Tusker Alternatives for EV Salary Sacrifice in the UK (2026 Guide)
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Tusker is one of the most recognisable names in the UK salary sacrifice car market. Founded in 2007, it has established relationships with large public and private sector employers across the country, and its all-inclusive lease model covers the core running costs employees expect. For businesses already using Tusker, or considering it for the first time, it is a credible and well-known option.
The salary sacrifice market has grown and changed a lot since then. Features that once set Tusker apart, such as its all-inclusive package and established fleet relationships, are now common across most providers. Today the clearer differences between providers tend to come down to a few things that affect cost and day-to-day experience: when employer protection begins, whether used EVs are available, how pricing works, and whether employees can salary sacrifice their charging costs as well as the car.
This guide sets out what Tusker offers, how it compares with the wider market on those points, and where providers such as The Electric Car Scheme differ. For a direct head-to-head, the Tusker vs The Electric Car Scheme full comparison sets out the key differences side by side.
What Does Tusker Offer?
Tusker is a fleet leasing company and salary sacrifice provider. Rather than sourcing cars from a range of outside funders, it leases and manages its own vehicle supply directly. Its salary sacrifice scheme bundles everything into one monthly payment: the car, fully comprehensive insurance, servicing, maintenance, breakdown cover, and road tax.
Tusker works with large public sector organisations and private sector employers, including many well-known names. It offers electric and hybrid vehicles, and gives HR and finance teams reporting tools and payroll support.
Lifestyle Protection
Tusker's employer protection is called Lifestyle Protection. It covers the employer for the cost of ending a lease early when an employee's circumstances change, including redundancy, resignation, long-term illness, and parental leave.
According to Tusker, this cover typically starts around three months into each lease. So if an employee leaves or can no longer continue during those first few months, the employer may carry the cost of ending the lease early. How much this matters will depend on the organisation and how often staff move on.
Vehicle Range
Tusker offers new electric vehicles, selected hybrids, and used ("pre-loved") EVs through salary sacrifice. It launched its used-car option at the start of 2025, on agreements of up to 60 months, with the same all-inclusive package as a new car. Used EVs are typically cheaper per month than the new equivalent, which can make the scheme more accessible to employees on lower salaries or anyone wanting a lower monthly cost.
Charging
Tusker does not offer a way to salary sacrifice EV charging costs. Employees who lease a car through Tusker pay for home, workplace, and public charging out of their take-home pay, without the pre-tax saving a charging salary sacrifice product would give them.
Pricing
Tusker sets its pricing through its own leasing and vehicle supply, rather than comparing rates across several outside funders. A broker model works differently: it sources the same car from a network of funders and quotes the most competitive option. Which approach gives a better price varies by car and by deal, so it's worth comparing quotes directly rather than assuming either model always wins.
Key Takeaways
Tusker's employer protection typically starts around three months into each lease
The Electric Car Scheme includes employer protection from day one, with no exclusion periods
Tusker doesn't offer salary sacrifice on EV charging costs; The Electric Car Scheme does, through The Charge Scheme
Both providers now offer new, hybrid, and used EVs, so compare on protection, charging, and price rather than vehicle choice
How EV Salary Sacrifice Providers Differ: What to Evaluate
Not all electric car salary sacrifice schemes are the same. When comparing Tusker with any other provider, these are the points that make the most difference.
When Does Employer Protection Start?
This is one of the most important questions to ask a provider. Tusker's Lifestyle Protection typically starts around three months into each lease, so if an employee leaves during that early period, the employer may carry the cost of ending the lease early. How much this matters depends on how often staff move on. Some providers offer protection from day one of every lease, which removes that early gap.
Is There a Used EV Option?
A scheme that offers used EVs as well as new ones extends the tax savings to employees on lower salaries, without committing them to the higher monthly cost of a brand-new car. Both Tusker and The Electric Car Scheme now offer used EVs through salary sacrifice, so it's worth checking the range, terms, and monthly cost each one offers rather than assuming this is a point of difference.
Can Employees Salary Sacrifice Their Charging Costs?
Charging is an ongoing cost, so it's worth checking how each provider handles it. With a scheme that only covers the car, employees pay for home, workplace, and public charging out of their take-home pay. Where a provider also offers salary sacrifice on charging, employees save Income Tax and National Insurance on every charge, which extends the saving beyond the car itself. Tusker doesn't currently offer this; The Electric Car Scheme does, through The Charge Scheme.
