Cheapest electric cars: UK's most affordable EVs

Version Ami | List price £7695

The cheapest electric car you can buy isn't technically a car at all. You see, the Citroën Ami is technically classed as a quadricycle, which means you can drive it at the age of 16 in the UK, as long as you have a special licence.

It's not what you'd call fast, with its top speed limited to just 28mph – and nor will it get you far on a charge, because the official range is just 46 miles. That means the Ami is best suited to tight urban roads, and that's exactly where we suggest you keep it, because the tiny Citroën quickly feels out of its depth on country roads.

This low price is for the most basic version of the Ami, which comes with LED headlights, a USB charging socket, a heating and cooling fan, steel wheels and not much else. You can pay more for the Ami Pop, which adds extra colour details, while the Ami Tonic brings bespoke wheel trims and roof rails to make the Ami look a little more car-like.

Read our full Citroën Ami review

Version Expression | List price £14,995 | Available from £14,135

In the same way that the Dacia Sandero is one of the cheapest new cars you can buy that's powered by petrol, the Dacia Spring does the same job for electric cars. 

Just like the Sandero, there are some compromises to be made in the search for that low cost – so while the Spring's 26.8kWh battery offers an official range of 140 miles, most electric car rivals can go substantially further between charges. Likewise, even the most powerful 44bhp version of the Spring needs 14.0sec to get to motorway speeds, and even the Citroën e-C3 will beat it up to 62mph.

What the Spring is, though, is practical, with a decent boot which can easily hold your weekly shop, and a dedicated place to store your charging cables under the front bonnet.

As you might expect, equipment on the entry-level Expression models is a little basic, with cruise control, electric front windows and rear parking sensors. Our preferred Extreme trim comes with some useful extras, including a 10.0in infotainment screen and electric rear windows, among other luxuries.

Read our full Dacia Spring review

Version Plus | List price £21,990

What's especially surprising about the Citroën e-C3 is that for  its cheap-as-chips price tag, it doesn't feel especially cheap. Indeed, with an official range of up to 199 miles coming from its 43.7kWh battery, the small Citroën can travel further on a charge than the rival Dacia Spring.

It'll be comfortable for that distance, too, thanks to the French brand's 'Advanced Comfort Suspension' which helps to take the sting out of battered British roads. And in terms of smoothness, it's easier to modulate the e-C3's acceleration and braking than it is in the rival BYD Dolphin.

While the interior of the e-C3 isn't what you'd call plush, with plenty of hard plastics on display, it is spacious and thoughtfully designed. Indeed, a couple of taller passengers should be fine on the rear bench, and you can fit more into its boot than you can in some other electric cars. 

Read our full Citroën e-C3 review

Version 24kWh 500e | List price £24,995

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 full Fiat 500 Electric review

Version Active | List price £26,195 | Available from £21,990

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 full BYD Dolphin review

Version 50kWh Yes | List price £26,895 | Available from £28,145

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 full Vauxhall Corsa Electric review

Version Standard Range SE | List price £26,995 | Available from £19,944

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 full MG4 review

Version Prime Line | List price £28,665 | Available from £17,995

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 full Mazda MX-30 review

Version 39kWh Shiro | List price £28,790 | Available from £17,490

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 full Nissan Leaf review

Version 50kWh Allure | List price £29,895

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 full Peugeot e-208 review

Version E Classic | List price £30,000

The latest fully electric version of the Mini Cooper is good to drive, with even the entry-level Cooper E model getting a 181bhp electric motor which allows the car to get to motorway speeds in a nippy 7.3sec. And while the battery is on the small size, with a usable capacity of 36.6kWh, it still offers up to 190 miles of official range – enough for most commuters, especially if you can charge at home.

It's not very big inside, though, and you'll fit more luggage into the boot of the MG4 or Peugeot e-208. But there's no knocking the Cooper E's price – even though you might want to have a look at the options list to get some of the luxuries which come with the more expensive Exclusive and sport models. We'd recommend choosing the Level 1 package, for example, which brings keyless entry, wireless phone charging and heated front seats.

Read our full Mini Cooper review

Version SE EV | List price £30,495 

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 full MG ZS EV review

Version 42kWh 500 | List price £30,995  

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 full Fiat 500 review

Version SE | List price £30,995 | Available from £19,495

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 full MG5 review

Version 52kWh Plus | List 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 full Citroën e-Berlingo review

Version Pro | List price £31,950

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 capacity) 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 full Smart #1 review

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