Listed: The cheapest electric cars available in the UK
Cost-effective EVs are rare but growing in number. Here are the 10 cheapest on sale in the UK today
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by Jack Warrick and Murray Scullion
6 mins read
1 May 2025
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For years, the barrier to electric car entry for many drivers has been their high list prices, but it’s fair to say that EV prices are becoming more accessible than ever in 2025.
Cheaper options are becoming more commonplace. Prices are gradually lowering to a point where the cheapest EVs on sale today are now priced as low as some of the most affordable ICE models.
Several models on the market don’t require deep pockets, with brands including Dacia, Citroën and Renault all having introduced entry-level, affordable EVs over the past couple of years.
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Some EVs dropped below £30,000 a few years ago, and prices are falling further. Some new options cost less than £25,000 and a few are below £20,000.
Today, the cheapest electric ‘car’ in the UK is the Citroën Ami, priced at £7695. We say ‘car’ in inverted commas here because it’s actually a quadricycle. The cheapest proper electric car is the Dacia Spring, at £16,995.
But which other EVs fall into the top 10 of the cheapest on sale today? Read our continuously updated list here.
1. Citroën Ami
5
- Design8
- Interior6
- Performance3
- Ride & Handling4
- Costs7
Pros
Compact dimensions
Tiny turning circle
Minimalist design and construction
Cons
Terrible ride quality
Visibility is poor in bad conditions
It feels perilous outside its comfort zones
Price: £7695
Best for: City drivers
If it’s for strictly slow-urban use, gets you off a scooter, or your business would benefit in terms of branding, by all means take a look.
The cheapest car on this list technically isn’t a car, but a quadricycle. Designed to be inexpensive, effective transport for packed cities, the Citroën Ami’s 8bhp motor, 28mph top speed and 45-mile range mean it’s hopelessly out of its depth on the open road.
That said, its tight turning circle and dinky dimensions make it a doddle to drive around town, and the presence of a roof – something you don’t get on a motorcycle – keeps you warm and dry when the heavens open.
Read our Citroën Ami review
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2. Dacia Spring
8
- Design7
- Interior7
- Performance6
- Ride & Handling8
- Costs10
Pros
Great for short journeys
Half the price of a Mini Electric
Refined powertrain
Cons
Interior lags behind rivals
Perceived quality isn’t perfect
Noisy on harsher surfaces
Price: £14,995
Best for: Quick trips
For many, the Dacia Spring will be all the car they ever need, and it will raise a smile or two as well.
The Dacia Spring is officially the UK’s cheapest electric (proper) car. It almost comes close to being the UK’s cheapest new car overall, with just the Dacia Sandero and Citroën C3 pipping it.
The small EV, which initially went on sale in mainland Europe, has had a big overhaul inside and out, gaining a new face and significant improvements to interior quality and connectivity.
With a 26.8kWh battery and tipping the scales at just 984kg, the Spring offers a range of around 137 miles on a single charge.
Read our Dacia Spring review
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3. Leapmotor T03
7
- Design6
- Interior8
- Performance7
- Ride & Handling7
- Costs8
Pros
Room for four adults
Enough performance for motorways
Agile, considering its height
Cons
Lack of physical buttons frustrates
Ride is a little unsettled at motorway speeds
Irksome ADAS features are a pain to turn off
Price: £15,995
Best for: Interior feel
The truly affordable small car format needs both saving and electrifying, and the Dacia Spring no longer stands alone as its best hope, thanks to the T03.
You probably haven’t heard of Leapmotor. As you might have imagined, it is a Chinese car brand, but one with a difference.
Leapmotors sold outside of China are sold by Leapmotor international, a joint venture with Stellantis. This means the marque is sold within Stellantis showrooms, giving drivers the ability to try a new car within the parameters of a parent company that they know.
There’s only one powertrain option available, a front-mounted 94bhp motor, but you do at least get a selection of paint colours plus a 37.3kWh battery with up to 165 miles of range.
As standard, the T03 has an 8.0in digital instrument display, a multifunction steering wheel and a 10in infotainment touchscreen with sat-nav and a DAB radio, but no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
Read our Leapmotor T03 review
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4. Micro Microlino
Pros
An antidote to automotive anonymity
Impressive refinement for a microcar
Decent practicality for its size
Cons
Slow charging
Lofty price
Not as nippy as we’d like
Price: £17,990
Best for: Style
Frankly, as everything around it becomes increasingly amorphous or aggressive, the Microlino should be applauded just for being a fun little thing.
The Microlino’s stylistic influence from the era-defining ‘bubble car’ is very obvious and even extends to a side-hinged front door.
Swing open that front end and you’re met by a bench seat that can happily host two adults… and not much else.
It is not fast by any stretch of the imagination, but its circa-5.0sec 0-30mph time means it works fine in cities and on slow roads.
The standard Microlino comes with a 10.5kWh battery with a claimed 110 miles of range, but there’s also a Lite version with a 58-mile range, courtesy of a smaller battery that brings the overall weight below 425kg, putting it into the quadricycle class.
Neither version is capable of fast charging, but Micro reckons it needs only four hours on a three-pin to go from empty to full.
Read our Micro Microlino review
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5. Fiat Grande Panda
Pros
Excellent value
Good interior space
Innovative integrated charging cable
Cons
Base models are pretty spartan
Intrusive speed-limit warning system
Not as fun to drive as it looks
Price: £20,975
Best for: Space
There are some really creative design touches in the car that make it a joy to be in. Considering it’s not actually the most fun car to drive, it’s still a remarkably fun car.
