Electric cars
Electric cars are growing in popularity. The best electric cars are fun to drive, extremely quiet, have no harmful emissions and are cheap to run. As battery technology improves, the distance electric cars can go between charges is increasing, as is the number of electric vehicle (EV) charging points, making them more practical for many people. So if you’re considering an electric car, our team of experts has rounded-up the best models below. Read on to hear what they had to say.
Best electric cars on sale
| RRP from | £43,045 |
|---|
| RRP from | £29,845 |
|---|---|
| carwow price from | £22,910 |
| RRP from | £65,720 |
|---|---|
| carwow price from | £60,272 |
| RRP from | £55,935 |
|---|
| RRP from | £35,350 |
|---|---|
| carwow price from | £29,783 |
| RRP from | £71,560 |
|---|---|
| carwow price from | £62,043 |
| RRP from | £30,750 |
|---|
| RRP from | £36,495 |
|---|---|
| carwow price from | £36,495 |
| RRP from | £64,495 |
|---|---|
| carwow price from | £57,734 |
| RRP from | £31,075 |
|---|---|
| carwow price from | £25,144 |
| RRP from | £32,950 |
|---|---|
| carwow price from | £27,349 |
The best electric cars are... simply good cars that just happen to be powered by a battery pack and an electric motor. So they are practical, have comfortable interiors and good levels of equipment. Electric vehicles are great fun to drive thanks to their immediate acceleration and the cars here have decent a decent range too.
Packed with futuristic kit and a minimalist interior dominated by a 15-inch touchscreen infotainment system, the Tesla Model 3 certainly makes a statement. It's fun to drive and cheap to run too.
With the Kia e-Niro you get a stylish, well-equipped electric car that has a decent boot, an impressive 280-mile range and peace of mind too – thanks to Kia's seven-year warranty.
If you are after an electric SUV with an impressive turn of speed and one of the poshest interiors of any electric car, the Audi e-tron is for you. Tech fans will appreciate the impressive infotainment system and the optional rear facing cameras that replace traditional door mirrors.
The Jaguar I-Pace is one of the most fun electric cars to drive. But it's not just about the drive - it comes with a plush, high-tech cabin too, with lots of leather, brushed aluminium trims and three digital displays.
Elegant and stylish, with a roomy interior and lots of high-tech features, the Mercedes EQC is an upmarket electric car yet still cheaper to buy than the Audi e-tron.
An impressive range, competitive pricing and a decent list of standard kit are the reasons the Hyundai Kona EV gets on this list. You get a nice, high driving position and a fun driving experience too.
Decent range, decent space, decent equipment, decent tech and you can pick a Nissan Leaf up for a decent price too. All in all, the Leaf is a pretty decent electric car that should be on your shortlist
The Renault Zoe is a small electric car with punchy performance and an impressive range. Recently updated, it looks pretty smart inside and out - and you can even get the dashboard made with eco-friendly recycled material.
One of the most instantly recognisable electric cars, the BMW i3 has a funky interior, an clever infotainment system and is surprisingly quick for a small car. It has room for four people and a predicted range of around 180 miles.
The Volkswagen e-Golf takes pretty much all the quality, practicality and comfort of the standard Golf and adds the attraction of zero-emission motoring. Expect good deals on this car, ahead of the all-new VW ID.3 coming in 2020.
You may have heard of range anxiety - the fear of being stranded in an electric car if its battery power runs out. Pick one of these electric vehicles with a long range to allay those fears.
With an official range of over 280 miles, the Kia e-Niro nearly tops this list of electric cars by range. Practical and spacious, it’s the all-rounder of electric cars.
The Mercedes EQC is an upmarket electric SUV that’s very comfortable to drive and comes with a spacious, well-built cabin. Officially, the car can manage up to 280 miles between charges.
The stylish Jaguar I-Pace tops this list thanks to its official range of nearly 300 miles. It’s just a shame it takes a long time to get to full charge.
The Hyundai Kona Electric is quick and has a long range, just a few miles fewer than the e-Niro. Its boot is smaller than the standard Kona but it's still practical enough to be a usable family car.
The Audi e-tron electric car has a posh interior that’s also very practical. Its two electric motors give an impressive turn of speed. It can manage upto 250 miles between charges.
