Best electric cars 2025: the top 10 EVs you can buy today
If you're thinking about making the switch to an electric vehicle, these are the EVs that should be on your shortlist. We also break down the key factors to consider, such as range, charging times, and running costs, to help you make the best decision.
Electric cars are no longer a niche choice—they now make up a quarter of new car sales in the UK and are only growing in popularity. With tighter emissions rules in major cities and the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars approaching, more buyers are making the switch to electric.
If you're considering an EV, you might be wondering: which one is right for me? A common concern in the past was range anxiety - the fear of running out of charge before reaching your destination. But with many modern EVs now offering over 300 miles of real-world range, and some tipping over the 400-mile mark, this is becoming far less of an issue.
Electric car prices are coming down, too. There's now a great choice of new electric cars in the £20,000 to £30,000 price bracket with many priced at a similar level to petrol and hybrid counterparts.
Our expert road testers have driven every new electric car available in the UK, comparing them in real-world conditions to find out which models truly stand out. We assess everything from battery range and charging speed to price, practicality, and driving experience, ensuring you get a complete picture before making a buying decision.
Below, we reveal the top 10 best electric cars on sale today, covering a range of budgets and needs. Plus, at the end of the article, we’ll highlight key things to look out for when buying an electric vehicle. Let’s dive in and find the best electric car for you.
1. Citroen e-C3
At a glance
Power
113 BHP
0 - 62mph
10.4 secs
Top Speed
82 MPH
Efficiency
3.6 m/kWh
Range
198 - 199 miles
Insurance Group
33P
One of the biggest hurdles between potential buyers and the switch to an electric car is the price. Rather than pumping its electric supermini full of unnecessary and costly bells and whistles, Citroen has simply made the e-C3 into a sensible little car that comes with the kit that you’ll actually need, at a price that many can realistically afford.
While the Dacia Spring is cheaper, it isn’t able to match the Citroen e-C3 when it comes to practicality, battery range or equipment. With up to 199 miles per charge and an impressive amount of cabin space for its size, the e-C3 is surprisingly capable at taking on family car duties and, being a Citroen, it’s very comfortable on the move, too. It’s an excellent package at a very reasonable price, and that’s exactly why the Citroen e-C3 was named our 2024 Car of the Year.
2. Hyundai Kona Electric
At a glance
Power
156 - 218 BHP
0 - 62mph
7.8 - 8.8 secs
Top Speed
101 - 107 MPH
Efficiency
3.7 - 4.3 m/kWh
Range
234 - 319 miles
Insurance Group
25A - 33D
The Mk2 Hyundai Kona is our favourite small SUV on sale right now, not to mention a previous Auto Express Car of the Year title holder. However, it’s the Kona Electric which is the most mature and well rounded car of the range, from its road manners to the interior. The entry-level Standard Range model starts from less than £35,000 and offers up to 234 miles from its 48kWh battery.
The original Kona was already a hit with customers, but the model was a bit constrictive in terms of size. Now, though, the new car sits on the same platform as the Kia Niro, so there’s more space on offer along with a whole suite of improvements including a much bolder new look, upgraded on-board technology and higher-quality materials.
Step inside and the dashboard is now dominated by two 12.3-inch screens that run on brand-new software. Hyundai hasn’t shied away from physical controls, though, as there are still buttons for systems such as the climate control and radio.
For those who want to cover more miles, the Long Range model’s larger 65kWh battery boosts the range to 319 miles. Rapid-charging capabilities aren’t as groundbreaking as Hyundai’s Ioniq 5, but a 10-80 per cent top-up takes less than 45 minutes. Every Kona Electric sold in the UK comes with an efficiency-boosting heat pump fitted as standard, too.
3. Renault 5
At a glance
Power
120 - 150 BHP
0 - 62mph
7.9 - 9 secs
Top Speed
93 MPH
Efficiency
4.1 - 4.3 m/kWh
Range
190 - 253 miles
Insurance Group
18E - 22E
The Renault 5 electric supermini is a brilliant fusion of retro design and everyday practicality. With a 148bhp motor and the option of a 40kWh or 52kWh battery, it provides up to 249 miles of quoted range and can hit 0-62mph in just eight seconds.
