Nearly half of car dealers surveyed by Startline Motor Finance view the government’s Electric Car Grant as helpful for boosting EV adoption across the UK.
48% of dealers participating in the recent Used Car Tracker survey called the ECG a “useful boost” for electric vehicle sales nationwide.
The Electric Car Grant launched in July and provides automatic discounts between £1,500 and £3,750 on new fully-electric vehicles priced up to £37,000. The program aims to stimulate the EV market by making electric cars more accessible to buyers.
Dealers Want Used EV Support
43% of dealers said they believe anything that makes EVs more affordable helps move the market forward.
More telling – 27% of respondents want the government to create a similar grant program for used electric vehicles. This echoes calls from industry experts like Stuart Masson, editorial director of The Car Expert, who’s advocated for used EV incentives.
The request reflects growing recognition that the used market needs support to accelerate electric adoption beyond new car buyers.
“Our research shows that around half of dealers generally see the Electric Car Grant initiative as a positive, probably in the sense that anything aiding electrification is a good thing, especially when it comes to promoting affordability,” said Paul Burgess, CEO of Startline Motor Finance.
Burgess noted significant skepticism among dealers about the program’s current scope.
“However, there is some quite widespread scepticism, and it is especially notable that around a quarter of our respondents think similar funding is instead needed for electric used cars, suggesting they believe prices need to fall more in that part of the market.”
Used EV Market Shows Promise
Recent data from Cinch suggests the used electric market is gaining momentum without additional government support.
The online car retailer sold more used EVs than second-hand diesels for the first time in August 2025. Used electric cars also moved 34% faster than diesels and 29% faster than petrol vehicles on their platform.
Used EV prices dropped 3% year-over-year to an average of just under £16,000 – making them increasingly competitive with conventional vehicles in the second-hand market.
The pricing trend supports dealer arguments that government incentives could accelerate the transition by making used EVs even more attractive to budget-conscious buyers looking to switch from petrol or diesel.
