Compare the best electric cars with Carwow
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Best electric cars for sale in 2024
Whether you need a small hatchback, a luxury saloon or a massive, seven-seat SUV, there’s an electric car to suit your needs. The best EVs are great to drive, offer fast charging and big miles from a full battery. You also don’t have to worry about Vehicle Excise Duty, and company car tax is incredibly low, too.
EVs still don't make much sense for ultra high-mileage drivers, and those who can't charge their cars at home have quite a hard time of it. But with longer ranges, improvements in public charging and more affordable models going on sale all the time, these issues are dwindling.
Our expert car reviews team have been putting the latest electric vehicles through their paces to put together this list of the very best on sale…
How good is the Volvo EX30? So good it was named Carwow Car of the Year 2024. It's our favourite car on sale right now because it has bags of character, drives really well and is efficient, too. On top of this, it's one of the most affordable small electric SUVs you can buy, so you don't need to splash the cash to enjoy one. If you need loads of space, it's a bit tight in the rear seats and the boot isn't very big (look at the Tesla Model Y for an EV with a big boot) but otherwise, there's very little to find fault with. You get a good choice of battery and motor options, letting you focus on affordability, range or performance. Whichever version you go for, the EX30 is really comfortable and relaxing to drive.
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The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is the electric vehicle to convince petrolheads to make the switch to zero-emission motoring. Like many EVs it has monstrous power – up to 650hp, to be precise – but where the Ioniq 5 N differs is that its suspension, brakes and bespoke styling tweaks make it feel, and drive, like a proper performance car. That, and the fact that it has a mode with ‘fake’ engine noise and gear shifts that works so incredibly well it actually makes the car more fun to drive. It’s pretty practical, too, and can relax into a comfortable cruiser when you need it to, making it the perfect high-power family car.
You get a shedload of fancy tech as standard with the Tesla Model 3, and its minimalist interior is spacious too. Tesla's Autopilot suite of assistance systems can take the strain out of a long journey, while the instant acceleration and decent handling make it an enjoyable car to drive. The Standard Model 3 is rear-wheel drive and has an official range of 318 miles, while the all-wheel drive Long Range offers 390 miles – that's seriously impressive. A Kia EV6 is more fun in the corners, though. Other things to look out for? You have to use the touchscreen for virtually everything, even basics like looking for the speedo or opening the glovebox, which can take a bit of getting used to. And the premium German manufacturers are ahead in build and quality.
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Electric cars are expensive, right? Wrong. The Citroen e-C3 shatters expectations by being a genuinely affordable EV that doesn’t require you to make great sacrifices on style and equipment as a result. Despite being a small SUV, it’s actually really comfortable to drive, and its perky performance means it’s great for nipping in and out of traffic. The boot is a touch small, and range isn’t fantastic, but if you’re looking for an electric city runabout, it’s a brilliant choice.
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Need a big electric SUV with room for seven people? The Kia EV9 is the car for you. The interior is really spacious, whether you're sat up front or in either of the two rear rows, and there's even a six-seat option with a swivelling second row if you want even more room. The EV9 has imposing looks and an upmarket interior that befits its premium price tag. It's not hugely efficient, but it does at least make up for it with ultra-fast public charging capabilities. And so far, it has very few alternatives if you need a seven-seat EV - just the VW ID Buzz, Mercedes EQB and various electric vans. Its biggest drawback though is its price. Badge snobs may baulk at a Kia with a £70k price tag, but if they do, they are missing out on a really, really good electric car.
One of the most striking EVs on the market, the Kia EV6 may share its platform with the excellent Hyundai Ioniq 5, but it offers sharper handling and a similarly impressive range of between 300 and 328 miles officially. Long journeys are a breeze as well thanks to the 350kW fast charging, allowing you to top up from 10-80% in just 18 minutes. Looking for a blistering turn of speed? You'll want to check out the GT model. It has a whopping 585hp as well as adaptive suspension and more figure-hugging sports seats. It's pretty pricey, but you can embarrass supercars with that sort of power, all while carrying the weekly shop. It’s not the complete all-rounder though. The view out the back isn’t great and it can feel a bit firm. Despite that, it's one of the best electric cars you can buy.
The MG4 EV hatchback is one of the more impressive electric cars on sale, and not just because its low starting price is highly attractive. No: the MG4 is also genuinely rewarding to drive, plus it can officially cover up to 218 miles between charges in standard form, 281 miles if you go for the Long Range version, or as much as 323 miles with the Trophy Extended Range model. Factor in sharp looks and a modern, minimalist interior with a 10.3-inch infotainment system as standard, and the MG4 EV offers as much as some EVs with far higher price tags. There's even a high-performance model called MG4 XPower, which can trouble sports cars away from the lights, accelerating from 0-62 mph in just 3.8 seconds. There’s only really one complaint and that’s the fiddly infotainment system. If you can get past that, you’ll be on to a winner.
