Department for Transport: every grant open right now (March 2026)
Save thousands on electric vehicles and clean transport tech with Department for Transport grants open in March 2026. See deadlines and amounts.
The Department for Transport funds projects that make transport cleaner, safer, and more accessible. Most of their grants target businesses buying electric vehicles or maritime companies developing clean technologies. If you run a taxi firm, delivery business, or work in the shipping industry, these grants could save you thousands.
All open Department for Transport grants
| Grant | What it funds | Funding | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plug-in Van and Truck Grant | Electric vans and trucks | Up to £120,000 | 1 April 2026 |
| Electric Car Grant | Electric cars under £37,000 | Up to £3,750 | 1 April 2030 |
| Plug-in Taxi Grant | Zero emission taxis | Up to £4,000 | 6 April 2026 |
| Plug-in Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Grant | Wheelchair accessible vehicles | Up to £2,500 | 6 April 2026 |
| Plug-in Motorcycle Grant | Zero emission motorcycles | Up to £500 | 6 April 2026 |
| Clean Maritime Competition 7: Feasibility | Maritime technology studies | Up to £850,000 | 15 July 2026 |
| Clean Maritime Competition 7: Pre-deployment | Maritime technology trials | Up to £4,740,000 | 15 July 2026 |
| Clean Maritime Competition 7: Deployment | Maritime technology deployment | Up to £11,850,000 | 15 July 2026 |
Plug-in Van and Truck Grant
This grant covers the price difference between electric and diesel commercial vehicles. You can claim up to £120,000 for trucks or £16,000 for vans. The vehicle must be on the government's approved list and cost less than £200,000 for trucks or £50,000 for vans.
Electric Car Grant
The grant reduces the purchase price of new electric cars costing £37,000 or less. You get between £1,500 and £3,750 depending on the vehicle. The car dealer applies the discount automatically when you buy. This grant runs until April 2030, so there's no rush.
Plug-in Taxi Grant
Taxi drivers get up to £4,000 off zero emission taxis. The vehicle must be purpose-built as a taxi and cost £50,000 or less. The discount comes off the purchase price automatically. You don't apply separately.
Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition
This £121 million competition has three strands for maritime companies developing clean technologies. Feasibility studies get up to £850,000, pre-deployment trials up to £4.74 million, and full deployment up to £11.85 million. These grants target established maritime businesses with proven technologies, not startups with ideas.
Plug-in Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Grant
This grant gives £2,500 towards wheelchair accessible vehicles costing £50,000 or less. The vehicle must be new and on the government's approved list. The dealer applies the discount when you buy.
Plug-in Motorcycle Grant
Motorcycle dealers automatically apply this £500 discount to zero emission motorcycles. You don't need to apply yourself. The motorcycle must be new and on the approved vehicle list.
Before you apply
Check the approved vehicle lists first. The Department for Transport only funds specific makes and models. Many applicants waste time on vehicles that don't qualify.
Most vehicle grants work through dealers, not direct applications. Contact your dealer to confirm they're registered with the scheme. Some smaller dealers aren't set up to process these grants.
For maritime grants, you need detailed technical specifications and clear commercial plans. The department wants to see how your technology will scale commercially, not just work in trials.
Keep detailed records of your current fuel costs and emissions. The department measures success through carbon reduction and cost savings. Applications with weak baseline data get rejected.
Set up grant alerts on GrantMatch to catch new Department for Transport funding as soon as it opens.