About The Electric Car Scheme
Launched in June 2020 by co-founders Thom Groot and Tom Eilon, The Electric Car Scheme was created to simplify salary sacrifice for employers and remove the financial risks that had held many businesses back. While government tax incentives made electric vehicles attractive on paper, many early schemes still left employers exposed to significant early termination costs if an employeeโs circumstances changed.
The Electric Car Scheme was built to solve that problem. In 2026, it remains one of the most flexible and risk-averse salary sacrifice providers on the market, combining new and used EVs, hybrids and subscription cars with market-leading protection for both employers and employees.
Package breakdown
- UKโs highest-rated EV salary sacrifice provider on Trustpilot
- The whole package, with maintenance included and optional insurance
- Spread the cost of home charger installation
- New and used electric cars, hybrids and subscription cars available
- Uncapped early termination protection from day one for employers
- Market-leading life event support protection
- Full control over employer National Insurance savings
Contract options
The Electric Car Scheme offers 2, 3 and 4-year lease agreements, alongside subscription options rolling from 12 months.
End of lease options
At the end of the agreement, drivers can renew, extend or hand the vehicle back. In some cases, there may also be an option to purchase the car.
Deliveries
With access to every EV available to the UK market, some cars can be delivered in as little as one week.
Whatโs included
The scheme offers a full on-the-road package, including:
- Maintenance
- Servicing
- Repairs
- MOT
- Breakdown cover
- Tyres
- Optional comprehensive insurance, including GAP insurance
Charging options
Employees can choose optional home charger installation and spread the cost over part of their lease. They can also salary sacrifice both home and public charging costs through The Charge Scheme, while accessing the Plugsurfing charging network across the UK and Europe.
The Charge Scheme
Many EV salary sacrifice schemes tie drivers to rigid home charging integrations or specific electricity tariffs. The Electric Car Schemeโs Charge Scheme is designed to be more flexible, allowing employees to salary sacrifice up to 50% of charging costs whether they charge at home, at work or on the public network.
Delivered through an app and an exclusive partnership with Plugsurfing, it gives drivers access to more than 55,000 public chargers. Because it integrates cleanly into payroll systems, The Charge Scheme can also be layered onto existing company fleets from other providers at no cost to the business.
How it works for employers
The Electric Car Scheme is designed to be a fully cost-neutral employee benefit that integrates into existing payroll and HR systems. It can help businesses improve recruitment and retention while avoiding the financial risks that have traditionally put employers off salary sacrifice schemes.
Getting started in 3 steps
- Speak to a dedicated Business Development Executive, who will guide you through the required documents and the employer credit check process.
- Meet your Customer Success Manager, who will support with integrations, launch planning and employee communications.
- Access the employer portal for day-to-day scheme management while The Electric Car Scheme team handles the rest.
Please note: to be eligible for the scheme as an employer, your business must have been trading for at least two years.
Complete Employer Protection
One of the biggest differentiators is Complete Employer Protection, which is designed to remove financial exposure for the business. Employers receive uncapped day-one cover for situations such as redundancies, dismissals and long-term sickness, helping eliminate one of the biggest barriers to launching a salary sacrifice scheme.
Employee Life Event Support
The Electric Car Scheme also offers market-leading protection for employees whose circumstances change unexpectedly. This includes support for major life events and involuntary changes such as divorce, partner redundancy and a drop in household income, with uncapped protection from day one.
How it works for employees
For employees, this is a no upfront cost salary sacrifice scheme that can reduce the cost of a new or used electric car, hybrid or subscription vehicle by 20% to 50%, depending on tax band and vehicle choice. Payments are taken from gross salary before tax, improving affordability compared with personal leasing or finance.
Employees also benefit from support throughout the process, with a dedicated EV Specialist and Customer Care team to guide them through the order journey and ongoing driving experience. The provider states a four-hour response SLA for customer support.
Pros
- Uncapped day-one protection for employers
- Market-leading Employee Life Event Support
- Access to every EV available to the UK market, including used cars
- Tax-efficient hybrids and subscription cars available
- Salary sacrifice charging through The Charge Scheme
- Highest-rated provider on Trustpilot
- B Corp certified
- Flexible scheme setup
Help if youโre struggling with debt from car subscriptions or leases
Late payments on car subscriptions or leases can lead to financial difficulties. If you find yourself struggling with debt from car subscriptions or leases, it is essential to seek professional guidance. Several debt advice services can help:
- StepChange: StepChange offers debt management plans tailored to your situation
- Citizens Advice: Offering free and confidential advice on managing debts.
- National Debtline: National Debtline is a helpline specifically designed to assist with personal debt, including car subscription or lease obligations.
- MoneyHelper (formerly The Money Advice Service): Providing tools and support to help you understand your options and make informed decisions.
Remember, the terms of car subscriptions and leases can vary significantly, so itโs really important to read and understand your specific agreements and obligations.
The Electric Car Scheme review methodology
At Electric Car Guide, our review of The Electric Car Scheme was conducted with impartiality and an in-depth understanding of what electric car users value. Hereโs how we worked through our evaluation:
- Customer Feedback from Electric Car Guide: We surveyed users from our EV focus group. These insights offered us a firsthand view of real-world experiences and Salary Sacrifice expectations, allowing us to frame our review around actual user needs and preferences.
- Reviews: We took into account both positive and negative reviews from Trustpilot. This provided a balanced perspective, acknowledging the praises and criticisms The Electric Car Scheme has received from a diverse range of customers.
- Comparison with Competitors: We compared The Electric Car Schemeโs features, offerings, and customer experience against their nearest competitors in the electric car leasing market. This enabled us to gauge The Electric Car Schemeโs standing in the industry, highlighting its strengths and areas for improvement.

John is the Editor and Spokesperson for Electric Car Guide.
With over 20 years of writing experience, he has written for titles such as City AM, FE News and NerdWallet.com, covering various automotive and personal finance topics.
Johnโs market commentary has been covered by the likes of The Express, The Independent, Yahoo Finance and The Evening Standard.



