Cheapest electric cars: UK's most affordable EVs

Version Ami | List price £7695 | Target Price £7695

The cheapest electric car you can currently buy is the Citroën Ami. And while the Ami is technically more of a quadricycle than a full-blown car, it's a vehicle that you could use everyday for a short urban commute. Indeed, that's the only scenario where we would recommend you use the Ami, because its top speed is limited to 28mph and the official range is 46 miles. In any other situation, it feels unsafe to drive.

The version quoted here is the most basic version of the Ami, which means you get minimal equipment, including steel wheels, a USB port and heating and ventilation controls. The slightly more expensive Colour version is better equipped, because it gives you a smartphone cradle and three interior storage boxes, along with coloured wheel trims and decals for the exterior. No matter which version you choose, though, the Ami is very basic in terms of kit.

Read our in-depth Citroën Ami review

Version Expression | List price £14,995 | Target Price £14,708

If you think all electric cars are expensive, then be prepared to think again. The Dacia Spring is not just the cheapest electric car you can buy in the UK, but it's almost as cheap as some petrol-powered cars, including the Dacia Sandero.

Now, this does mean the Spring has some compromises. The official range is minuscule at 140 miles, plus it has a very slow maximum charging rate of 30kW, which means a 20-80% charge takes around 45 minutes. That's 20 minutes longer than a Citroën e-C3 takes. However, there's plenty to like about the Spring, including its cheap price, distinctive design, comfortable low-speed ride and user-friendly interior. It's a great option if you need a cheap city runabout.

Read our in-depth Dacia Spring review

Version Plus | List price £21,990 | Target Price £21,990

It may be one of the cheapest new electric cars, but the Citroën e-C3 doesn't feel particularly cheap. The ride is comfortable (thanks to Citroën’s 'Advanced Comfort suspension'), plus the interior is spacious and stylish. You also get a slightly raised driving position that gives you a great view of the road. 

While the official range of 199 miles is only average by modern electric car standards, it does beat the Dacia Spring (140 miles). Performance is decent, too. With 111bhp on tap, it’s more than nippy enough when you accelerate from 0-50mph. It’s also very easy to drive smoothly, which can’t be said of the BYD Dolphin. 

Read our in-depth Citroën e-C3 review

Version 24kWh 500 | List price £24,995 | Target Price £21,028

The Fiat 500 is a funky little electric car, and it's also one of the cheapest if you go for this entry-level 24kWh version. That value does come at a price: a short official range of just 115 miles. However, if you live in an urban area that shouldn't be a problem. In fact, the 500 is arguably most at home in the city, because its small dimensions and tidy handling make it very easy to manoeuvre.

While the 94bhp version isn't our favourite, it's quick and responsive enough for stop-start traffic, with 0-62mph officially taking 9.5sec. It does run out of puff as you build up speed, though.

Read our in-depth Fiat 500 Electric review

Version Active | List price £26,195 | Target Price £26,195

The Dolphin is BYD's smallest electric car. Despite being well priced and spacious, it isn't as comfortable or composed in the corners as the MG4 or Peugeot e-208. On the plus side, it is well equipped; this entry-level Active model comes with a 360-degree parking camera, vehicle-to-load charging (so you can run appliances with the car’s battery) and electrically-adjustable front seats.

Being the entry-level version, the Active is powered by a 44.9kWh (usable) battery that delivers an official range of 211 miles. For context, the MG4 SE should go slightly further, officially managing 218 miles, but it does have a larger battery.

Read our in-depth BYD Dolphin review

Version 50kWh Yes | List price £26,895 | Target Price £24,823

Vauxhall has added a new entry-level trim to the Corsa Electric range, which has cut the list price significantly. Called Yes trim, it offers a good amount of standard equipment for the money, including a 10.0in touchscreen (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone mirroring), lane departure warning and rear parking sensors.

Vauxhall has kept the old 50kWh (total) battery version from the pre-facelift car to help keep the cost down. This means it can manage 221 miles officially between charges, which is slightly more than the Citroën e-C3 (199 miles) and MG4 SE (218 miles). If you want more range, the new, larger 51kWh battery version can manage 248 miles officially between charges, but it is more expensive.

Read our in-depth Vauxhall Corsa Electric review

Version Standard Range SE | List price £26,995 | Target Price £24,865

The MG4 was a bit of a game-changer in the electric car world when it was first launched in 2022, and that's because it undercut nearly all of its rivals on price, including the Volkswagen ID 3 by almost £10,000. However, more rivals have arrived since then, including the Citroën e-C3 and Dacia Spring, which are both significantly cheaper.

Despite that, the MG4 is still brilliant value, while being spacious, decent to drive and comfortable. This entry-level SE version comes with a good amount of standard kit, too, including adaptive cruise control, rear parking sensors and vehicle-to-load charging.

Read our in-depth MG4 review

Version Prime Line | List price £27,995 | Target Price £26,738

The Mazda MX-30 EV is a relatively affordable and well-equipped electric SUV with a smart interior. Even the entry-level Prime Line comes with a head-up display, power-folding door mirrors and automatic wipers, for example. It's also good to drive, with a reasonably comfy ride, tidy handling and light, but direct steering. 

The issue with the MX-30 EV, however, is its range, because officially it can manage just 124 miles between charges, which is significantly less than most of its rivals. So, for that reason, we'd steer you towards the MX-30 R-EV plug-in hybrid instead, because it offers many of the same benefits of the electric model but adds a small petrol engine to boost the range. 