How Is Pricing Structured?
Providers price in different ways. A direct leasing provider like Tusker sets prices from its own supply arrangements. A broker sources the same car from several funders and quotes the most competitive option. Neither model always wins on price, so the most reliable check is to run like-for-like quotes across providers using the same vehicle, lease term, and mileage.
What Do Independent Assessments Say?
Third-party awards, verified Trustpilot ratings, and named client case studies carry more weight than a provider's own marketing claims. It's worth factoring independently verified recognition into your decision.
Key Takeaways
Day 1 employer protection eliminates early termination financial risk
Used EVs extend salary sacrifice access across all salary bands
Charging salary sacrifice extends pre-tax savings beyond the vehicle
Multi-funder broker models typically deliver more competitive pricing
Tusker vs The Electric Car Scheme: A Direct Comparison
Tusker vs The Electric Car Scheme
Feature comparison. Tusker details sourced from tuskercars.com. Correct as of July 2026.
| Feature | Tusker | The Electric Car Scheme |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 | 2020 |
| Ownership | Part of Lloyds Banking Group (since 2023) | Independent |
| Certified B Corp | No | Yes |
| New EVs | Yes | Yes |
| Used EVs | Yes — "pre-loved" EVs, terms up to 60 months | Yes |
| Hybrid cars | Yes | Yes (selected models) |
| All-inclusive package insurance, servicing, maintenance, breakdown, road tax |
Yes | Yes |
| Employer protection | Lifestyle Protection — typically starts around 3 months into each lease. Covers redundancy, resignation, long-term sickness, parental leave. | Complete Employer Protection from day 1 — no excess, no waiting period. Covers redundancy, dismissal, long-term sickness. |
| Salary sacrifice for charging | No | Yes — The Charge Scheme, saves 20–50% on home, workplace and public charging |
| Pricing model | Direct leasing provider (own vehicle supply) | Multi-funder broker (aggregates rates across funders) |
| Recent awards | Leasing Company of the Year 2025 (BusinessCar); Company Car Scheme of the Year 2025 (WSB Awards); Customer Service Award 2025 (FN50) | Best Salary Sacrifice Provider 2024 & 2025 (Car Sloth); EV Salary Sacrifice Provider of the Year 2026 (Broker News) |
| Trustpilot rating | 4.6 / 5 ("Excellent", ~11,600 reviews) | 4.9 / 5 ("Excellent", ~1,000 reviews) |
Tusker figures sourced from tuskercars.com (salary sacrifice, about, and fleet manager FAQ pages) and Trustpilot. Both providers operate a cost-neutral employer model, with scheme costs covered by employer National Insurance savings. Trustpilot scores and review volumes change over time. Awards lists are selective, not exhaustive.
How The Electric Car Scheme Compares as a Tusker Alternative
The Electric Car Scheme is a dedicated electric car salary sacrifice provider. It works as a multi-funder broker, sourcing new and used electric cars from a network of leasing companies and quoting the most competitive option for each vehicle. It also backs its pricing with a price match guarantee.
Where the two differ most
Employer protection from day one. Tusker's Lifestyle Protection typically starts around three months into each lease. The Electric Car Scheme's Complete Employer Protection applies from the first day of every lease, with no excess and no waiting period, and no premium tier to opt into. For any employer with staff movement, that removes the early-period gap.
Salary sacrifice on charging. Tusker covers the car only; employees pay for charging from their take-home pay. The Charge Scheme lets employees salary sacrifice charging costs at home, work, and on public networks through one app and card, deducted from gross salary before Income Tax and National Insurance. Employees save 20–50% on charging, which for someone charging mostly at home and occasionally in public can add roughly £500–£1,000 a year on top of the saving on the car. Tusker does not currently offer this.
New and used EVs. Both providers offer new and used EVs through salary sacrifice, so this isn't a point of difference on availability. Where it's worth comparing is range, delivery times, and monthly cost for the specific car and salary band, since offering used EVs helps open the scheme to employees across all salary levels. HR and reward teams focused on uptake and fairness should compare quotes directly.
Pricing model. The Electric Car Scheme sources each car from several competing funders rather than its own supply, and quotes the most competitive rate available at the time. Whether that beats a direct provider varies by car and deal, so the reliable test is a like-for-like quote - same vehicle, term, and mileage - using the salary sacrifice calculator.
