The Electric Car Scheme vs
Carwow
Compare EV Salary Sacrifice from The Electric Car Scheme with Buying or Leasing on Carwow
Choosing a salary sacrifice or EV benefit route is a strategic decision. Pricing, vehicle availability, risk protection and operational simplicity all determine whether the scheme is accessible, scalable and cost-neutral for your workforce.
At a Glance: Key Differences Between The Electric Car Scheme and Carwow
Structure: The Electric Car Scheme is pre-tax EV salary sacrifice via employer; Carwow is a consumer marketplace for purchase, PCP, PCH and used cars.
Cost: Salary sacrifice typically saves 30–40% vs an equivalent post-tax lease or PCP for a 40% taxpayer.
Risk: The Electric Car Scheme includes Complete Employer Protection; a Carwow-sourced deal places all risk on the individual.
Charging: The Electric Car Scheme salary-sacrifices home, workplace and public charging; a Carwow deal has no tax-efficient charging.
Employer upside: Salary sacrifice generates employer NI savings and feeds into sustainability reporting; consumer purchases do not.
The Strongest Prices for Employee Electric Cars
Carwow is a strong consumer marketplace for transparent pricing. It does provide salary sacrifice through Carwow Leasey, claiming up to 60% savings on income tax and National Insurance.
The Electric Car Scheme
Electric and plug-in hybrids below 75g CO2/km
Hundreds of used EVs in stock at any time
Multi-funder leasing panel
Carwow
Full multi-fuel range across new, PCP, PCH and used
Carwow Leasey salary sacrifice option available for petrol and EVs
Risk and Early Termination Protection Comparison
92% of senior HR professionals believe salary sacrifice carries risk if an employee leaves while they still have a car.
The Electric Car Scheme's Complete Employer Protection
Included as standard from day 1
Complete Employer Protection already covers every reason an employee might leave a scheme early: resignation, redundancy, dismissal, parental leave, long-term sickness, loss of licence, death. No exclusion periods. No excess. No caps or usage limits.
Employee Life Event Support extends that same protection to employees. When life changes, the car can be returned too. It's the most comprehensive risk package in UK EV salary sacrifice, and the only one that protects both sides of the agreement from day one. If an employee faces a serious illness, a bereavement, or a sudden drop in household income, they can return the car without penalty.
Carwow's protection
All finance risk sits with the individual
Includes comprehensive digital insurance
No redundancy, sickness or parental-leave safety net
| Event | The Electric Car Scheme | Carwow |
|---|---|---|
| Resignation | Covered from day 1 | No day-one cover confirmed; standard fee applies (3 months' rent or 50% of remaining payments, whichever is cheaper) |
| Redundancy | Covered from day 1, no excess or cap | Same standard fee |
| Dismissal | Covered, no excess or cap | Same standard fee |
| Parental leave | Covered, no excess or cap | Same as above |
| Long-term sickness | Covered, no excess or cap | Often time-limited |
| Loss of licence | Covered | NA |
| Death | Covered | NA |
| Employee non-payment | Covered — scheme absorbs loss | NA |
Service, Technology and Portals Comparison
The Electric Car Scheme
Employer Portal: approvals, payroll reporting, live order tracking, sustainability
Employee Portal covering the full lease lifecycle and charging
API/SFTP/SSO integrations with major benefits and payroll platforms
Dedicated Customer Success Manager per employer
Carwow Leasey
Consumer marketplace connecting buyers to dealers and brokers
Employer portal, training, administration and management
Billing runs outside of payroll
Our technology is designed to minimise admin, remove manual uploads and double entry, and provide real-time visibility of uptake, savings and carbon impact.
Charging: EV Charging Salary Sacrifice Comparison
A personal lease doesn't include any tax-efficient charging package. The Electric Car Scheme bundles home, workplace and public charging into salary sacrifice.
The Electric Car Scheme
Salary-sacrifice home, workplace and public charging
20–50% savings on charging costs over the lease
Home charge-point install included in salary-sacrifice
Preferred tariffs (e.g. OVO Charge Anytime with free miles)
Up to £4,405 of charging value per employee across a typical lease
Carwow
No equivalent of The Charge Scheme; bolt-on charger/credits are advertised
Charge-point install arranged separately by the driver
No tax efficiency on charging costs
Cost to Run and Employer NI Sharing
Consumer buying or leasing creates no employer NI savings. Salary sacrifice does — and the employer can retain or reinvest those savings.
Many employers choose to share a large proportion of their employer National Insurance savings with employees to support affordability and maximise participation, while retaining a portion to fund wider people and climate initiatives.
Why Choose The Electric Car Scheme Over Carwow?
30–40% effective saving vs an equivalent post-tax purchase or lease
Employer-funded day-one risk protection
Integrated, tax-efficient charging
Employer tech stack with payroll and benefits integration
Deep EV and PHEV choice, including used stock
If you'd like to see how The Electric Car Scheme compares with Carwow for your workforce, we can build you a tailored side-by-side based on your company's demographics and vehicle mix. Book a call with our Salary Sacrifice Specialists here.
Be the Hero and Make Net Zero the Obvious Choice for your Team
Reward your employees, attract the best talent and drive your sustainability goals - all with one simple, cost-free benefit: The Electric Car Scheme.