One of the biggest factors influencing the move to electric cars is the upfront cost.
For example, the cheapest gasoline-powered new car in the UK can be bought for less than £ 10,000, while the cheapest new electric vehicle starts from £ 20,000. The high cost of lithium-ion battery cells is the biggest hurdle, but it is to be hoped that electric cars will become more competitive over time.
However, if you’re on a budget between £ 20,000 and £ 30,000 for a new car (most of the top 10 best-sellers are in this price range) there is plenty to choose from – as our list below shows.
If you’re a motorist like always more and finance your car through Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) or lease it through Personal Contract Hire (PCH), you can spread the cost of your electric vehicle over three or four years.
A note of caution: if you’re not considering an electric car unless it has a range of more than 300 miles or more, then you’ll have to pay more than £ 30,000 when using electric vehicles like the Kia e-Niro and Hyundai Kona Electric available are great value.
Smart EQ Fortwo
From just over 20,000 euros, the Smart EQ Fortwo two-seater is perfect for speeding through the city and parking in the smallest of spaces. If you need four seats, then its bigger brother, the Smart EQ Forfour, is only slightly more expensive. Both don’t have long range (up to 80 miles), but they’re both bubbly and great fun.
In addition, you can charge your Smart (from 10-80%) in just 40 minutes at a public 22kW charging station – just enough time to do your weekly shopping. Charging at home at any household socket takes around six hours or almost half the time with a home wallbox.
MG5 EV
MG may no longer be British or make sports cars, but it makes two very affordable electric vehicles with decent range – the MG5 EV station wagon (pictured) and the MG ZS SUV. Both are great value for money and offer more space than any of their competitors in the £ 25,000 to £ 30,000 price bracket.
Neither win any awards for driver commitment, but they do offer honest, hands-on, zero-emission driving and added safety (a generous seven year / 80,000 mile warranty).
The MG5 EV is available with two battery sizes that offer a range of 214-250 miles, while the ZS EV can reach 265 miles on a single charge.
MINI electric
If you are on a low mileage but still want to have fun driving from A to B, then consider the first fully electric vehicle from MINI. Just as agile as its gasoline-powered siblings, this funky three-door is fast (0-100 km / h in 7.3 seconds) and offers first-class workmanship.
In theory, it is possible to travel up to 245 miles on a full charge, so it is ideal in an urban setting, but if you want to go further afield it can be charged from 0-80% via a fast charger (50 kW) from 0-80% only 36 Minutes.
Peugeot e-208
If you’re making the move to all-electric and want to drive the most conventional-looking car possible, consider the Peugeot e-208. It looks almost identical to its gasoline and diesel siblings, except that this attractive super mini is powered by a battery and an electric motor.
The e-208 is fast (0-62 mph in 8.1 seconds) and has a reported range of 217 miles. It charges at home overnight or lasts for 30 minutes on a 100 kW fast charger for a charge of 0-80%.
Honda e
Arguably the cutest new car on the road, Honda’s retro-styled city car is full of tech and features a remarkably clever interior design that maximizes space and storage space.
Inside, there’s a customizable dual-touch screen that spans the full width of the dash, and there aren’t even traditional exterior mirrors. They have been replaced by high-resolution cameras that provide clear images on the screens in the cabin.
With a range of up to 137 miles, it can be charged to 80% in just 31 minutes with a 50 kW fast charger.
Renault Zoe
Europe’s best-selling electric vehicle used to have the cute supermini end of the market all to itself – now it faces tough competition from the Honda e, MINI Electric and Fiat 500e.
The good news is that the newest Zoe is better than ever and can keep up with her compelling combination of space, features, driver commitment, and personality.
There are two sizes of electric motors (different power outputs) that offer a claimed range of 245 miles. A public 50 kW charging station can add a range of up to 145 km in just 30 minutes.
Volkswagen ID.3
The futuristically styled VW ID.3 is about the size of a Golf, but offers more space inside. The interior is almost as minimalistic as the Tesla Model 3, with a large floating center touchscreen and small display in front of the driver, plus a quirky, curvy gear selector on the side.
It is fast, agile, safe and smooth-running and available with three different battery sizes and offers ranges of up to 340 miles (the range of the entry-level model is 216 miles). It’s creeping in just under our budget of £ 30,000 and can be charged from 5-80% in 35 minutes on a fast 100kW charging station.
If the VW emblem is important to you, but you want to spend less and only need a city runabout, then opt for the Volkswagen e-up! instead of this.
Fiat 500e
The brand new third generation fully electric Fiat 500 is one of the cutest and cheapest electric cars on the market. It has also come of age in many ways because not only is it equipped with the latest technology, it is also a little bigger.
Despite the larger dimensions, it is still a bottleneck for the rear passengers, but everything is taken because it is so fun to drive and it looks so cool. Available as a hatchback or convertible (convertible), it has a range of up to 199 miles and can be charged from 0-80% in 45 minutes with a 50 kW fast charger or overnight at home.
Mazda MX-30
Mazda’s first fully electric car is a distinctive crossover with unusual rear doors.
The Mazda MX-30 is fast, smooth, almost silent, and well-equipped, fun to drive and perfect for urban environments where long range is not essential. It can be charged up to 80% in 36 minutes (via a 50kW fast charger) or from home in less than five hours, while it can go 240 miles on a full charge.
It is equipped with AEB (autonomous emergency braking), lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control as standard. There is also “E-Call with GPS”, which informs the emergency services in the event of an accident and gives them the exact location of your vehicle.
Opel Corsa-e
The fifth generation of the Vauxhall Supermini was launched in 2020 and is the best ever. Now with the Ford Fiesta as the UK’s best-selling car, it is available with a choice of petrol, diesel or electric powertrain – just like its cousin, the Peugeot e-208.
The Corsa-e outperforms the e-208 in terms of driver interaction, space, and speed (0-60 mph in 7.6 seconds), but both are stylish and safe.
With the Opel Corsa-e you can drive up to 209 miles on a single charge and you can access up to 80% of the vehicle charge in 30 minutes via a 100 kW fast charging station.
Citroen e-C4
Citroen is another manufacturer that hedges its bets. The brand new C4 is available with conventional gasoline and diesel engines as well as a 100% electric version. With the e-C4 it has a handy range of 217 miles and the battery can be charged in just 30 minutes with a quick 100 kW charge of 15-80% (or you can charge it overnight via a home wallbox) .
Comfortable, refined, stylish, safe and practical, the Citroen e-C4 is a distinctive family car that looks like a mixture of hatchback and crossover. Easy to live and a breeze to drive, it’s a refreshing addition to the EV scene.
