Electric car insurance groups
Quick answer
Electric cars aren't automatically in higher insurance groups than petrol equivalents — they're rated on the same 1–50 scale. What pushes many EVs up is repair cost: battery packs, bonded structures and sensor calibration are expensive to put right, which outweighs their usually strong safety and security scores.
Typical group range here
Groups 1–50
Typical annual estimate*
£175–£1595
*Estimate only, not a quote — driver aged 30–49, medium-risk postcode, comprehensive cover. The midpoint (26) sits in the medium band. How we calculate this.
Cheapest to insure here
| Model | Typical group range | Band | Typical cost* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Up | 1–12 | Very low | from £175 |
| Fiat 500 | 1–12 | Very low | from £175 |
| Vauxhall Corsa | 2–17 | Very low | from £195 |
| Peugeot 208 | 8–20 | Low | from £295 |
| MG ZS | 9–22 | Low | from £315 |
*Estimate only, not a quote — based on the lowest trim in each model's range.
Why EVs often land higher than you'd expect
Insurance groups are driven heavily by what a car costs to repair, and that's where electric cars differ most. A damaged battery pack can be a significant fraction of the car's value, structural repairs often need specialist-approved bodyshops, and driver-assistance sensors need recalibrating after even modest work. Those repairability factors push the group up even when the car scores well on safety and security — which most modern EVs do.
But cheap EVs do exist on the scale
Search for electric cars insurance groups — or for the cheapest electric car to insure — and you'll see a very wide spread, because that's genuinely what the data looks like. Small, simple electric city cars and superminis built on shared platforms sit far lower than performance EVs with big batteries and heavy kerb weights. If you're buying an EV primarily to cut running costs, the group number is worth checking before you commit — it's one of the few parts of the cost picture you can know for certain in advance.
What the VRR change means for new EVs
Electric model ranges launched from 1 August 2024 onwards are increasingly rated under Thatcham's Vehicle Risk Rating framework rather than a classic 1–50 group. VRR scores repairability as its own pillar, which is exactly the area EVs are judged hardest on — so expect the repair-cost story to stay central as the new system rolls out.
Highest-group models here
- Tesla Model 3 — up to group 50 (very high band)
- Tesla Model Y — up to group 50 (very high band)
- Tesla Model S — up to group 50 (very high band)
All 21 models we cover here
- Volkswagen Up (1–12)
- Fiat 500 (1–12)
- Vauxhall Corsa (2–17)
- Peugeot 208 (8–20)
- MG ZS (9–22)
- Vauxhall Mokka (11–23)
- Hyundai Kona (12–22)
- Peugeot 2008 (13–22)
- Mini Cooper (15–30)
- Kia Niro (15–26)
- Volkswagen ID.3 (16–24)
- Fiat 500e (16–24)
- Nissan Leaf (20–26)
- BMW X1 (21–36)
- Volkswagen ID.4 (21–34)
- MG MG4 EV (24–32)
- Polestar 2 (32–44)
- Tesla Model 3 (44–50)
- Tesla Model Y (45–50)
- Tesla Model S (48–50)
- Tesla Model X (48–50)
How these ratings are set
Every figure here comes from the same ABI/Thatcham 1–50 scale used across the site — there is no separate scale for a body style or a brand. See how insurance groups are decided for the rating factors behind each number, or car insurance groups explained for the wider picture. For model ranges launched since August 2024, check our Vehicle Risk Rating guide — those cars are increasingly rated on a different framework.
Frequently asked questions
Are electric cars in higher insurance groups?
Often, but not always. EVs are rated on the same 1–50 scale as petrol and diesel cars. Battery and structural repair costs push many of them up the scale, but small electric city cars can still sit in the low-to-mid groups.
Is a cheaper insurance group the same as cheaper EV insurance?
No — the group is only one input. Your age, postcode, mileage, claims history and cover type all move the final premium, so two drivers in the same group-20 EV can pay very different prices.
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Sources & further reading
- Thatcham Research — The motor insurers' automotive research centre. Co-runs the Group Rating Panel that sets UK insurance groups, and publishes the Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR) framework.
- Association of British Insurers (ABI) — The trade body for UK insurers. Co-runs the Group Rating Panel behind the 1–50 insurance group scale.
- DVLA — Get vehicle information — The official GOV.UK service for vehicle details by registration. Our checker uses the DVLA's Vehicle Enquiry Service API, the same underlying record.