Read our in-depth Mazda MX-30 review

Version 39kWh Shiro | List price £28,495 | Target Price £23,660

The Nissan Leaf is decent to drive, well equipped and pretty easy to live with – but falls behind much newer rivals. Many can go farther on a full charge and are plusher and better to drive. But if you're on a budget, the standard 39kWh Leaf still makes some sense.

The Shiro version is well equipped, and includes an 8.0in touchscreen (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone mirroring), a 360-degree reversing camera and heated front and rear seats as standard. It's also reasonably spacious, with a big boot that beats its closest rivals for luggage space, including the MG4 and Mini Cooper Electric.

Read our in-depth Nissan Leaf review

Version 50kWh Griffin | List price £29,495 | Target Price £27,925

Like the Corsa Electric, the Mokka Electric has received a new, more affordable trim to help keep the price down. Called Griffin, it is quite sparsely equipped for the money, and includes a 7.0in touchscreen (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone mirroring), LED headlights and rear parking sensors as standard.

It's only available with a 50kWh (total) battery, which means it can manage 211 miles officially between charges. That's slightly more than an MG ZS EV SE (198 miles), but less than a 48kWh Hyundai Kona Electric (234 miles). If you want more range, a 54kWh (total) battery version can manage 247 miles officially between charges, but it is more expensive.

Read our in-depth Vauxhall Mokka Electric review

Version 50kWh Allure | List price £29,850 | Target Price £24,505

The Peugeot e-208 is stylish, smart inside and decent to drive. It's also the cheapest electric car Peugeot offers (it's a fair bit cheaper than its slightly larger e-2008 sibling, plus it has a longer range). The entry-level Active comes with LED headlights, a digital driver's display and a 10.0in infotainment screen.

Being closely related to the Vauxhall Corsa Electric, the e-208 is available with the same entry-level 50kWh (total) battery option and 134bhp electric motor. Performance is decent, with 0-62mph taking 8.1 seconds, but the official range is rated at 224 miles. For a better range between charges, the larger (and more expensive) 51kWh battery version can manage 248 miles officially.

Read our in-depth Peugeot e-208 review

Version SE EV | List price £30,495 | Target Price £27,840

Previously, the MG ZS EV was the cheapest electric SUV you could buy new. However, the Mazda MX-30 EV and Vauxhall Mokka Electric have both had a big price cut, so those cars are now significantly cheaper. 

Despite that, the ZS EV is still very well priced, plus it has a smart interior and you get a good amount of kit as standard with SE trim, including keyless entry, adaptive cruise control and automatic LED lights. The official range of 198 miles with the SE version isn't great, but there is a more expensive Long Range version that can manage 273 miles officially.

Read our in-depth MG ZS EV review

Version 42kWh 500 | List price £30,995 | Target Price £26,788

Electric convertibles are very rare at the moment. However, the Fiat 500 Cabrio is one of the few you can buy, other than the MG Cyberster. 

Based on the regular Fiat 500 Electric, the Cabrio offers many of the same benefits as that car, including nippy performance, stylish looks and tidy handling. However, you do have to pay a bit more for the convertible version, not just for the folding roof, but because it's only available with the larger 42kWh battery. This means it can travel up to 199 miles officially between charges.

Read our in-depth Fiat 500 Cabrio Electric review

Version SE | List price £30,995 | Target Price £29,771

If you're looking for an electric estate car, you aren't exactly spoilt for choice. However, the MG5 is one of the few, and it's much cheaper than the Peugeot e-308 SW, Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo and Taycan Sport Turismo. Even at the lower end of the spectrum, the MG5 is comfortable, quiet and spacious, and a good choice if you're looking for a practical electric family car.

In terms of range, all versions of the MG5 are powered by a 57kWh (usable) battery that delivers an official range of 250 miles. That's slightly less than the e-308 SW's figure of 254 miles, but performance is much better; the electric motor produces 154bhp, which means it can blast from 0-62mph in 7.7 seconds. That's much quicker than the e-308 SW, which can cover the same sprint in 9.8 seconds.

Read our in-depth MG5 review

Version 52kWh Plus | List price £31,135 | Target Price £31,135

The Citroën e-Berlingo's van origins brings more benefits than you might think. Being electric, it’s more peaceful to drive than the petrol and diesel versions, plus few cars can beat it for practicality. However, it's worth noting the interior isn't exactly plush, with plenty of hard, scratchy materials. Plus trim does at least come with a good amount of standard kit, including automatic lights and wipers, an 10.0in infotainment system and rear parking sensors.

The version quoted here comes with a 52kWh (total) battery, which means the e-Berlingo can travel up to 212 miles between charges, according to official tests. That's more than the MG ZS EV SE (198 miles) and the Vauxhall Mokka Electric (211 miles), but only just.

Read our in-depth Citroën e-Berlingo review

Version Pro | List price £31,950 | Target Price £29,950

The #1 is one of our favourite electric SUVs. It's nippy, smart inside and surprisingly spacious in the back, plus it can charge more quickly than a Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia Niro EV. Unless you need a big boot, it's a great buy. 

The version quoted here is the entry-level Pro version. It produces 268bhp from a single electric motor, which means it can go from 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds. However, it's powered by a 47kWh (usable) battery, which means it can travel 193 miles between charges – that's less a MG ZS EV SE and Vauxhall Mokka Electric. For a longer range, we'd recommend going for the Premium version, which can travel up to 273 miles officially.

Read our in-depth Smart #1 review

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