The best cheap electric cars you would actually want to own
EVs remain pricier than ICE equivalents but there are more options at the affordable end of the market than ever
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by Jack Warrick
7 mins read
17 October 2024
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A few years ago, the term ‘cheap electric car’ often seemed contradictory.
List prices were too high, driving ranges too paltry and, frankly, the EVs just weren’t worth the cash.
Now, though, electric cars are becoming more affordable and accessible. Fully equipped EVs can now be had for under £25,000, and while that might be too expensive for many drivers, it’s a step in the right direction.
You may have spotted our list of the cheapest electric cars in the UK, which ranks models simply based on price. You can buy a Citroën Ami for under £10,000, for example, but you probably don’t want to.
This list, on the other hand, ranks the EVs that we would actually recommend, all with prices below £40,000.
We reckon the Cupra Born is the best of the bunch, and you can read on to find out why.
1. Cupra Born
9
Pros
Fun to drive, yet also very comfortable
Roomy, considering its size
Good efficiency means competitive range and low running costs
Cons
Slow infotainment
Poor climate controls
Steering wheel touchpads are awful
Best for: handling
Despite being effectively a Volkswagen ID 3 Sport, Cupra’s take on the electric Golf-sized hatchback has slowly become a firm Autocar favourite.
It offers an enticing blend of practicality, driving fun and efficiency, capitalising on its rear-wheel-drive platform in a way the technically similar Volkswagen ID 3 doesn’t.
It’s also nimble and intuitive and features a subtly throttle-adjustable handling. But what makes the Born special is that it doesn’t sacrifice ride comfort, noise isolation or energy efficiency in the pursuit of being the sporty one. It’s very good at all of those other things too.
It’s due for a mechanical revision soon that will bring a more powerful and efficient motor and a new multimedia system. The latter is one of the few weak points of the Cupra Born, so it might be worth waiting for the updated model. On the other hand, there are currently some great finance deals available as Cupra tries to shift its stock of pre-update cars. Whichever you choose, you’ll be getting a very rounded EV.
Read our Cupra Born review
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2. Hyundai Kona Electric
8
Pros
Comfortable
Long range
Easy infotainment, lots of buttons
Cons
Frustrating driver assistance systems (easily switched off, though)
Slow maximum DC rapid-charging speed
Uncommunicative handling
Best for: comfort
Hyundai’s smallest EV was the runner-up in the Autocar EV mega-test that the Cupra won. If boot space features higher on your list of priorities than driver engagement, it might just be your winner.
Because while it is the Korean car maker’s smallest EV, it has grown substantially compared with its predecessor, giving very generous rear passenger and luggage space.
Its easy-going nature appeals as well: it rides softly and has comfortable seats while its silver-button-heavy dashboard seems to welcome you into the cool warmth of an early-2000s DVD player.
Being less reliant on screens than most of its rivals means it’s easy to use. With a relatively large battery and good efficiency, its official range nudges 300 miles too.
Read our Hyundai Kona Electric review
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3. MG 4 EV
8
Pros
Outstanding value
Comfortable and entertaining to drive
Strong range and DC rapid-charging speed
Cons
Low-quality interior materials
Poor multimedia system
Poor driver assistance features
Best for: range
Since MG’s relaunch under the ownership of the Chinese giant SAIC, it has always played the budget end of the market. With the MG 4, it still does, but this is a car that’s genuinely impressive in its own right.
Being a physically smaller car than the above two, it’s not quite as spacious, but not by much. Its rear-drive layout lets it serve up some real handling thrills while its soft but controlled ride means it’s well suited to rough British roads.
It has a very competitive range and charging figures too. Even entry-level models offer around 218 miles of range on mixed driving, while extended-range models are capable of around 323 miles.
If that’s not enough, there’s a bonkers-fast 429bhp XPower model, but the standard car is better to drive day to day.
You can see some of the cost savings in the form of low-grade interior materials and slightly haphazard infotainment and driver assistance features, but none of it is egregious enough to seriously detract from how much value for money the MG 4 offers.
Read our MG 4 EV review
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4. Citroën ë-C3
8
Pros
Great value
Comfortable and mature to drive
Impressive equipment levels
Cons
Range won’t convince all to make the EV switch
Steering lacks feel
Limited acceleration out of town
Best for: character
The Citroën ë-C3 costs just £21,990 and it doesn’t even come out of China. Well, not all of it anyway.
In fact, there will be a sub-£20,000 version, but that model’s 124-mile official range is pretty borderline.
Your £21,990 buys you a fairly small car that is proudly built to a cost but still with the goal of not being compromised or feeling cheap. The 201-mile range from its LFP battery is very usable and the interior has a good amount of charm and plushness to it.
The wider test team has yet to give its full verdict in the UK on Citroën’s new budget EV, but impressions from the international launch were very positive indeed.
Read our Citroën ë-C3 review
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5. Vauxhall Corsa Electric
8
Pros
Creditable real-world range
Rounded, refined and easy to drive
Updated front end adds premium style
Cons
It’s possible to end up with a very expensive Corsa
Imperfect driving position and poor second-row passenger space
Less fun to drive than some EVs
Best for: value
A recent facelift brought a bigger battery, more power and a longer range to the electric version of Vauxhall’s long-running supermini.