B Corp certification. The Electric Car Scheme is a certified B Corp, independently assessed against standards for social and environmental performance. For employers with published ESG or Scope 3 targets, that can support sustainability reporting. Tusker does not hold B Corp certification.
Independent recognition. The Electric Car Scheme was named Best Salary Sacrifice Provider by Car Sloth in both 2024 and 2025, the only provider to win it twice, and EV Salary Sacrifice Provider of the Year 2026 by SME News. It holds a 4.9-star Trustpilot rating across more than 1,000 verified reviews.
Key Takeaways
Employer protection: day one (ECS) vs typically ~3 months (Tusker)
Charging: salary sacrifice available through The Charge Scheme (ECS); not offered by Tusker
Both offer new and used EVs: compare on price, range, and delivery
B Corp certified (ECS); Tusker is not
What Does Tusker Do Well?
Tusker has genuine strengths. With over 15 years in the market and, since 2023, backing as part of Lloyds Banking Group, it has established relationships with large public sector organisations, particularly in local government and the NHS, where procurement favours providers with long track records. Its fleet leasing background means it can run salary sacrifice alongside traditional company car fleet management for employers who need both.
Tusker also supports hybrids, which can suit employees whose driving patterns or locations make a fully electric car impractical for now. A hybrid salary sacrifice option gives them a step toward a pure EV.
Where Tusker differs from some newer EV specialists is on two points covered above: employer protection typically starts around three months into the lease rather than day one, and it doesn't offer a way to salary sacrifice charging costs. Whether those matter depends on your workforce and priorities.
Other Tusker Alternatives Worth Considering
Octopus Electric Vehicles
Octopus EV is the salary sacrifice arm of the Octopus Energy Group. It bundles EV leasing with Octopus energy tariffs and home charger installation, which suits employers and employees already in the Octopus ecosystem. Like Tusker, its leaver protection (resignation, redundancy, dismissal) applies after three months rather than from day one. Its charging benefits are linked to Octopus energy products, and it doesn't offer a salary sacrifice product for charging costs in the way The Charge Scheme does.
Loveelectric
Loveelectric is the closest direct competitor to The Electric Car Scheme. It's a B Corp-certified, multi-funder broker offering new and used EVs (Reloved), employer protection from day one through its Zero Risk Guarantee, and salary sacrifice on charging via its Charge Card. For employers wanting broker pricing, used EV access, and day-one protection, it's a credible EV-specialist option.
The main thing to note is that Perkbox announced an agreement to acquire loveelectric in December 2025. Employers evaluating them now should confirm how the product and service will operate post-acquisition before committing.
Zenith
Zenith is a large independent leasing and fleet management company offering salary sacrifice alongside broader fleet services, with payroll integration and fleet tools suited to organisations already running centralised company car programmes. It offers both new and used EVs through salary sacrifice. As a direct leasing company rather than a broker, its pricing reflects its own vehicle supply rather than rates compared across multiple funders. Zenith is most relevant for large corporates where fleet integration is the priority.
Key Takeaways
Tusker's real strengths are its 15+ year track record, Lloyds Banking Group backing, strong public sector relationships, and the ability to combine salary sacrifice with traditional fleet management.
The two clean differences versus Tusker are day-one employer protection and salary sacrifice on charging; Tusker's protection typically starts around three months and it offers neither charging salary sacrifice. Used EVs are not a difference, as Tusker offers them too.
Among alternatives, Octopus EV and Zenith also start leaver protection after three months and don't match The Charge Scheme; both offer used EVs, so that isn't a differentiator against them either.
Loveelectric is the closest competitor and matches The Electric Car Scheme on B Corp status, multi-funder pricing, used EVs, day-one protection, and charging salary sacrifice, so the main current consideration there is its pending acquisition by Perkbox, not a feature gap.
Frequently Asked Questions: Tusker Alternatives
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Both offer EV salary sacrifice with an all-inclusive monthly package (car, insurance, servicing, maintenance, breakdown, road tax), and both offer new, used, and hybrid vehicles. The main differences are structural. Tusker is a direct leasing provider, founded in 2007 and part of Lloyds Banking Group, with a long track record in public and private sector fleets. The Electric Car Scheme is an EV-specialist multi-funder broker, founded in 2020, that compares rates across several funders and is a certified B Corp. On the scheme itself, ECS provides employer protection from day one and lets employees salary sacrifice their charging costs through The Charge Scheme; Tusker's protection typically starts around three months in and it doesn't offer charging salary sacrifice.
