Motability Grant for Electric Cars: Your Guide to EV Mobility

Who is Eligible for the Motability Scheme?

The Motability Scheme isn’t available for everyone, but it can be of great benefit for those who do qualify – providing access to new electric (and other types of vehicle, if preferred) cars which might otherwise be unaffordable.

But, what exactly is the scheme, and how can you get electric cars on Motability?

What is the Motability Scheme?

The Motability Scheme provides affordable motoring solutions for people who want to lease and drive a new car, and need support to do so. That support can mean financially and/or in terms of the type of vehicle, which is likely to need modifications to assist the driver.

The Motability Scheme was launched in 1978, and helps thousands and thousands of eligible drivers get behind the wheel every year.

How does it work? It’s simple. If you receive a certain type of mobility allowance or benefit, you can use all or part of it in exchange for the lease of a brand new vehicle. Lease deals tend to last three years, and at the end of the term – providing you’re still eligible – you can choose to take out a lease on a new vehicle, keep hold of your existing one for longer or return it and move off the Motability Scheme.

Not all vehicles are available on Motability; there are different models added every quarter, so do check our latest BMW Motability offers here, and our MINI Motability offers here.

Who Qualifies for an Electric Car on Motability?

Do you qualify for one of the available electric cars on Motability?

The eligibility criteria for the Motability Scheme is clear and defined. You qualify for a Motability vehicle if you receive any of the following:

• The Higher Rate Mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (HRMC DLA)
• The Enhanced Rate Mobility component of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• The War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS)
• The Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)

If you live in Scotland, you qualify for the Motability Scheme if you receive:

• The Enhanced Rate Mobility part of Adult Disability Payment
• The Higher Rate Mobility component of Child Disability Payment

If you receive a lower component, you’re not eligible for the Motability scheme. You also need to have at least 12 months remaining on your allowance; less than that and you must wait until that allowance is renewed again.

We can help you to check whether you’re eligible to join the Motability scheme. We have a specialist team at Dick Lovett, so get in touch using our online contact form and we’ll let you know if you qualify, and advise you of the next steps.

An important point: if you’re eligible but don’t drive, you can still get an electric car on Motability and nominate someone else to drive it – typically a family member. You can also get a Motability vehicle for a child, aged three years and over. You could be the parent of a child who qualifies, for example.

How to Apply for the Motability Scheme

Providing you qualify, there are two ways to apply to get onto the scheme and then to get a Motability electric car.

You can apply directly at a dealership – in this case, across any Dick Lovett dealerships in Bristol, Hungerford (near Newbury and Andover), Melksham (near Bath) and Swindon – or online

Be aware that either application method will need supporting documents. The Motability Scheme website advises that you’ll need:

A UK passport – or a driving licence – for the customer or appointee.

The National Insurance number – or the Customer Reference Number – of whoever receives the eligible allowance.

At a dealership, you’ll also need a driver declaration. This is important if the driver of the Motability electric car isn’t there in person. You’ll also need your grant award letter.

Once the application has been processed and approved, you can start looking at available vehicles and choose your favourite model.

The Benefits of Electric Motability Cars

Driving an electric car delivers some genuine benefits – there’s a reason we’re seeing so many more of them on the UK’s roads.

We’ve got a more detailed guide on the benefits of electric cars here, but some of the key highlights of all-electric motoring include:

Lower running costs – driving an electric car is typically much cheaper per mile than a petrol or diesel car, which is more expensive to fill with fuel than recharging a battery.

Environmental benefits – with zero tailpipe emissions, EVs are undoubtedly kinder to the environment than fossil fuel vehicles.

Electric cars are the future – it won’t be long before we’re no longer able to drive a new petrol or diesel vehicle; they’ll be phased out by 2030 (or 2035 in the case of hybrid vehicles). So, it’s the perfect time to start the transition to an all-electric car and get used to driving one and charging one.

Support for charging – if you choose to lease an electric car on Motability, you can also get financial support for installing a home chargepoint, or a subscription to the BP Pulse public charging network.

There are also some added benefits that are provided through the Motability Scheme that may not be included if you lease outside of the scheme. Motability includes insurance cover, breakdown cover, and servicing and MOT costs – although electric car maintenance costs are typically lower compared to petrol and diesel vehicles, with fewer parts to service and replace.

