Personal Contract Hire (PCH)
Fixed monthly lease, no ownership at end. Lowest upfront cost. Best for drivers who change cars every 2–4 years.
Pros: Low deposit · Maintenance often included · No resale risk
Cons: Mileage caps · No equity built
Finance hub
EV finance — lease, loan, salary sacrifice & used-market guide
Everything you need to fund your next electric car: the four main financing routes, a transparent lease-vs-buy calculator, used-EV market signals, and links to country incentives across the UK, France, Italy and Australia.
Lease vs buy calculator
Estimates only — based on simple amortisation and a typical lease money-factor of 0.0035.
Monthly to BUY (HP)
1,189/mo
Total paid: 46,805
Monthly to LEASE
753/mo
Total paid: 31,103 · Residual ~23,100
Four ways to finance an EV
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP)
Lease with an optional 'balloon' final payment to keep the car. Common in the UK and Australia.
Pros: Flexible end-of-term · Lower payments than HP
Cons: Balloon can be £10k+ · Mileage caps
Hire Purchase (HP) / Loan
Standard amortised loan, you own the car at the end. Increasingly popular for used EVs.
Pros: Full ownership · No mileage limits · Strong residuals = good equity
Cons: Higher monthly · You carry depreciation risk
Salary Sacrifice (UK/AU)
Lease taken from gross salary via your employer. Can save 30–50% versus retail PCH thanks to tax efficiency.
Pros: Huge tax saving · Includes insurance/maintenance
Cons: Tied to employer · BIK still applies
The used EV market in 2026
Used EV supply has tripled since 2023 as 3–4 year-old fleet and lease cars hit the market. Average UK used-EV transaction price fell ~22% YoY, opening the door to first-time EV ownership under £15k. Watch for battery state-of-health certificates — they are now the single biggest valuation driver.
See best EVs 2026Regional incentives
UK BIK at 3% for EV company cars, France's bonus écologique up to €4,000, Italy's ecobonus up to €13,750 with scrappage, and Australia's FBT exemption for sub-$91k EVs — all live in 2026.
Full incentive breakdownKeep exploring
Related tools
Frequently asked
Is it cheaper to lease or buy an EV?
Leasing tends to be cheaper month-to-month and shields you from depreciation and battery technology shifts. Buying makes more sense if you keep cars 6+ years or have access to a strong used-EV market for resale.
Can I get a loan specifically for a used EV?
Yes — most major UK, EU and Australian lenders now offer dedicated 'green car' loans with 0.3–1.5% lower APRs than equivalent ICE car loans, often up to 10 years old.
Do EV incentives still exist in 2026?
Yes, but they have shifted: most UK/EU incentives now target company-car BIK rates, used-EV grants, and home-charging installation rather than new-car purchase discounts. See /ev-incentives for the country-by-country breakdown.
Will my EV hold its value?
Tesla Model Y, BYD Atto 3 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 currently lead residuals at 55–62% after 3 years — better than the average ICE SUV. See /ev-resale-value for full depreciation curves.