,025 disabled drivers are expected to purchase an EV car between now and December.
“New research by Mobility in Motion shows that just 20 of the 40 most accessible and affordable EVs available through the Motability Scheme meet the government’s price threshold for the new ECG grant, meaning half of the most practical and accessible EVs are already ruled out.
“To make the transition to electric vehicles truly inclusive, the latest policy must consider additional support for disabled motorists.
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“This includes raising the price cap for EVs under the Motability Scheme, recognising the additional costs of adapting your vehicle, and ensuring that grant eligibility reflects the real-world needs of disabled drivers – not just headline affordability.”
Speaking at the time of the Electric Car Grant announcement, Lilian Greenwood MP said Chinese manufacturers may be unable to apply for the grant because many factories are powered by coal, which would go against Labour’s sustainability criteria.
The Future of Roads Minister from the Labour Party government said: “Frankly, if you generate a lot of the electricity that powers your factory through coal power stations, then you are not going to be able to access this grant.”
