MG steps up as government dithers on EV grant
While the UK government faffs about finalising its new £3,750 electric car grant, MG has wasted no time jumping in with its own discount to keep buyers interested. From this week, the brand is knocking £1,500 off its electric line-up – which includes the MG4 hatchback, MG5 estate and ZS EV crossover – in a move clearly aimed at private customers who’ve been holding off for official help.
The offer, called the “MG Grant”, is being positioned as a stopgap while Downing Street sorts out the rules for its delayed new grant scheme, which was supposed to launch this summer. Private EV sales have been sluggish lately, so MG’s move could give fence-sitters the excuse they need to make the switch.
What’s included in the MG deal?
The £1,500 discount applies to all private retail orders of the MG4 EV, MG5 EV Long Range, and ZS EV placed before the end of September. You don’t need to haggle or jump through hoops – it comes straight off the price at the dealer. MG says cars have to be registered and delivered by the end of the month, so don’t hang around if you’re keen.
That means you can now bag an MG4 SE Standard Range for under £24,000, or step up to a Long Range Trophy for around £29,500. The MG5 EV estate – one of the few electric wagons on the market – drops below £28,000, while the family-friendly ZS EV now starts from just over £28k.
For context, the government’s new grant (when it eventually arrives) is expected to be £3,750 for EVs under £32,000 – but it’s only for certain models, and no-one knows exactly when it’ll kick in. MG’s offer is simpler, immediate, and applies to all versions of its three main electric models.
Why MG can afford to play ball
MG isn’t the only Chinese-owned brand trying to keep the EV market ticking over during the grant confusion. BYD and GWM Ora have also been running aggressive finance deals and discounts in recent weeks as private buyers hold back. With private registrations accounting for less than a quarter of UK EV sales this year, manufacturers are getting nervous.
The brand – now owned by China’s SAIC Motor – has carved itself a tidy niche by building cheap, well-specced EVs that don’t look or feel like budget options. The MG4 in particular has been winning awards left, right and centre, thanks to its sharp looks, RWD chassis and proper hot-hatch vibes at a price most people can actually afford.
And it helps that Chinese factories are churning out EVs far more efficiently than European rivals, which means MG can offer margins that VW and Stellantis can only dream of right now.
EV buyers still spooked by uncertainty
Even with discounts like this, MG and its rivals have a job on their hands. After years of steady growth, UK EV sales have hit a bit of a wall in 2025, especially among private buyers. Part of that is down to the cost-of-living squeeze, but a big chunk is because the government scrapped the old Plug-in Car Grant in 2022 without a clear replacement.
Now ministers have promised a £3,750 grant for cars under £32,000 – but they haven’t actually launched it yet, and dealers say buyers are waiting to see what the fine print looks like. MG’s offer is clearly designed to cut through that noise and keep people buying in the meantime.
The clock is ticking
The MG Grant runs until 30 September and applies to cars registered before then, so if you want to take advantage you’ll need to move fast. The timing is clever: by lining it up with the end of Q3, MG can give its sales figures a shot in the arm while the government is still arguing over policy.
If nothing else, it shows MG is serious about hanging onto its spot as the UK’s most affordable EV brand. Whether it’s enough to persuade buyers to stop waiting for Whitehall remains to be seen – but if you’ve been tempted by an MG4 or ZS EV already, that £1,500 could seal the deal.
