Motorists throughout the UK could receive up to £3,750 to assist with the purchase of a new vehicle.

The new grant, unveiled by the government last week, is exclusively for select vehicles and applicants must satisfy some strict criteria. The Department for Transport has confirmed that motorists can obtain a grant discount at the point of sale through the Electric Car Grant for approved vehicles.

The top grant from the initiative for cars with the lowest carbon emission scores will be £3,750, while the smaller grant amount is set at £1,500.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander remarked: "This EV grant will not only allow people to keep more of their hard-earned money – it'll help our automotive sector seize one of the biggest opportunities of the 21st century. And with over 82,000 public chargepoints now available across the UK, we've built the infrastructure families need to make the switch with confidence.

"This is our Plan for Change in action. We're backing British drivers, British jobs and British growth."

Which cars are eligible for the grant

The grant will be accessible for electric vehicles priced at £37,000. Nonetheless, there are also specific technical standards that need to be met for eligibility.

According to the official guidance, this includes:

• produce 0g CO2/km at the tailpipe
• be an M1 passenger vehicle (used for the carriage of passengers)
• have a minimum battery range of 100 miles WLTP
• have a battery or fuel cell, used to drive the vehicle’s propulsion system, with an acceptably low rate of degradation

It must also have a warranty that guarantees:

• in respect of the remainder of the vehicle, covering a warranty period of at least 3 years, or a distance of at least the first 60,000 miles, whichever is reached first
• in respect of any traction battery, providing for replacement of the battery if it falls below 70% capacity during the first 8 years
• in respect of any fuel cell, the fuel stack must maintain at least 90% of its rated voltage output for the initial 5 years

• in respect of any traction battery, hydrogen fuel cell stack or hydrogen tank and electric drivetrain, a warranty period of at least 8 years, or a distance of at least the first 100,000 miles, whichever is reached first

How to apply

In order to apply for the grant, you will need to send in an application form alongside evidence that would allow you to be approved. In order to start the process, applicants must email ECGApplications@ozev.gov.uk to request an Electric Car Grant application reference number while declaring your intention to apply for the grant.

You must then fill in and send the form to the same email address. Following this, the VCA will confirm the status of your application - whether it has been approved or not.

They will also ascertain if you qualify for the higher or lower band of the grant.

Further details on the application process can be found here.