It’s a pleasure to drive, offering a smooth, comfortable ride that feels right at home on city streets. The handling is responsive and agile, with just enough sportiness to keep things fun through corners. The suspension works hard to smooth out rough roads, providing a ride that’s both comfortable and confident.
Space is another plus point for the Renault 5, with its 400-litre boot trumping many competitors, including the MINI Cooper E. Rear doors make daily use even more convenient, while the classic Renault 5 Turbo inspired seats offer excellent comfort on long journeys.
Inside, it strikes a balance between nostalgia and modern tech. The Google-based infotainment system is intuitive, updatable and loaded with useful features. Starting from around £23,000, the Renault 5 brings a winning combination of style, technology, and driving enjoyment.
4. Volvo EX30
At a glance
Power
272 - 428 BHP
0 - 62mph
3.6 - 5.7 secs
Top Speed
112 MPH
Efficiency
3.6 - 3.7 m/kWh
Range
209.4 - 295.8 miles
Insurance Group
35E - 41E
The Volvo EX30 is a bit of a weird car, but please hear us out. It wears a premium badge, it’s an electric SUV, it’s well built, well kitted-out, great to drive and can return up to 295 miles on a single charge. So far so good, but now here comes the unusual bit: you can pick one up brand-new for under £35,000. That makes this Volvo one of the cheaper brand-new EVs on the UK market, as well as one of the best ones.
Yes, there are a number of fully-electric models that undercut this price, but very few of these match the EX30’s size and practicality. Fewer still can match the level of quality on offer. The Volvo is a genuinely great buy, we just wish it was a bit less reliant on its touchscreen to control basic functions.
5. MG MG4
At a glance
Power
170 - 435 BHP
0 - 62mph
3.8 - 7.9 secs
Top Speed
100 - 124 MPH
Efficiency
3.3 - 3.9 m/kWh
Range
218 - 329 miles
Insurance Group
27D - 40D
In just a few years, the MG brand has been revitalised as a maker of affordable EVs that offer near-unbeatable value for money. That philosophy is perfectly encapsulated in the MG4. MG’s electric hatchback starts from just under £27,000 and yet the only obvious signs of cost-saving are a few cheaper-feeling materials inside.
The standard kit list is lengthy, with every model featuring a 10.25-inch touchscreen, smartphone connectivity, LED headlights and adaptive cruise control. There’s also plenty of space on offer for passengers and luggage. The MG4 is a blast to drive along a twisty back road, while its light steering and good forward visibility make it a cinch to manoeuvre around town.
There are three standard powertrain options, all of which use a single electric motor to power the rear wheels. The entry-level SE claims up to 218 miles of range, the Long Range boosts this figure to 281 miles, and the Extended range tops out at 323 miles.
Alternatively, those looking for a little more power also have the MG4 XPower to consider, which offers 429bhp and 600Nm of torque. Overall range is slightly lower than the standard car, with MG claiming the XPower will return 239 miles of range, but this is still pretty impressive for such a rapid car.
6. Tesla Model 3
At a glance
Power
245 - 460 BHP
0 - 62mph
2.9 - 5.8 secs
Top Speed
125 - 163 MPH
Efficiency
4.4 - 5 m/kWh
Range
318 - 436 miles
Insurance Group
36D - 48D
With its long range, mind-boggling performance and minimalist, hi-tech cabin, it’s not hard to understand why the Tesla Model 3 has been such a hit since it landed in 2019. In fact you’ll struggle to not stumble across a dozen Model 3s wherever you go in Britain these days.
The Model 3’s midlife facelift only added to its appeal by increasing the official battery range – up to 319 miles for the entry-level rear-drive model – while new acoustic glass, quieter tyres and sound-deadening materials boosted the level of refinement.