But that’s not the version we’re recommending here, because it’s tied to pricey trim levels. Instead, Vauxhall is doing some very enticing deals on the entry-level Corsa Electric with the smaller battery.
A total of 221 miles from a charge is still pretty impressive for a supermini that retails for £26,895. The entry-level You trim is fairly bare-bones, but that might be all you need.
The Vauxhall Corsa Electric isn’t the roomiest in its class, or the most fun, or the most luxurious, but it is easy to drive, solid and mostly free of quirks.
Read our Vauxhall Corsa Electric review
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6. Kia Niro EV
8
Pros
Very rounded EV driving experience
Strong range and efficiency
Simple, user-friendly multimedia
Cons
Slightly drab inside
Expensive on finance
Slow DC rapid-charging speeds
Best for: practicality
Do you like the Hyundai Kona Electric further up this list, but wish it looked less weird and more like a hatchback? Kia is here for you.
Mechanically, the Kia Niro EV is very closely related to the Kona, so it offers very similar vital statistics. It rides a bit more firmly and handles a touch more directly, but there isn’t a huge amount in it.
We find the user interface a little fiddlier than on the Hyundai, and Kia’s finance deals tend to be a slightly more expensive but Kia’s EVs are still excellent choices.
Compared with some of the other options here, the Kia is a little plain, and also on the expensive side, but very recommendable nonetheless.
Read our Kia Niro EV review
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7. Mini Cooper E
8
Pros
Looks
Fun to drive
SE has long range for a small car
Cons
No separate gauge cluster in front of the driver
Convoluted multimedia system
Not at all practical
Best for: style
If you’re looking for something roomy and family-friendly, you can just skip this one. Like all Mini hatchbacks, the Cooper E is still relatively mini in size, but you’ll fall for it because of the style and the driver engagement.
While the original Mini Electric was based on the petrol version, but with a small battery shoehorned in, this new one was developed from the outset as an EV and has no mechanicals in common with the petrol variant.
That allows a bigger battery, with 36.6kWh in the Cooper E and 49.2kWh in the Cooper SE. The latter is rated for a very decent 249 miles. More than that, though, it’s a style statement and one of the more entertaining EVs on the market.
Read our Mini Cooper E review
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8. Renault Megane E-Tech Electric
7
Pros
Sharp styling
Well priced
High-quality interior with a good selection of physical controls
Cons
Efficiency could be better
Poor visibility and tight interior space
Nervous handling
Best for: Build quality
The Renault Megane is another stylish electric hatchback, one that really stands out from the crowd, but it’s a size bigger than the Mini. It’s still a bit smaller and less practical than the Cupra Born or Hyundai Kona, though.
Even so, it feels a cut above some of the other options here when it comes to interior quality and ambience. Its Google-based multimedia system is also a major plus for its ease of use.
Renault sticks to physical controls for climate functions too. While this EV is far from the most sporting option here, it is quiet at speed and rides well.
Pricing and range revisions since launch have made the Megane one of the more affordable family hatchbacks. For its size, it could be more practical, it’s not the most efficient and its slightly nervous steering isn’t to all tastes.
Read our Renault Megane E-Tech Electric review
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9. Fiat 500e
7
Pros
Classic looks
Surprisingly entertaining to drive
Quite efficient, decent range for a small car
Cons
Fairly pricey for a small car
Driving position can get tiring
Small size ultimately entails compromised range and interior space
Best for: city driving
The electric Fiat 500 has very little in common with its ancestor, the 1950s icon that brought motoring to the Italian masses. Given its size, it’s not even that cheap.
It looks fantastic and drives pretty well, though. While the ride is bouncy, the 500e is perfectly capable of motorway driving and it’s a lot of fun zipping through narrow country lanes that would cause you to slow down in a bigger car.
Being small and relatively light, it’s efficient, which keeps running costs low. We also like its user-friendly multimedia system and good selection of physical controls.
Read our Fiat 500e review
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10. Tesla Model 3 RWD
7
Pros
Outstanding efficiency
Lots of interior space
Brilliant performance
Cons
Insane control interface
Extremely touchscreen-dependent
Not as cheap as other options here
Best for: performance
Just sneaking on to this list is the Tesla Model 3 because it makes so much sense on paper. Yes, at £39,990 it’s one of the more expensive choices here, but that does buy you a BMW 3 Series-sized saloon with very generous interior space.
When it comes to EV drivetrain efficiency, no one can touch Tesla. A Model 3 can manage a genuine 4.0mpkWh. If that sounds boring, it starts a powerful virtuous circle: Teslas get better range than rivals but with a smaller battery.
That takes less time to charge than a big one, and the physical space it saves can be allocated to passengers and cargo. A small battery weighs less, which itself improves efficiency further and helps with the Model 3’s immediate handling and zippy performance.
The Tesla doesn’t come higher up this list because it’s very divisive. While some people will find Tesla’s way of doing things absolutely fine, others simply can’t live with the extremely screen-dependent user interface, the lack of indicator stalks, the poorly tuned driver assistance features, the always-on one-pedal driving and the litany of other quirks.
