Quick answer: Free competitions to win an electric car come from two places: no-purchase giveaways by car makers, dealers, energy and leasing companies, and the free postal entry route of paid car prize draws. Both cost at most a stamp. If you win, budget for insurance and vehicle tax: £10 in the first year, then £200 a year.
Key takeaways
- Genuine EV giveaways are short and often restricted. One February 2026 draw from Octopus Electric Vehicles was open only to employees of organisations in its salary sacrifice scheme.
- Check the model name: an "electric" SUV prize can turn out to be a plug-in hybrid, which is taxed and charged differently.
- Costs start when the keys arrive: insurance before handover, vehicle tax (£200 a year from year two, plus £440 a year for five years if the list price is over £50,000), and a home charger, with a government grant only for renters and flat owners.
Looking for a quicker free chance? New MrRaffle players can claim free tickets, and every paid car draw on the site has a free postal entry route.
Is there a free car competition in the UK?
Yes, though free car giveaways come and go quickly. They are run by car makers, dealer groups, car marketplaces, magazines, motor shows, and energy, charging and leasing companies, usually for a few weeks or months. Separately, a paid car prize draw decided by chance should offer a free postal entry route for as long as it runs.
Where electric car giveaways come from, and what to watch for:
| Source | How you usually enter | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Car makers | Online form, launch event or test drive | Entry may require a test drive or showroom visit |
| Dealer groups | Online form, one entry per person | Short insurance, no cash alternative |
| Car marketplaces and magazines | App sign-in, newsletter or social comment | Social entry rules; lookalike accounts |
| Energy, charging and leasing companies | Form or referral code | Entry limited to customers or scheme members |
| Motor shows | Online form or paper form at the event | Licence or penalty point rules |
| Paid car prize draws | Free postal entry, or paid online | One entry per envelope, entry caps, closing dates |
What competitions can I participate in to win a car?
Four kinds: free brand giveaways, paid prize draws decided by chance (which offer free postal entry), skill competitions such as quizzes and tiebreakers, and charity raffles run as society lotteries. Only the first two can be entered for free. Genuine skill competitions can charge without a free route, and charity raffles are paid-only.
The legal reason for the free route is simple. Under the Gambling Act 2005, a draw where you pay and the winner is picked wholly by chance is a lottery. Schedule 2 says a draw is not treated as requiring payment if every eligible person can choose to enter by ordinary first or second class post instead, the choice is publicised, and prizes are allocated the same way for both routes. Our pillar guide on how to win a car for free in the UK compares every route side by side.
On MrRaffle, the car line-up rotates through the year, and every draw in our car competitions has a free postal route.
How do you find and check a genuine electric car giveaway?
Start from the promoter's own website or verified social account, then read the terms before you enter. A genuine giveaway names the promoter with a company number and address, states the closing date and who can enter, explains how the winner is picked, and never asks you to pay to claim the car.
A quick checklist:
- Promoter named, with an address and company number you can check on Companies House.
- Closing date and entry limit stated in the terms.
- Eligibility you actually meet: age, UK residency, driving licence, customer or employer conditions.
- The exact model: full electric or plug-in hybrid.
- Cash alternative: offered or not.
- No fee to claim. Under Schedule 2 of the Gambling Act 2005, a payment to take possession of a prize counts as a payment to enter, and the CAP Code bans telling people they have won when they must pay to claim.
Two real examples of the small print
Neither of these is open now; they show what to look for. Both sets of terms were checked on their official pages on 24 September 2026.
| Octopus Electric Vehicles "Win an EV" | Vertu Car Giveaway | |
|---|---|---|
| Prize | A 2026 MG4 Urban, retail value about £23,495 | A new BYD SEAL U, described on the page as a plug-in hybrid |
| Entry period | 18 February to 4 March 2026 | 1 July to 30 September 2026 |
| Who could enter | UK residents 18+ employed by an organisation in its salary sacrifice scheme, with a valid UK licence | UK residents over 18, one entry each |
| Cash alternative | None | None |
| Costs on the winner | Road tax, insurance (needed before the car is released), maintenance, home charge point and running costs | Tax and insurance after the included 7 days' cover (the first registration fee and first year's tax were included) |
Sources: Octopus Electric Vehicles terms and Vertu Car Giveaway terms.
Can I win a free Tesla?
There is no special route to a free Tesla. You win one the same way as any car: through a no-purchase giveaway with a named promoter and published terms, or the free postal entry route of a paid prize draw that offers one. Treat social media posts promising a free Tesla for a like, share or link click with suspicion.