The 15.4-inch touchscreen has also been given a more usable screen area, while the interior and build quality have also been improved. One controversial element is the lack of indicator stalks, which have been replaced by steering-wheel buttons that we found awkward to use.
7. BMW i4
At a glance
Power
286 - 544 BHP
0 - 62mph
3.9 - 6 secs
Top Speed
118 - 140 MPH
Efficiency
3.5 - 4 m/kWh
Range
287.7 - 365.4 miles
Insurance Group
34E - 44E
The BMW i4 is a great example of why keen drivers needn’t be concerned about an all-electric future. Despite weighing more than two tonnes, the i4 is superb through the corners with lots of grip, a precise steering feel and no understeer.
The rear-wheel-drive models produce between 282bhp-335bhp, and offer up to 365 miles of range, while the i4 M50 gets a dual-motor set-up for all-wheel drive, plus a highly potent maximum output of 536bhp and 795Nm of torque. It’s not only in the bends that the i4 impresses; the cabin oozes quality and is packed with the latest on-board technology. Ride comfort and refinement are also both excellent, adding to i4’s appeal as a superb all-rounder.
8. Kia EV9
At a glance
Power
200 - 378 BHP
0 - 62mph
5.3 - 9.4 secs
Top Speed
114 - 124 MPH
Efficiency
2.8 - 3.1 m/kWh
Range
313 - 349 miles
Insurance Group
45E - 50E
If you have a big family you’ll need a big car, and there aren’t many cars on the UK’s roads that outsize the massive Kia EV9. With seven seats and 333 litres of boot space even when all those seats are occupied, the largest of families will have room to spare inside.
Of course, the Kia EV9’s huge stature means it needs a decent amount of shove to keep it on the move. Power is provided courtesy of a 99.8kWh battery and delivers up to 349 miles between charges on the official tests, depending on your chosen trim. The EV9 is undeniably big and heavy, but it isn’t slow. Opt for the range-topping GT Line model and the 378bhp dual-motor powertrain manages to propel this behemoth from 0-62mph in just 5.3 seconds.
If you have a big family you’ll need a big car, and there aren’t many cars on the UK’s roads that outsize the massive Kia EV9. With seven seats and 333 litres of boot space even when all those seats are occupied, the largest of families will have room to spare inside.
Of course, the Kia EV9’s huge stature means it needs a decent amount of shove to keep it on the move. Power is provided courtesy of a 99.8kWh battery and delivers up to 349 miles between charges on the official tests, depending on your chosen trim. The EV9 is undeniably big and heavy, but it isn’t slow. Opt for the range-topping GT Line model and the 378bhp dual-motor powertrain manages to propel this behemoth from 0-62mph in just 5.3 seconds.
9. Dacia Spring
At a glance
Power
45 - 65 BHP
0 - 62mph
13.7 - 19.1 secs
Top Speed
78 MPH
Efficiency
4.4 m/kWh
Range
140 miles
Insurance Group
24A - 25A
The Dacia Spring is the ideal electric car for city driving, offering two power options. The 64bhp version accelerates from 0-62mph in 13.7 seconds and is priced at £16,995, while the 44bhp model takes 19.1 seconds and costs £14,995. Both are nimble and efficient, with the Spring delivering a quoted range of 140 miles (WLTP). Its small 26.8kWh battery and lightweight construction make it agile, perfect for town or city streets. The 9.6-metre turning circle ensures it’s incredibly easy to maneuver in tight spaces.
Inside the Spring, its no-nonsense design and focus on practicality shine through. It offers plenty of space for its size, with a 308-litre boot that expands to 1,004 litres when the rear seats are folded. The cabin is straightforward yet functional, featuring a 10-inch touchscreen, while Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and parking sensors all standard. With its emphasis on user-friendliness and practicality, the Spring is designed to make daily drives and local errands as easy as possible.
