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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.

Gordon Murray Automotive has revealed a longtail reworking of the T.50 and a reimagining of the Le Mans-winning McLaren F1 GTR LM as the first two cars from its new Special Vehicles at Monterey Car Week in California.

Gordon Murray Special Vehicles (GMSV) is the Surrey firm’s answer to Bentley’s Mulliner and Lamborghini’s Ad Personam divisions. Its brief is to create one- and few-off special editions with their own styling and mechanical make-ups and enable greater scope for customisation.

GMSV will have three product lines: SV Design will create limited-run special editions; Bespoke will handle unique customer-commissioned one-offs; and Heritage is for continuation-style reworkings of cars originally designed by company chairman Gordon Murray.

Le Mans GTR

The GMSV Le Mans GTR is based on GMA’s T50 hypercar, but aside from its powertrain, “almost every other element of the car” has been modified.

So it keeps the T50’s naturally aspirated 4.0-litre V12 and six-speed manual gearbox but wraps the running gear in a completely bespoke bodyshell that’s inspired by the legendary ‘longtail’ racers that dominated at Le Mans for decades – including such icons as the Matra-Simca MS660, Porsche 917, Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 and Murray’s own McLaren F1 GTR.

A defining characteristic of longtail racers, as the name suggests, is a dramatically extended rear deck that boosts downforce and aerodynamic efficiency – particularly important attributes on on the high-speed Le Mans circuit, where a slightly higher top speed could be the difference between winning and losing the 24-hour race.

So inspired, GMSV’s first production car has been designed with a rigid focus on minimising drag and maximising downforce. It features a long, low and streamlined silhouette adorned by prominent splitters, skirts and diffusers that “generate maximum ground effect aerodynamics” – plus a huge fixed rear wing. As a result, the GTR is able to forgo the ground-sucking fan that’s fitted to the T50.

Between the two channels of the substantial rear diffuser are the dual exits of a re-engineered exhaust system that has been designed to “deliver a deep and balanced V12 soundtrack”. A new roofmounted air intake “adds to the orchestral cabin experience as owners explore the full 12,100rpm rev range”.

The GTR also receives a heavy chassis overhaul that bolsters its on-track potential with stiffer, lighter suspension components, a wider track, larger tyres and new solid engine mounts that, GMA says, boost dynamics while avoiding the noise and vibration that usually come with such an arrangement.

The interior is more trackfocused than the T50’s, but GMA emphasises that “interior quality is retained”. The dashboard, clocks, controls, pedals and seat cushions have all been redesigned and customers are able to fully personalise the colour scheme and materials to their tastes.

Development of the GTR is already under way ahead of the first cars being delivered next year. Prices haven’t been disclosed but are likely to be higher than the £3.1m T50S Niki Lauda track car – and all 24 examples have already been sold, through supercar dealer Joe Macari.

S1 LM

GMSV’s second creation – from the Bespoke line – is designed as a tribute to the Murray-designed McLaren F1 GTR LM that won the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1995 Called the S1 LM, it apes several defi ning design elements of the racer that JJ Lehto, Yannick Dalmas and Masanori Sekiya piloted to victory 30 years ago. These include a central aerofoil, a roof-mounted air intake, split-level rear wing and circular rear light lenses that flank a bespoke quad-pipe exhaust exit.

GMA says it has been designed for “track agility over comfort and cruising”, gaining a substantial chassis overhaul to go with its beefy aero kit, but it remains road legal.

Notably, the S1 LM also has a bespoke engine – still a Cosworth atmo V12, like the T50 and Le Mans GTR, but boosted from 4.0 to 4.3 litres and with a target output of more than 690bhp. It still has a screaming 12,100rpm redline and still sends its reserves to the road through a six-speed manual.

The cabin is “raceinspired yet designed with a precision that belies its track focus”, GMA says, adding that the S1’s interior “explores new lightweighting concepts, utilises the fi nest materials, and showcases bespoke design quality at every touchpoint”.

The S1 is even more exclusive than the GTR, with just five cars being built – for one unnamed client. No price has been given.