Best electric cars 2024: the top 20 EVs you can buy today
These are the EVs that should be on your shortlist if you’re thinking about making the switch
Electric cars are now a mainstream choice for UK car buyers and there are plenty of excellent EVs to choose from on the market. The best electric cars on sale come in all shapes and sizes with first class EV options available right through the market sectors from small cars and family SUVs to executive saloons and luxury cars. There will be an electric car to suit almost any set of requirements, and prices are coming down as quickly as ranges and charging speeds are going up.
To help you find the very best electric car for your money, our expert road testers have thoroughly tested every new EV that you can buy in the UK. Our in-depth reviews examine the full package, including battery range, price, running costs, design, practicality, technology and the overall driving experience, to really understand how the top EV models compare to the alternatives. The result is a comprehensive assessment of every EV on sale built over hundreds of miles and many hours in the driving seat. Only the top scoring EV choices on today’s market make it onto this best electric cars list so if you’re thinking of buying an electric car today or in the near future, these are the models to go for.
The best electric cars to buy
We’ve listed our top 20 electric cars below, with plenty of choice in terms of size and budget.
1. Citroen e-C3
- Prices from £22,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 199 miles
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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 is our 2024 Car of the Year.
2. Hyundai Kona Electric
- Prices from £35,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 319 miles
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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. Volvo EX30
- Prices from £34,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 295.8 miles
- Best value for money
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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.
4. MG4
- Prices from £27,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 323 miles
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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.
5. Tesla Model 3
- Prices from £40,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 290 miles
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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.
6. BMW i4
- Prices from £51,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 359 miles
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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.
7. Kia EV9
- Prices from £65,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 349 miles
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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.
8. Volkswagen ID.7
- Prices from £56,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 383 miles
- Best for practicality
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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.
9. Porsche Taycan
- Prices from £86,500
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 421 miles
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Simply put, the Porsche Taycan is a massively capable and desirable electric car which drives and feels exactly like a Porsche should. While the Taycan does come at a price premium, the Porsche engineers have delivered a driving experience that few other EVs at any price can come close to matching.
Despite the inevitable extra weight compared to petrol powered Porsche sports cars, the four-door Taycan retains the brand’s trademark agility and performance. With up to 1,020bhp in the Turbo GT variant and a range of up to 421 miles if you opt for the 97kWh Performance Battery Plus unit, it’s a hugely impressive machine.
10. BYD Dolphin
- Prices from £30,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 265 miles
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BYD is an electric car goliath at home in China, but here in the UK it’s still an emerging name in the new car market. After a strong start with the Atto 3 SUV, the brand’s second car, the Dolphin, is another genuinely impressive EV with a very tempting sub-£30k price tag.
It may be quite cheap for an EV, but the BYD’s build quality feels solid. What’s more, even the entry-level model can return over 200 miles of range from its 45kWh battery. There’s plenty of tech on offer, too, with the centrepiece being a rotating 12.3-inch touchscreen. We do think the rotation is a bit of a gimmick, but the infotainment system itself is very responsive to use. On top of this, the Dolphin is easy to drive and offers plenty of space for its size, too.
11. Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Prices from £40,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 354 miles
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Hyundai’s upmarket ambitions were comprehensively realised by the arrival of the Ioniq 5, which was a giant leap forward over the original Hyundai Ioniq in terms of quality and refinement. Featuring a superb infotainment system and generous standard kit, the Ioniq 5 has the available space, practicality and comfort, too, so you’ll relish the chance to rack up the miles.
12. Skoda Enyaq
- Prices from £40,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 348 miles
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The Skoda Enyaq is an all-electric family car that is typically Skoda: that is to say it's practical, well-equipped, comfortable and decent to drive. With top-spec models able to cover over 300 miles from a full charge, it soothes any range anxiety and just gets on with being an excellent family car – that just happens to run on battery power.
13. Kia EV6
- Prices from £45,500
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 328 miles
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The Kia EV6 is the sister vehicle to the Hyundai Ioniq 5, so it's a great pick if you love that model's technology, but aren't quite as sold on its retro-futuristic looks. The EV6 is arguably the more conventional of the two, and it's a bit lower and more sporting. This is reflected in its handling, with slightly firmer suspension offering sharper responses.
14. Citroen e-C4 & e-C4 X
- Prices from £32,500
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 260 miles
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Citroen has always been known for offering high levels of comfort and quirkiness, and this applies to its all-electric family car – whether you opt for the e-C4 hatchback or the e-C4 X saloon. Both variants claim over 200 miles of battery range, too, and this should prove more than enough for most everyday needs.
15. BMW i5
- Prices from £68,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 356 miles
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Not only does the BMW i5 offer outstanding cruising comfort, but it takes a step closer to its i7 sibling in terms of technology and refinement. However you view the i5, you can’t deny that it has all the qualities of a fantastic executive car, from the materials used to its driving dynamics.
16. BMW iX
- Prices from £71,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 382 miles
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Put your thoughts about the BMW iX’s admittedly divisive styling aside for a moment, because it’s one of the most capable and impressive electric cars money can buy. This 2.4-tonne luxury SUV is superb to drive. It’s surprisingly agile and offers decent steering feel, while at the same time soaking up almost any bump in the road.
17. Ford Explorer
- Prices from £40,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 374 miles
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The new Ford Explorer is worlds apart from its predecessors. Gone are the huge fuel-guzzling Explorer models of the past and in their place is a fully-electric family SUV. Sharing a platform with the Volkswagen ID.4 means this Explorer is a bit smaller than some of the older cars to wear the name, but there’s still plenty of space for all the family.