10. Volkswagen ID.7
At a glance
Power
286 - 340 BHP
0 - 62mph
5.4 - 6.6 secs
Top Speed
112 MPH
Efficiency
3.8 - 4.5 m/kWh
Range
366 - 436 miles
Insurance Group
38E - 41E
Volkswagen’s electric line-up is already quite a substantial one, but the ID.7 is the German brand’s best zero-emissions effort yet. This executive car offers plenty of battery range, practicality and quality, all of which allow it to take on fierce rivals like the Tesla Model 3. If you’re searching for a new family car, you can even have one in estate car form (known as the ID.7 Tourer).
Whichever version you choose, the VW ID.7 is a big car. It’s longer than the ID. Buzz MPV which means there’s plenty of passenger and luggage space inside. The 77kWh battery is pretty sizable, too, and the car claims up to 383 miles of range per charge, depending on spec. One of the most common criticisms of the latest VWs is the infotainment system and lack of switchgear, and while the ID.7’s setup still isn’t perfect, it’s a big improvement that’s easy to use and backlit to make it easily visible at night.
Compare the 10 best electric cars
You can compare the review star ratings for our top 10 EVs using the table below, along with the range and prices...
| Rank | Car | Overall rating | Range | Price from |
| 1 | Citroen e-C3 | 5.0 | 198 miles | £21,990 |
| 2 | Hyundai Kona Electric | 5.0 | 319 miles | £34,995 |
| 3 | Renault 5 | 4.5 | 249 miles | £22,995 |
| 4 | Volvo EX30 | 4.5 | 295.8 miles | £32,850 |
| 5 | MG4 | 4.5 | 323 miles | £26,995 |
| 6 | Tesla Model 3 | 4.5 | 436 miles | £39,990 |
| 7 | BMW i4 | 4.5 | 373 miles | £51,860 |
| 8 | Kia EV9 | 4.5 | 349 miles | £65,615 |
| 9 | Dacia Spring | 4.5 | 140 miles | £14,995 |
| 10 | Volkswagen ID.7 | 4.0 | 437 miles | £52,170 |
How we choose the best electric cars
The days when electric cars were a niche choice for early-adopters in the UK car market are over. With the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars looming and the ZEV mandate forcing manufacturers to sell an increasing number of EVs into the UK market, new car buyers are increasingly seeing an EV as a natural choice.
Here at Auto Express our extensive road testing programme continues to examine every new car on sale, so naturally an ever-increasing proportion of those cars are EVs. Just as with petrol, diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars, we test every aspect of the vehicle’s make-up but with pure electric models we pay particular attention to the real-world driving range (even in cold weather conditions), charging speeds and the performance of the EV powertrain. Cable storage, EV-specific features in the infotainment system and the regenerative braking system are also carefully evaluated by our experts to determine exactly where the car sits in relation to similar models that you might be considering.
We know that price is a huge factor for EV buyers, with 52% of our readers telling us that finding the best deal is the most important part of the car buying process for them, so our experts also analyse the market to carefully compare the prices, plus the leasing and finance deals of each model when rating the cars. All-in-all, our extensive testing process is designed to bring you the definitive verdict on the best electric cars to buy.
How to choose the best electric car for you
Although some drivers may be a little hesitant about moving to electric power, the selection of models to choose from is only increasing and so are their capabilities. It means there’s likely to be an EV with the price, range, practicality and performance to suit most requirements.
Battery range is becoming less of an issue when compared to a couple of years ago. Many EVs now do well over 300 miles on a charge and an increasing number can top 400 miles on the official tests.
With more electric cars and brands entering the UK market, prices are starting to drop as well. Some of the brands might not be household names in Europe but Chinese EVs, such as the BYD Atto 3, are among the biggest bargains at the moment and can rival the biggest names in the industry when it comes to in-car kit and build quality.
The choice of new electric cars on sale to consumers will only continue to expand as more manufacturers get on board with the technology in preparation for tightening emissions regulations in the UK and other countries.
At the same time, the electric car-charging infrastructure in the UK is improving, making electric cars more viable for more people. The wider availability of fast and rapid chargers at homes and workplaces, as well as in public spaces, means it's easier than ever to make the swap into a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) and enjoy its lower running costs with relatively little inconvenience. Even if you can’t manage with a pure EV, today’s hybrids and plug-in hybrids offer a good halfway-house option.
