Subscriptions are a fairly easy concept to grasp and offer a viable alternative to car ownership. But an electric car subscription has one delicious element added to it.
If you’re unsure an electric car will work for you, an electric car subscription will essentially allow you to try before you buy with a short-term deal.
Most of the monthly subscriptions only last a few calendar flips, so if the public charging infrastructure near you proves to be too tricky for an electric vehicle, then you hand the car back to the rental company without having made a long-term financial mistake.
And if it does work out, you can consider another subscription, a car leasing deal or even a good old fashioned PCP agreement.
What is an electric car subscription?
Electric car subscriptions bundle the cost of a car and most other services into one fixed monthly cost. It works much in the same way as a lease, in that you’re essentially renting the car and you’ll never own it.
Where it differs from leasing is in what it bundles into the price. Leases generally don’t come with insurance and maintenance.
Broadly most subscription services include the car, tax, maintenance and breakdown cover. Usually insurance can be added for an additional price. The contracts typically last from one to 24 months.
Manufacturer electric car subscriptions
Care by Volvo
Care by Volvo has been quietly making waves in the UK. So much so that by 2030 Volvo will only offer electric cars and they’ll be subscription only.
You can get an XC40 Recharge or C40 for sub £600 per month, but that’s only on a longer contract. Volvo does do a 90 day agreement but it’ll cost more.
Mocean (Hyundai)
Hyundai’s subscription service includes insurance, maintenance, road tax and roadside assistance. Prices start from about £600 for an Ioniq Electric.
Unlike with other schemes, Hyundai gives you the option of swapping cars every six months or cancelling with only a month’s notice.
Pivotal (Jaguar/Land Rover)
So far there’s only one electric car from Pivotal, and that’s the Jaguar I-Pace. Prices start from around £1,000 per month.
The service includes the car, road tax, servicing and breakdown cover but you’ll have to stump up a joining fee.
Subscription from Cupra
In case you didn’t know, Cupra is the sporty offshoot of SEAT. It’s the latest firm to offer an electric car subscription service, but so far it only boasts one EV, the Born.
It’s only a pilot scheme, so Cupra is just testing the waters. This means you can’t subscribe to a car for more than 89 days. Insurance, roadside assistance, maintenance, delivery and a Born are included in the £699 monthly fee.
Third-party car subscriptions
Elmo
Elmo only does electric cars. Its options are relatively slim compared with larger companies, but its range is improving.
Prices start from around £450 per month for a Fiat 500e or Renault Zoe and include insurance, servicing and maintenance, breakdown cover, tax, congestion charge autopay and a carbon offset donation.
Flexed
While Flexed doesn’t have the most modern of websites, cars are available on a wide range of agreements spanning 1-12 months. At time of writing, the only electric car available to subscribe to is the Jaguar I-Pace.