18. Cupra Born
- Prices from £34,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 342 miles
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The Born is from SEAT’s sporty sub-brand Cupra, and this electric hot hatchback is based on similar technology to the Volkswagen ID.3. It’s got a sharp, stylish look and feel, a choice of 201bhp or 227bhp powertrain options and, perhaps most importantly, that all-important fun factor. The ride is a little firm though.
19. Fiat 500e
- Prices from £28,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 199 miles
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The Fiat 500e nails its city car brief perfectly; it's competitively priced and offers low running costs along with plenty of Italian flair. Although the third generation car is a little bigger than its combustion-engined predecessor, the 500 is still at home darting through urban traffic. You shouldn't have any trouble parking, either, as even the entry-level models come with rear parking sensors as standard.
20. BYD Atto 3
- Prices from £38,000
- WLTP combined battery range: up to 260 miles
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BYD already hit the ground running when it made its UK debut with the Atto 3. Along with its smart appearance and comfortable ride, there’s even an element of luxury when you take a seat inside this electric SUV. You’d be forgiven for looking straight past all of these qualities, though, as the Atto 3 is chock-full of quirky features.
Top 20 best electric cars
- Citroen e-C3
- Hyundai Kona Electric
- Volvo EX30
- MG4
- Tesla Model 3
- BMW i4
- Kia EV9
- Volkswagen ID.7
- Porsche Taycan
- BYD Dolphin
- Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Skoda Enyaq
- Kia EV6
- Citroen e-C4 & e-C4 X
- BMW i5
- BMW iX
- Ford Explorer
- Cupra Born
- Fiat 500e
- BYD Atto 3
Best electric cars by category
Above is our expert road test team’s view on the top 20 EVs currently on sale, but If you need more assistance in narrowing down your electric car shortlist we also have more specific lists that will help. The electric car market is growing and diversifying all the time so these specific EV top 10s might be more in tune with your specific car buying needs…
Best small electric cars
Electric cars are great in town where range isn’t an issue and the low emissions help air quality while avoiding any low emissions zone charges. Smaller EV models make even more sense in urban areas with their compact dimensions for parking, nippy performance and silent running so take a look at our best small electric cars list to find all the top choices.
Best electric SUVs
The UK car buying public’s love-affair with SUVs shows no sign of waning and with numerous electric SUV models of all shapes and sizes on the market there’s more voice than ever before, too. From small and affordable models right up to top end luxury electric SUVs, our top 10 list covers the very best electric SUVs on sale today…
Longest range electric cars
Range is still a huge factor for electric car buyers, even if we would advise you to give efficiency at least equal prominence when assembling your shortlist. The longest range EVs today can sail past the 400-mile mark but the large batteries needed to achieve these distances do tend to push the prices up. Find out which are the current longest range electric cars here…
Fastest charging electric cars
The fastest charging electric cars come with the in-built capacity that lets you take advantage of the fastest EV chargers. They suck up energy at a formidable rate, so if you think your EV driving is likely to involve plenty of miles and pit stops for recharging, one of the fastest charging electric cars will be an ideal choice, take a look…
Cheapest electric cars
Electric car prices are coming down. There are now options around the £20,000 mark and we’re starting to see EVs priced at the same level as equivalent petrol cars. If you’re on a tight budget, the models in this list will be affordable in terms of upfront price and running costs. Take a look at the cheapest electric cars on sale here…
How to choose an electric car: our top tips
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.
With the UK’s petrol and diesel ban looming into view, manufacturers now offer everything from small, city car sized EVs like the Fiat 500e to luxury models like the BMW i7. The mid-size family car segment is where the choice is most rapidly expanding – and 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.
With more electric cars and brands entering the UK market, prices are starting to drop. 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 avoid paying road tax until April 2025. You’ll also avoid having to pay the ULEZ charge until December 2025, too. Electric cars remain more expensive to buy than their combustion engined counterparts, especially now the plug-in car grant has been axed, but running costs have been shown to be as much as 60 per cent less for electric cars than they are for petrol and diesel ones, even with the rising cost of electricity.
Here's everything you need to make your electric car choices. For more information check out our full guide to living with an EV...
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.
Free VED (road tax), 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.
The UK electric car market: history and future
Electric cars have been around for well over a century but it’s only recently that they’ve started to gain a market foothold. In the early noughties, the Reva G-Wiz led the electric car craze, although that model hardly qualified as a car at all, as it was classed as a quadricycle. It used basic lead-acid batteries, similar to the electric milk floats that once frequented British streets in the early hours, and was slow, cramped and not very safe. It wasn't until the original Nissan Leaf came along that the process of electric car development went into overdrive.
As a five-door, five-seat hatchback, the Leaf offered the practicality of a conventional family car, and became the best-selling EV, albeit with sales figures significantly lower than its petrol and diesel counterparts. Initially the Leaf's range was 80 miles at best, but constant development and improvement have seen that range increase, while the arrival of the Leaf Mk2 in 2018 saw the car gain a range closer to that of a conventional petrol car.
Seeing the success of the Leaf, rival car makers got in on the act and introduced their own EVs. Hyundai, Kia, Peugeot, Citroen, Renault, Ford and Volkswagen were among the first brands to join the electric revolution, along with Polestar, and BMW, which has its own 'i' EV sub-brand. Tesla helped shape the market with its range of all-electric cars, while prestige makers Audi, Mercedes and Genesis began producing their own luxury EVs, and various companies are building low volume all-electric hypercars. Today, the UK's 2035 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars is focusing minds and the number of brands without an all-electric offering is small and shrinking. There will only be more to come.
Looking into the future, you can only see the electric car market expanding, and fast. With comprehensive manufacturer buy-in fuelled by tightening emissions regulations from governments, electric car technology is improving fast – along with the infrastructure that makes running one easier. You might not be considering an electric car now but it’s a safe bet that you will be in the future.
Already own an EV? Read our guide to electric car charging in the UK…
