Vauxhall and Citroën have lowered pricing on their electric MPVs while also ditching the internal combustion versions.

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The brands, along with Stellantis sibling Peugeot, have revealed that with immediate effect only the electric versions of the Citroën Berlingo and SpaceTourer, Vauxhall Combo Life and Vivaro Life and Peugeot Rifter and Traveller MPVs are being sold in the UK – all internal combustion models have been axed from the line-ups across Europe.

Vauxhall and Citroën have also repositioned prices across their electric MPVs, helping to negate the effects of the reduction in the Plug-in Car Grants (PiCG) announced at the end of 2021. The grant cuts came into effect mid-December and slashed funding to a maximum of £1,500 from the previous £2,500 while the price ceiling fell from £35k to £32k.

As a result, Vauxhall has reduced prices by up to £3,000 reduction across all Combo-e Life and Vivaro-e Life Combi versions, more than compensating for the grant cuts. The Combo e-Life five/seven-seater now costs from £29,610 to £30,210 (OTR with PiCG) compared to £30,610 to £32,210 previously. Meanwhile, the Vivaro-e now costs £30,295 to £30,495 (OTR with PiCG), versus £32,135 to £32,495 before. The move follows similar price cuts for the Mokka-e and Corsa-e.

For Citroën, the price reductions mean both ‘Feel’ and ‘Flair XTR’ versions of the ë-Berlingo Electric continue to attract the grant; the range now starts from £29,495 once the PiCG has been applied. And for the ë-SpaceTourer Electric range, prices now start from £30,295 with the grant and both ‘M’ and ‘XL’ lengths qualify for it. The seven-seater Grand C4 SpaceTourer will remain available with an internal combustion engine.

All three brands said they were axing the internal combustion versions of their MPVs from the ranges to accelerate their shifts to full electrification.

Paul Willcox, managing director, Vauxhall, said: “Vauxhall has set out a clear ambition to go electric only by 2028 and this is another step on that journey. We are focused on ensuring that the benefits of going electric are available, and affordable, to as many British motorists as possible.”

Peugeot managing director Julie David added: “Peugeot is committed to electrification, with a goal of offering a fully electric variant across our entire model line-up by 2024. Already we offer a fully electric van across our entire LCV portfolio, so with our award-winning MPV range now exclusively available as electric vehicles, we’re catering for the growing demand for zero-tailpipe emissions vehicles.”

New car data for the whole of 2021 reveals battery electric vehicles rose 76.3% to account for 11.6% – or one in nine – registrations last year.

All existing customer orders for the ICE versions of the Stellantis MPVs will be honoured and a limited number of certain third-party specialist conversions, such as wheelchair-accessible vehicles, will continue. And fuel-powered versions of the models will continue to be available in LCV form.