The same checks apply as for any EV: find the promoter's own page, read who can enter, and never pay a "delivery" or "release" fee. If a message looks like a scam, forward it to [email protected] (emails) or 7726 (texts). If you have lost money, contact Report Fraud in England and Wales, or Police Scotland.
What do you need to know if you win an electric car?
Four things: you need insurance before you drive it away, it pays vehicle tax like any other car, charging at home may mean installing a chargepoint, and the prize may have no cash alternative. Check each one before you enter, not after you win.
| Topic | What to know |
|---|---|
| Vehicle tax, first year | £10 for a zero-emission car at first registration. A plug-in hybrid emitting 1 to 50g/km of CO2 pays £115 |
| Vehicle tax, from year two | £200 a year, the same standard rate as petrol and diesel cars |
| Pricier EVs | An extra £440 a year for five years if the list price is over £50,000 (EVs registered from 1 April 2025) |
| Home charging grant | 75% off buying and installing a chargepoint socket, up to £500, for renters and flat owners with private off-street parking. Homeowners living in a house cannot claim it |
| Insurance | Third party cover is the legal minimum. Some promoters will not release the car until you show valid insurance |
| Income tax | A prize won by a private individual is not normally taxed as income; HMRC notes prizes linked to your work or business can be |
| Cash alternative | Often none on free giveaways. MrRaffle's terms allow one for some competitions, stated in the prize description |
If you cannot charge at home, factor in public charging costs and how far the nearest chargers are before you enter. For more on tax, see do you pay tax on lottery or competition winnings.
Are there any free competitions happening today?
Yes. Free daily games on prize sites reset every day, and brand and magazine giveaways open and close all the time, though a car is a rare prize. For a car, the route that stays open is the free postal entry of any paid car draw that is currently running.
MrRaffle's free daily games need no purchase. For a car, read our step-by-step guide to free postal entry competitions before you post anything.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay tax on an electric car I win?
Not income tax, in most cases: a prize won by a private individual is not normally treated as income, although HMRC says prizes linked to your work or business can be. You do pay vehicle tax, £10 in the first year for a zero-emission car and then £200 a year from the second year.
Can I get a grant for a home charger if I win an EV?
Possibly. The government's EV chargepoint grant gives 75% off buying and installing a socket, up to £500, if you rent your home or own a flat and have private off-street parking. Homeowners who live in a house are not eligible for this grant, so check before you plan around it.
Is a plug-in hybrid prize the same as an electric car?
No. A plug-in hybrid has a petrol engine as well as a battery, so it still uses fuel on longer trips and is taxed on its CO2 emissions in the first year. A hybrid emitting 1 to 50g/km pays £115 for its first year, against £10 for a zero-emission car. Check the exact model name in the terms.
Does a free postal entry have the same chance of winning an electric car?
Yes, per entry. In a paid draw decided by chance, the law requires the prize system not to treat postal and paid entries differently, so each postal entry has the same chance as one paid entry. The catch is volume: one entry per envelope, and it must arrive before the closing date.
Can I sell an electric car I win?
Usually, but read the terms first, because some promoters restrict transfers or resale. If you do sell, your car is exempt from Capital Gains Tax. If the promoter offers a cash alternative, compare it with a realistic resale price before choosing, because cash can be simpler than selling a brand new car.
Sources
- Gambling Act 2005, section 14 (Lottery), legislation.gov.uk, accessed 24 September 2026
- Gambling Act 2005, Schedule 2 (Lotteries: definition of payment to enter), legislation.gov.uk, accessed 24 September 2026
- Free draws and prize competitions, Gambling Commission, accessed 24 September 2026
- CAP Code, Section 8: Promotional marketing, ASA and CAP, accessed 24 September 2026
- Vehicle tax rates, gov.uk, accessed 24 September 2026
- Electric vehicle chargepoint grant for renters or flat owners, gov.uk, accessed 24 September 2026
- Vehicle insurance, gov.uk, accessed 24 September 2026
- BIM45090: prizes and incentives, tax treatment of recipient, HMRC, accessed 24 September 2026
- Capital Gains Tax: what you pay it on, gov.uk, accessed 24 September 2026
- Avoid and report internet scams and phishing, gov.uk, accessed 24 September 2026
- Terms and Conditions: February 2026 "Win an EV" Prize Draw, Octopus Electric Vehicles, accessed 24 September 2026
- Vertu Car Giveaway and terms and conditions, Vertu Motors plc, accessed 24 September 2026
- MrRaffle Competition Terms and Conditions, accessed 24 September 2026
Play responsibly
MrRaffle is for UK residents aged 18 and over. Only play with money you can afford to spend, set a budget before you start, and take a break if it stops being fun.
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