Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien announced €10 million in funding for the ICE2EV scheme on 3 June 2026 (gov.ie press release). Applications open 1 July 2026 — tomorrow, and the scheme is administered by the SEAI. The figures below are the official scheme details; the precise application steps go live on seai.ie when the scheme opens.
The ICE2EV scheme pays a combined €8,500 to owners of petrol or diesel cars registered in 2013 or earlier who scrap them and buy a new electric vehicle — a €5,000 scrappage incentive plus the existing €3,500 SEAI EV grant. It opens on 1 July 2026, runs on a first-come, first-served basis from a €10 million Climate Action Fund pot, and ring-fences 65% of the money for rural applicants.
What's Confirmed
| Element | Official detail |
|---|---|
| Scheme name | ICE2EV (administered by the SEAI) |
| What you get | €5,000 scrappage incentive + €3,500 EV purchase grant = €8,500 total |
| The car you scrap | A petrol or diesel (ICE) car registered in 2013 or earlier, permanently removed from the road |
| The car you buy | A new battery electric vehicle (the minister confirmed on 4 June the scheme does not cover used EVs) |
| Opens | 1 July 2026 |
| Fund size | €10 million from the Climate Action Fund — first come, first served, until exhausted |
| Rural priority | 65% of the fund (€6.5m) ring-fenced for rural applicants; 35% (€3.5m) for urban applicants, split on CSO Census 2022 boundaries |
The maths of why this goes fast: the €10 million fund pays the €5,000 scrappage portion only (the €3,500 EV grant comes from the separate, already-funded EV grant budget). That puts the scheme at roughly 2,000 cars nationwide — about 1,300 rural grants and 700 urban grants. A first-come, first-served fund of that size is likely to be claimed quickly, exactly as previous capped Irish grant schemes were.
Who Qualifies
To claim the €5,000 scrappage incentive, the car you scrap must meet all of these official conditions:
- Registered in 2013 or earlier — a petrol or diesel (internal combustion engine) car
- Registered in your name for at least 12 months before you apply
- A valid NCT certificate, or one that expired no more than 6 months ago
- Taxed and insured for road use at some point in the 6 months before you apply
- Permanently scrapped — taken off the road for good through the proper process
The replacement must be a new battery electric vehicle. Used EVs are not eligible — Minister O'Brien said the new-car route is "the cleanest and quickest way" to administer the pilot. The €3,500 EV grant rules (including the price cap below) apply to that purchase as normal.
The Other Change: EV Grant Price Cap Dropping to €50,000 on 31 July
Announced alongside ICE2EV is a change that affects far more buyers than the scrappage pilot: the price cap on the €3,500 EV grant falls from €60,000 to €50,000 for applications received after 31 July 2026. The Department of Transport is steering the grant towards lower-priced EVs so more of the National Development Plan budget can go to public charging infrastructure.
Applications already approved or submitted before 31 July 2026 keep the current €60,000 threshold. Full details of the current grant (amounts, vehicle categories, how the dealer applies for you) are in our electric car grant guide.
How to Apply
The SEAI administers the scheme and publishes the application process on seai.ie when it opens on 1 July 2026. Based on the announcement, expect the route to mirror the existing EV and scrappage grants: you scrap the old car through an authorised treatment facility, and the EV grant is applied at the point of sale by the dealer. The exact step-by-step and the application portal will be confirmed on the SEAI site at launch.
What to Do Now
- If your petrol or diesel car was registered in 2013 or earlier: don't scrap it before 1 July 2026. Scrapping early forfeits the €5,000. Keep it taxed, insured and NCT'd so it still qualifies when the scheme opens.
- If you're buying an EV priced €50,000–€60,000: get your grant application in by 31 July 2026 to keep the €3,500.
- If you're buying any EV: the existing grant, VRT relief and charger grant all apply now — see the electric car grant guide and EV charger grant guide.
A 4 kWp solar system generates roughly 3,200 kWh a year — enough electricity for 15,000+ km of driving. Pair the EV grants with the €1,800 solar grant and your old diesel's fuel bill effectively disappears. Solar Quotes Ireland matches you with SEAI-registered installers in your county.
Get free solar quotes →Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The ICE2EV scheme, announced on 3 June 2026 and opening 1 July 2026, pays €5,000 to scrap a petrol or diesel car registered in 2013 or earlier, on top of the existing €3,500 SEAI EV grant — €8,500 in total — towards a new electric vehicle. It is administered by the SEAI and funded by a €10 million Climate Action Fund pot.
€8,500 in total: a €5,000 scrappage incentive for a petrol or diesel car registered in 2013 or earlier, plus the existing €3,500 SEAI EV purchase grant on the new electric vehicle. The €10 million fund covers the €5,000 scrappage portion for roughly 2,000 cars before it runs out, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Applications open on 1 July 2026 and run until the €10 million fund is exhausted. The scheme is administered by the SEAI, which publishes the application process on seai.ie at launch. If your car might qualify, don't scrap it before the scheme opens.
A petrol or diesel car registered in 2013 or earlier, registered in your name for at least 12 months, with a valid NCT (or one expired no more than 6 months), and taxed and insured for road use in the 6 months before you apply. The car must be permanently scrapped, and the replacement must be a new battery electric vehicle — used EVs do not qualify.
No. Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien confirmed on 4 June 2026 that ICE2EV applies only to new battery electric vehicles, describing the new-car route as "the cleanest and quickest way" to run the pilot. A used EV purchase does not qualify for the €5,000 scrappage incentive.
Yes. The price cap on the €3,500 EV grant falls from €60,000 to €50,000 for applications received after 31 July 2026. EVs priced between €50,000 and €60,000 lose grant eligibility from that date. Applications approved or submitted before 31 July keep the €60,000 threshold.
65% of the €10 million fund is ring-fenced for rural applicants because rural households depend more on cars — there are fewer public-transport alternatives, so swapping an old diesel for an EV cuts more emissions per euro spent. The remaining 35% (€3.5 million) is available to urban applicants, split on CSO Census 2022 boundaries.
Published: 3 June 2026. Updated: 30 June 2026 — applications open 1 July 2026. Author: Neil Russell. Scheme details from the Department of Transport press release (3 June 2026), with the "new vehicles only" confirmation from Minister O'Brien reported by RTÉ (4 June 2026). Current EV grant facts verified against seai.ie.