Electric Car Leasing

Electric Car Leasing in the UK

Leasing an electric car — sometimes called EV leasing or electric vehicle contract hire — works just like leasing any other car. You choose the vehicle, agree a contract length and annual mileage, pay an initial rental and then a fixed monthly payment for the term. At the end, you hand the car back and choose your next one.

The difference is what you drive away in: a brand new electric car with no tailpipe emissions, quiet and smooth to drive, and far cheaper to fuel per mile than a petrol or diesel equivalent when charged at home. Electric car lease deals have become one of the most popular ways for UK drivers to go electric, because leasing removes the two biggest worries about EV ownership — the purchase price and what the car will be worth in three or four years' time.

Why Lease an Electric Car?

• Lower running costs. Charging at home on an off-peak electricity tariff costs a fraction of petrol or diesel per mile, and EVs have fewer moving parts to service.
• Big tax savings for company car drivers. Electric cars attract a much lower Benefit-in-Kind rate than petrol or diesel cars, which is why they dominate business contract hire.
• No depreciation risk. Battery technology and range are improving quickly. Leasing means the future value of the car is the funder's concern, not yours.
• Fixed monthly cost. One predictable payment, with road tax and the manufacturer warranty included for the whole contract.
• Always drive the latest technology. A two-to-four-year term keeps you in step with improving range, charging speeds and in-car tech.

Things to Consider When Leasing an Electric Car

An EV lease suits most drivers, but it is worth thinking through a few practical points before you commit:

• Your contract mileage. As with any lease, you agree an annual mileage upfront and excess miles are charged at a pence-per-mile rate. Overestimate slightly rather than underestimate — building miles into the contract is almost always cheaper.
• Where you will charge. Off-street parking with a home charger is the cheapest and most convenient setup. Without it, you will rely on the public network, which costs more.
• Real-world range. Official WLTP range figures are achieved in laboratory conditions. Cold weather, motorway speeds and a full load all reduce real-world range, so choose a car with comfortable headroom over your longest regular journey.
• Your typical journeys. If most of your driving is commuting and local trips, almost any modern EV will cover it. Frequent long motorway trips make rapid charging speed and range more important.

Electric Car Charging and Range

Home charging is how most EV drivers cover the majority of their miles. A dedicated 7kW home charger will comfortably refill a typical electric car overnight, and off-peak EV tariffs make that electricity very cheap per mile.

Public charging fills the gaps. The UK's rapid charging network is concentrated on motorways and major routes, and most modern EVs can add a useful amount of range in a 20–40 minute stop. Rapid charging costs noticeably more than home electricity, so it works best as an occasional top-up rather than your main supply.

Every vehicle page on this site shows the official WLTP range for the model, so you can compare electric cars on the range that matters to you.

Personal and Business Electric Car Leasing

Business electric car leasing is where EVs make the strongest financial case. Company car drivers pay Benefit-in-Kind tax at a far lower rate on an electric car than on a petrol or diesel one, and VAT-registered businesses can usually reclaim 50% of the VAT on the rental. Many employers also offer electric cars through salary sacrifice schemes, paid from gross salary before tax and National Insurance.

Personal electric car leasing gives you the same brand new car with one fixed monthly payment including VAT, road tax and the manufacturer warranty — a simple, predictable way to run an EV without buying one outright.

We compare both options side by side when you request a quote, so you can see exactly which route costs less for your circumstances.

Popular Electric Cars to Lease

The electric range spans compact hatchbacks, family SUVs and executive saloons. You can compare electric cars across the whole site, or start with these popular options:

• BMW iX1 leasing
• BMW i4 leasing
• Audi Q4 e-tron leasing
• Mercedes-Benz EQE leasing
• Tesla Model 3 leasing
• Tesla Model Y leasing
• Volkswagen ID.4 leasing
• Volvo EX30 leasing
• Polestar Polestar 2 leasing
• Polestar Polestar 4 leasing
• BYD Dolphin leasing
• BYD Seal leasing