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Tusker's Lifestyle Protection typically starts around three months into each lease, according to Tusker. It then covers the cost of ending a lease early for events like redundancy, resignation, long-term sickness, and parental leave. In the first few months, the employer may carry the cost if an employee leaves. By comparison, some providers, including The Electric Car Scheme, provide protection from day one.
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Yes. Tusker offers used ("pre-loved") EVs through salary sacrifice, launched at the start of 2025, on terms up to 60 months, with the same all-inclusive package as a new car and typically a lower monthly cost. The Electric Car Scheme also offers used EVs.
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No. Tusker's scheme covers the car only, so employees pay for home, workplace, and public charging from their take-home pay. If salary sacrifice on charging matters to you, some providers offer it: The Electric Car Scheme through The Charge Scheme, and loveelectric through its Charge Card, both letting employees save on charging before tax.
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In the 2026/27 tax year, the Benefit-in-Kind rate for fully electric cars is 4% (up from 3% in 2025/26). It rises to 5% in 2027/28, 7% in 2028/29, and caps at 9% in 2029/30. These rates are the same whichever provider you use, as they're set by government. Petrol and diesel cars sit far higher, which is what makes EV salary sacrifice tax-efficient.
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Typically 20–50% compared with leasing the same car privately, because payments come out of gross salary before Income Tax and National Insurance. The exact saving depends on your tax band, the car, and the lease terms, so the reliable way to check is a like-for-like quote. The saving is a feature of salary sacrifice generally, not one specific provider, though pricing between providers varies.
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It can. Salary sacrifice lowers your gross (pre-tax) salary, and some lenders assess affordability on that reduced figure, which could affect how much you can borrow. Others look at total income or take the benefit into account. If you're applying for a mortgage soon, it's worth checking with your lender or a broker before starting a scheme. This is general information, not financial advice.
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Generally no. Salary sacrifice schemes are typically cost-neutral for employers, because the employer's National Insurance savings on the sacrificed salary cover the cost of running the scheme. This applies across providers, including Tusker and The Electric Car Scheme. With ECS, employers can choose to keep those NI savings or reinvest them to boost employee savings.
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There's no single "best" provider; the right choice depends on what matters most to your organisation. If you want a long-established provider with deep public sector and fleet-management experience, Tusker is a strong fit. If you want an EV specialist with day-one employer protection, charging salary sacrifice, B Corp certification, and multi-funder pricing, The Electric Car Scheme and loveelectric are closely matched options. The most reliable way to decide is to compare providers on the factors that carry the most weight for you, protection timing, vehicle range, charging, pricing, and service, and to run like-for-like quotes.
Should I Choose Tusker As My Salary Sacrifice Provider?
It depends on what matters most to your organisation. Tusker is a well-established provider, and for large employers, particularly in the public sector, with existing fleet requirements and a preference for a long-standing name, its tenure and direct fleet relationships are a genuine strength.
For employers who specifically want employer protection from day one rather than cover that typically starts around three months in, or the option for employees to salary sacrifice their charging costs as well as the car, The Electric Car Scheme offers both. The most reliable way to decide is to compare the two on the factors that matter most to you and run like-for-like quotes. You can learn more about our salary sacrifice car scheme here.
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Last updated: 08/06/2026
Our lease pricing is based on data collected from The Electric Car Scheme quote tool. All final pricing is inclusive of VAT. All prices above are based on the following lease terms; 10,000 miles pa, 36 months, and are inclusive of Maintenance and Breakdown Cover. The Electric Car Scheme’s terms and conditions apply. All deals are subject to credit approval and availability. All deals are subject to excess mileage and damage charges. Prices are calculated based on the following tax saving assumptions; England & Wales, 40% tax rate. The above prices were calculated using a flat payment profile. The Electric Car Scheme Limited provides services for the administration of your salary sacrifice employee benefits. The Electric Car Scheme Holdings Limited is a member of the BVRLA (10608), is authorised and regulated by the FCA under FRN 968270, is an Appointed Representative of Marshall Management Services Ltd under FRN 667174, and is a credit broker and not a lender or insurance provider.
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