Are Electric Cars Suitable for Disabled Drivers?

Yes. Electric cars are suitable for disabled drivers, though the Motability Scheme is designed to provide adaptations if needed – such as steering aids, hand controls, pedal modifications, and access functions for wheelchair users, including hoists and swivel seats. This means that electric motability cars can be adapted for the needs of the individual.

In any case, electric cars are effortless to drive, really. All-electric vehicles have automatic transmission, so there are no gear changes to navigate – just a brake pedal and an accelerator pedal. EVs are quiet to drive, too.

Because Motability offers new electric cars to lease, many models have the latest technology, improving the driver experience. Tech varies across models but parking sensors and lane assist are all useful driver aids to help with safety.

Charging an Electric Car on Motability

All electric cars need charging. For those who haven’t driven an EV before, this might seem daunting – but it’s really not. It’s just different to re-fuelling a petrol or diesel car at a service station and becomes second nature very quickly.

We’ve written a Complete Guide to Electric Vehicle Charging here, covering everything you need to know, from cost to charging equipment and more.

If you drive an electric car, having a chargepoint at home provides the most convenient charging solution. You can just plug the charger into the vehicle whenever you need extra juice, even scheduling charging sessions overnight to take advantage of lower energy tariffs and so the car is ready to go again in the morning.

For EV drivers, grants are available to cover some of the cost of getting a chargepoint installed at their home address. The Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant is available for people living in rental properties, or those who own flats with off-street parking, and pays up to 75%, to a maximum of £350, of the cost of chargepoint installation.

However – if you have an electric Motability car, the support is even better. The Motability Scheme covers the full cost of installing a home chargepoint, providing you have off-street parking and you’ve just taken delivery of your first all-electric vehicle via Motability.

If you don’t meet the criteria for a home chargepoint – but it’s still your first all-electric vehicle – you can get a subscription for the BP Pulse network throughout the UK.

In addition, Motability will also provide a Motability Go Charge card, which has access to 50,000-plus public chargepoints.

Advance Payments for Electric Cars on Motability

So, let’s talk about Advance Payments for electric cars on Motability.

An Advance Payment is an additional payment you need to make on selected EV models – and other types of vehicles, too; some petrol cars and hybrid cars may also need an Advance Payment.

It’s an extra payment, not a deposit. It’s needed if your allowance doesn’t cover all the cost of the EV you want, and is typically required on more premium-priced models. The model and spec of the vehicle is taken into consideration, as well as the calculated servicing and maintenance costs over the duration of the lease.

The Advance Payment is made directly to the dealership providing the EV. If you own an existing non-Motability vehicle, you can use this as part-exchange value to cover some or all of the Advance Payment.

Advance Payment prices vary. For example, on the BMW iX1 eDrive20 M Sport the Advance Payment is £6,999 while on the MINI Cooper E Classic it’s just £1,499 – making it one of the most affordable Motability electric cars.

Running Costs of an EV on Motability

If you’re leasing an electric car on Motability, you’ll quickly notice the reduced running costs that come with driving an EV – especially if you've previously driven a petrol or diesel vehicle.

The most noticeable benefit here is that you won’t be spending any money on fuel, and should see the difference financially. Charging an EV costs much less compared to filling a car with petrol or diesel. 

Maintenance costs with an EV are lower compared to a petrol vehicle, too, because there are fewer parts to be checked and serviced, and potentially repaired. However, the Motability Scheme delivers an all-inclusive package for EVs that covers the cost of maintenance, servicing, and routine repairs – plus, providing breakdown cover and insurance.

Road tax can also be covered, leaving you with very little to pay in terms of running costs of an EV.

Financial Assistance for Adaptations

The grant can also provide financial assistance if you have an electric car that needs to be adapted; this can be required mid-lease in some circumstances if a driver’s situation has changed. There may be extra mobility issues that have developed during the lease agreement term that weren’t expected, for example.

Are There Tax Benefits for Electric Motability Cars?

From April 2025, new electric cars will be subject to road tax for the first time as the zero tariff ends. However, tax on zero tailpipe emission vehicles will still be lower in comparison to Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles.

If you have a Motability EV car, your all-inclusive package can cover the cost of road tax anyway, so you won’t need to pay it independently if you choose not to.