Electric SUVs combine the best of all words - great fun to drive, practical interiors and are emissions free. Bookmark this page and come back regularly as more electric SUVs come on sale.
The Mercedes EQC has stylish looks and is very comfortable to drive. You get the benefit of a good, high-up driving position and lots of high-tech features too.
Posh and practical, the Audi e-tron is a quick and spacious electric SUV. Packed full of high-tech kit, the interior looks like it's been lifted out of a spaceship.
Consider the Jaguar I-pace if you’re after an electric SUV that’s packed with futuristic features, just be prepared for a high price tag.
There's not much to choose between the Kia e-Niro and the Hyundai Kona EV. The e-Niro is slightly bigger, has a slightly longer range and is a bit more expensive.
The Hyundai Kona Electric is quick and has a long range. Its boot is smaller than the standard Kona but it's still practical enough to be a usable family car.
Thinking of buying an electric vehicle but not sure whether you can combine practical family transport with emissions-free driving? Worry no more, the cars below are spacious, practical and easy to drive, making them the best electric cars for families.
The Kia e-Niro is a family-friendly SUV that’s roomy, has a long list of standard kit, a big boot and a range of around 280 miles. All this is more than enough to put it at the top of our best electric cars for families.
Even though it shares its electric car tech with the e-Niro, the Hyundai Kona Electric isn’t quite as spacious as the Kia, however the trade-off is that it's a little cheaper and so grabs second place on this list.
The VW Golf has set the standard for the small family car for decades, and the e-Golf delivers everything you'd expect of a car with this name badge, but with electric power that's good for a 125-mile range in the real world.
Well equipped and spacious, the Hyundai Ioniq Electric ticks most of the boxes you want an electric family car. It may not look the most stylish but it's easy to drive and has a range of around 150 miles.
It may be the most expensive electric car on this list but it’s one of the best. And which family wouldn’t like a car that can make fart noises when Auntie Agnes sits in the front seat? It’s practical too, with a boot space both at the rear and the front of the car.
These are brilliant for zipping around towns and cities thanks to the combination of zero emissions and their great acceleration away from traffic lights and coming out of junctions.
The Nissan ‘Leaf’s’ clever e-Pedal means you can accelerate and brake just by using the accelerator pedal – a brilliant innovation that scooped it our Innovation Award at 2018’s carwow Car of the Year Awards. The Leaf costs buttons to run, is easy to drive and surprisingly nippy. Shame that its infotainment system is outdated and the interior quality is inconsistent.
The e-Niro is quite similar to the Hyundai Kona EV. The e-Niro is slightly bigger, is a bit more expensive and has a longer warranty.
Good range, practical interior, fun to drive... the Hyundai Kona Electric is one of the best electric cars on sale.
The Renault Zoe is one of the cheapest routes to electric-car ownership and also one of the best electric cars period – which is why it won our Eco Award at the 2018 carwow Car of the Year Awards. It is a fantastic small electric car with stylish looks, a competitive price and low running costs.
If you’re looking for an upmarket small electric car that’s easy to drive and has a super stylish interior take a look at the BMW i3. Other electric cars are more comfortable, however.
Mainstream electric cars have been on sale for a number of years, which means there is a number of used models for sale now. These are the carwow best five used electric cars.
Spacious, practical and packed with traditional Volkswagen build quality ensures the VW e-Golf is at the top of our used electric car list. With a real-world range of around 125 miles it’s ideal for zipping around town.
The Renault Zoe has been on sale since 2013 and is ideal for scooting around town. If you lease the batteries you don't be concerned about battery performance - Renault promises to replace your battery if it isn't able to hold on to 75% of its capacity.
More than 400,000 Nissan Leaf electric cars have been sold worldwide so finding a used one for sale shouldn't be too difficult. The latest model is smart looking, spacious enough and has a decent range but you’ll find loads of the first generation Leaf for sale too.
The Hyundai Ioniq Electric comes with a five year warranty as standard, which is passed on to subsequent owners a used version could come with that extra peace of mind. It’s also spacious and well equipped and has a range of around 150 miles.
The Tesla Model S is one of the most expensive electric cars you can buy, so a used version after a bit of depreciation could be the way to go if you love the car’s high performance, high luxury, long range and zero emissions.