There are other benefits to pure-electric motoring besides the environmental ones – you’ll have to pay VED road tax from April 2025 but there are still big tax advantages for company car drivers and electric cars are significantly cheaper to run if you can charge them at home. Running costs have been shown to be as much as 60 per cent less for electric cars than they are for equivalent petrol and diesel ones, even with the high cost of electricity.
Electric cars remain more expensive to buy than their combustion engined counterparts, especially in the absence of a plug-in car grant from the government, but the gap is narrowing and new EVs like the Dacia Spring are dipping under the £20,000 mark.
1. Decide whether an electric car will suit your lifestyle
Electric cars are not for everybody. Although the public charging infrastructure in the UK is improving quickly, regular long trips in an electric car can still prove problematic. The perfect usage pattern for an EV involves charging at home overnight when electricity tariffs are lower and not needing to top up the battery again during the day.
Ideally, you’ll need somewhere to charge at home, but you could get around this if there are EV charging points at work or plenty of public charging points nearby. If you do less than 200 or so miles a week, you could get away without having a home or work charger at all; just visit a public one every few days to top up.
If your average daily mileage exceeds the range of your electric car, we’d advise you to think twice, but the occasional longer trip should be perfectly manageable. As the technology improves and the average range of electric cars grows, more and more people will find that they could live quite happily with an electric car.
2. Don’t be put off by high electric car prices, running costs are the key
The list prices of electric cars can look expensive compared to equivalent petrol or diesel models, but looks are very likely to be deceiving. List prices are just one part of the cost of vehicle ownership and the overall cost becomes much more palatable when you factor-in the relatively low running costs of EVs – often around 60 per cent of those of a similar petrol model depending on usage patterns.
As a general rule, charging an electric car is cheaper than fuelling a petrol or diesel one – even if you use more expensive public charging points. The gap has narrowed in recent times with the rising cost of electricity but most electric car owners will still save by charging an EV at home rather than buying petrol or diesel for an equivalent car.
Company car tax advantages and the lower maintenance costs that result from EVs having fewer moving parts will also help to offset the higher upfront price over time.
3. Don’t worry about electric car practicality
There was a time when the majority of electric cars were conventional models with the internal combustion engine powertrain swapped out for an electric motor and batteries. This led to all sorts of compromises in terms of interior and boot space. But today, electric cars tend to be built on purpose-designed platforms that are created either purely for electric vehicles or to accommodate various kinds of propulsion systems. The end result is that electric cars deliver boot and passenger space equivalent to petrol and diesel rivals.
4. Enjoy the electric car driving experience
Electric cars tend to be heavier than petrol and diesel models, which means they can feel less nimble on twisty roads, but there are a whole host of benefits to the way they drive that many people will find preferable.
For a start you get near-silent cruising with next-to-no sound from the electric motors. In traffic, the car slows itself when you lift off the throttle thanks to regenerative braking, so it’s possible to drive around town using just one pedal, hardly ever touching the brake. It all makes for a very relaxed experience, yet the instant torque provided by the electric motor means that even everyday EVs can get you out of tricky situations quickly and also have the potential to leave a hot hatch standing when pulling away from the traffic lights and in some cases, supercars too.
In some ways, owning an EV means you have to change the way you think about driving. You automatically adopt a gentler, more relaxed style that maximises your range and often means you reach your destination feeling more refreshed than you would do otherwise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Electric cars have zero exhaust or tailpipe emissions so they don’t produce the localised NOx and particulate emissions that have a damaging effect on air quality in urban areas. However, the overall environmental credentials of an electric car depend greatly on the source of the electricity used to charge it. As the energy mix of the National Grid moves towards renewable sources like solar, wind and tidal power and away from fossil fuels, electric cars get greener. Green NCAP has published whole life emissions estimates for various cars with small electric vehicles performing better than any ICE cars.
There's more information to help you make your electric car choices in our full guide to living with an EV...
