Ford Transit Connect and VW Caddy PHEVs eligible for PiVG

Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions of the new Ford Transit Connect and the Volkswagen Caddy will be eligible for the Government's plug-in van grant (PiVG) in the UK.

The PiVG provides up to £2,500 off the list price of a small van and £5,000 off the list price of a large van.

To qualify for the scheme, a commercial vehicle must have CO2 emissions of less than 50g/km and a zero-emission range of at least 60 miles.

Volkswagen confirmed the Caddy eHybrid will have a 75-mile range, courtesy of a 19.7kWh battery, and CO2 emissions of 10-12g/km.

According to Ford, the van - which shares a platform with the Caddy - will have an electric range of at least 68 miles.

A spokesperson for Ford confirmed that the brand is planning to include the Transit Connect PHEV in the PiVG scheme once the vehicle has completed type approval.

The Transit Connect PHEV will be offered in two sizes. Short wheelbase versions should qualify for the £2,500 grant while long wheelbase models are expected to get the £5,000 grant.

The new Transit Connect is based on the VW Caddy as the result of an ongoing partnership between Ford and VW. The two brands also collaborated on the new Transit Custom and Transporter, as well as the Ranger and Amarok pick-ups.

The Transit Connect PHEV is expected to go on sale before the end of the year.

Volkswagen is yet to confirm whether or not the Caddy eHybrid will be offered in the UK.