Fiat’s utilitarian Panda is back, now named the Grande Panda (because it’s larger than the old model).
The electric version shares a great deal mechanically with the Citroën ë-C3 but undercuts it by £1000.
As standard, it comes with a 44kWh battery serving up a WLTP range of 199 miles. It can charge at up to 100kW and it lays down a 0-62mph time of 11.0sec.
The cheapest models are called Red and come equipped with 16in white steel wheels, LED headlights, a 60/40-split folding rear bench, a 10.25in touchscreen with smartphone mirroring, cruise control and rear parking sensors.
Read our Fiat Grande Panda review
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6. Citroën ë-C3
8
- Design8
- Interior8
- Performance7
- Ride & Handling6
- Costs8
Pros
Comfortable ride
Impressive equipment levels
Superb value
Cons
Road noise
Other EVs charge faster
Numb handling
Price: £21,990
Best for: Comfort
If the C3 wants to be the most or the best at anything, then it is comfort and ride quality.
Citroën parent company Stellantis, as you’ll soon discover, is really bossing this list. The ë-C3 is the latest entrant and promises something that is both utilitarian and chic.
All models come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, plus ‘comfort’ seats and safety aids.
It has a 199-mile range and can rapidly charge at rates of up to 100kW, enabling a 20-80% charge in 26 minutes.
On the road, its hydraulic bump-stops do a good job of filtering out abrasions and you feel pretty well isolated from big bumps. In other words, it’s comfortable and easy-going.
An even cheaper version, costing £17,250, will join Europe in 2025. But Citroën has yet to confirm whether this version is coming to the UK.
Read our Citroën ë-C3 review
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7. Renault 5
9
- Design10
- Interior9
- Performance8
- Ride & Handling9
- Costs8
Pros
Comfortable ride
Excellent value for money
Fantastic design inside and out
Cons
Limited rear space
Performance tails off at higher speeds
Real-world range down on official figure
Price: £22,995
Best for: Handling
It outclasses all of its rivals with the kind of ride and handling balance that’s rarely seen at this end of the market.
When Renault said it would aim for a price tag of less than £23,000 with the 5, many were sceptical – but the French firm came good on its promise.
The Renault 5 is one of the cheapest EVs on sale in the UK today, on sale for just £22,995. That’s just £1600 more than the hybrid Renault Clio.
For that price, you get the entry-level 118bhp electric motor with a 40kWh battery for 190 miles of range.
If you want more range, you will pay closer to £30,000, which is still cheaper than the entry-level Mini Cooper E.
Read our Renault 5 review
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8. Hyundai Inster
8
- Design8
- Interior8
- Performance7
- Ride & Handling7
- Costs7
Pros
Fantastic interior versatility
Compact dimensions
Good equipment levels
Cons
Expensive compared with rivals
Weight dulls handling and performance
Best for: Interior versatility
Price: £23,505
It feels mature at higher speeds while lacking the character you would expect at lower speeds.
Hyundai has dipped its toe into the world of affordable EVs with the Inster, a small city car with a rugged and characteristic appearance.
Measuring somewhere inbetween the Hyundai i10 and i20, the Inster is genuinely small and appears similar in stature to the Suzuki Ignis.
Power comes from a single front-mounted electric motor. Power ranges from 96bhp to 113bhp with a 42kWh battery included as standard.
A larger, 49kWh battery is also available, giving the Inster a maximum range of 229 miles.
Standard kit includes a heat pump, two 10.25in dashboard screens and lots of safety software.
It’s fairly practical too, with a boot measuring 238 litres with the seats up or 351 litres with them slid forwards.
Read our Hyundai Inster review
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9. Vauxhall Corsa Electric
8
- Design8
- Interior6
- Performance7
- Ride & Handling7
- Costs8
Pros
New Vizor face make dramatic difference
Improved range with bigger battery
Rounded and refined
Cons
Not as powerful as some EVs in the class
Front-drive layout may not appeal like RWD rivals
Imperfect seating position
Price: £26,170
Best for: Dealer network
The Corsa Electric is also very easy to operate and drive, with little extra quirkiness or complication than any EV really needs, and having good performance and good drivability.
The Corsa’s cheapest model is called the #Yes. Really. It gets a 50kWh battery with 221 miles of range, while a front-mounted electric motor supplies 134bhp and 191lb ft of torque.
The equipment you get is decent too. The Corsa #Yes is equipped with 16in alloy wheels, a 10in digital touch screen, wireless smartphone connectivity, automatic LED headlights and wipers, climate control, keyless entry and rear parking sensors.
Read our Vauxhall Corsa Electric review
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10. Fiat 500e
7
- Design8
- Interior8
- Performance7
- Ride & Handling8
- Costs7
Pros
Iconic design
Fun handling
Decent performance
Cons
Range falls short of official figure
Perched driving position
Fast charging speed is lacking
Price: £24,995
Best for: Retro charm
Fiat has joined the ranks of those showing that small electric cars can be viable, and can also be fun – to look at, to sit in, and to drive.
If any manufacturer has the city car formula nailed, it’s Fiat. The latest version of the iconic 500 oozes desirability inside and out and its combination of a tight turning circle and diminutive sizing make it a cinch to drive around town.
Even better, this electric city car doesn’t feel terribly out of depth once you hit the open road, although the entry-level car’s 118-mile range does significantly limit the 500e’s usefulness.
It’s available with either a 24kWh battery or larger 42kWh unit, which costs around £3000 more and is good for a range of 199 miles. It works with a 118bhp electric motor. All cars come with a 10.25in infotainment touchscreen and smartphone mirroring.
