elmo

Important announcement

Elmo doesn't currently accept new customers.

About elmo

Elmo offers electric cars on subscription and want everyone to make the switch and ditch their ICE cars. They even have a salary sacrifice scheme which allows you to subscribe to a car and pay for it through your salary (saving you quite a lot of cash in the process!).

Elmo’s car inventory has grown tremendously over the past year, offering their customer even more choices of EVs. They probably also offer the best subscription customisability than any other subscription company currently in the UK.

Launched in 2019, elmo was founded by Luke Gavin and Olly Jones. Luke’s background is in energy, e-mobility and sustainability as an early team member at Octopus Energy and also as a strategy consultant at Element Energy.

Olly’s background is startups and tech, responsible for growing Angel Investment Network to 1.5 million users and hosting a popular startup podcast.

How does elmo work?

The signup process takes 5 minutes and is all done online. New customers normally go through the following steps:

1. Register by uploading your driving license, proof of address, and a selfie.
2. The elmo team runs identity and driving license checks to verify eligibility.
3. elmo delivers anywhere in the UK and usually within 4 working days.
4. Customers get a physical key with the car and an online dashboard with all their driving data which can help them manage their subscription.

elmo offer the following subscription plans:

elmoFlex - This monthly plan allows drivers to have the ultimate flexibility without long-term commitments. It’s a 60-day minimum term, and customers can then change their vehicle or cancel the subscription.

elmoSave - This is for those who don’t mind committing to a little longer subscription term. In return, drivers can get a monthly subscription at a discounted rate. The minimum term here is 12 months, which is still more flexible than traditional leases and includes all car ownership costs.

Driver eligibility and requirements

The eligibility criteria to get a car through elmo include:

• You are at least 25 years of age (except for some premium models when you must be 30+).
• You live in the UK.
• You have registered for an account on their website (elmo Account).
• You have passed elmo's identity and credit checks.
• You’ve held a full valid UK driving licence for at least 3 years (or 5 years for some premium models.
• You’ve lived in the UK for at least 2 years.
• You haven’t been involved in more than 1 at-fault insurance claim within the last 3 years.

Elmo may not approve your subscription application if:

• You have more than 6 points on your driving licence.
• You have criminal convictions or have been charged with a criminal offence.
• You have had any major driving convictions in the last 3 years - see the full DVLA code list.
• You have been disqualified from driving in the last 3 years.
• You hold one of the following occupations - professional sportsmen or sportswoman, entertainment or theatrical professions, racing or gambling.

We also have an in-depth guide which explains the driver requirements and eligibility in a lot more detail.

How much does elmo cost?

They offer ‘Total Cost of Ownership’ (TCO) subscriptions. This means that included in the monthly price of your vehicle, you get:

• Comprehensive insurance
• Servicing & Maintenance
• Breakdown cover
• Road tax
• Congestion Charge Autopay

In addition, if you want to can choose to add the following to your monthly subscription:

• Home charging point – installation and equipment.
• Switch to a renewable energy provider through elmo.
• Access to public charging points.

If you choose everything, your only cost for the car will be the one payment you make to them each month! But you choose which parts of the bundle work for you.

To get started, the costs include:

• £119 delivery fee for all of England and Wales (Additional fees may apply for Scotland)
• 1st month’s payment (depending on the chosen car and optional add-ons)

Notice that there isn’t a large upfront deposit. Other subscription services require you to pay a large amount upfront, it’s refundable, but not having to pay it it’s definitely easier on the pocket.  

Here's an example of what your elmo subscription could look like:

• Car subscription - £499 (eg. Kia e-Niro)
• Delivery fee - £119
• First month payment total - £618
• Monthly payments after - £499

Why choose elmo?

You may think they’re just another subscription service, but they are really championing sustainability and redefining what car ownership looks like.

They offer only electric cars which produce zero tailpipe emissions. It's certainly a subscription provider you should consider if you're after an EV! Check out our in-depth elmo vs. Onto comparison.

Browse elmo cars and find the right model for you!