The BMW iX may be quite expensive, but you do get an awful lot of bang for your buck. It's comfortable, quiet and fitted with lots of clever kit, but it's the lovely interior which really stands out. Quality is wonderful and there’s lots of space in the cabin for you to get comfy on a long drive. Offering up to 257 miles on the entry-level 70kWh battery, you can get the larger 105kWh battery that’ll push up to 380 miles on a full charge. If you need super performance, the 619hp iX M60 can do 0-60mph in under four seconds and comes with lots of M tweaks to make it more fun to drive.
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When Porsche announced it was making an EV, eyebrows were raised by some, but hopes were high among others. The Taycan confounded all doubters and reassured the optimists, with handling that impresses not only in the electric car class, but also among fellow Porsches - it really is that impressive to drive. Sure, you have to pay for the pedigree, but do so and you'll have a sporty four-door EV that can officially cover up to 360 miles between charges, depending on which model you go for. The sweet spot in the range is arguably the 4S, which has a 282-mile range, plus a 0-60mph time of four seconds dead. Need more space? There's also the Sport Turismo model, which has an estate-like rear end for added practicality. It's just as good to drive and refined inside, too.
If you want the poshest and most comfortable electric limo around, the BMW i7 takes all the attributes you would want and puts them in a smart package – if you don’t look at the front end too much. You’ll either love or hate the Bugs Bunny-esque face of this BMW electric car. Step inside, however, and you’ll see the i7 has a superbly appointed interior, with large screens, quality materials and lots of space. It’s very compliant on the road with its comfort-focused suspension soaking up all the bumps and making it very nice to drive. The 102kWh battery pack allows for up to 386 miles of range and it can be charged at up to 200kW on DC. That’s quick. A Mercedes looks a bit boring compared with the BMW and it has a longer range and a bigger boot, too.
The BMW 5 Series has long been one of the best all-rounders in the car market, so it's perhaps no surprise that the first all-electric version continues this trend. The BMW i5 isn't the most elegant-looking car around (something you could say about all BMW EVs) but inside it's spacious, comfortable and high-tech. Some other premium equivalents have longer ranges however and some of the best tech - specifically the automated lane changing - isn’t yet available in the UK. Still, there's an excellent twin-screen setup atop the dashboard for the infotainment and digital instrument display, and you get high-quality materials and solid build quality throughout. Pretty much like the rest of the BMW range. If you want something to really quicken the pulse, the M60 version is incredibly quick, but that model is also incredibly expensive.
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The Mercedes EQS is the brand’s flagship for the future, with its sleek shape and all-electric powertrain leading the line for the German manufacturer. Move over Mercedes S-Class, if you want a whisper quiet limo to ferry around environmentally-conscious VIPs, it’s the EQS that’s now the limo of choice. While it may not be the most attractive or inspiring to look at, it’ll help make the most of its huge 108kWh battery pack. Combining the sleek shape and huge battery, you can do 481 miles in its most efficient form and very few cars can get close to that. That big battery pack means it can take an age to charge up on your driveway if you have a bog-standard 7kW home wallbox. As you would expect, the cabin is excellently kitted out, while there’s decent space and lots of equipment as standard. It does command a rather steep asking price though. But that’s been the case for every Mercedes limo and comparable luxury cars.
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Some EVs can be guilty of lacking character, but that can’t be aimed at the VW ID Buzz. Inspired by the campervans of old, the ID Buzz is one of the most distinguishable electric cars on sale today. But the quirky design isn’t all for show - the huge windscreen and a stubby nose allows for great visibility, while it’s surprisingly manoeuvrable for such a big car. The cabin provides loads of room – it's almost lounge-like – and the boot is over 1,000 litres, so there’s room for all your things. The perfect car to transport you and your family, then. Well, almost. The snag with the ID Buzz is its range of 258 miles, which in the real world will be closer to 200 miles. There is an extended wheelbase model coming with a larger battery, so if you need the extra range, that’s the one to wait for. That model also has seven seats.
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A vision of the future you can drive on the road today, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 looks like nothing else, its angular lines and dot-matrix-style rear lights blending together to create an electric car for the digital age. The Ioniq 5 is far more than just a stylish car, though: the comfortable ride and laid-back interior make for a truly relaxing driving experience, while it's also very practical, being larger and more SUV-like than its looks might imply. The 77kWh 228hp model is the pick of the range, offering decent performance, plus the ability to go up to 315 miles (officially) on a single charge. There are other EVs on this list that can go further between charges and have bigger boots, but few look this good while ticking off all the electric car basics.
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The Porsche Macan might have gone electric, but everything we loved about the old one remains true here – it looks fantastic, has a lovely interior and it’s great to drive, too. Despite being a heavy electric vehicle, it’s great fun on a twisty road. Just like a Porsche should be. You also get really good range of up to 381 miles in the base model, though that drops for the high-performance Turbo version – unsurprising with a whopping 639hp on offer. Just about the only complaint is that headroom is a bit tight for those in the back seats.
Another style-conscious electric car is the Nissan Ariya. It has sci-fi looks on the outside and an interior that’s a step above anything we’ve seen from Nissan before. There are some quirky design touches that work – the hidden compartment that emerges from beneath the dashboard – and some that don’t – the odd touch-sensitive buttons on the centre console – but quality is decent and there’s loads of space inside. You also get a heat pump as standard, which helps to maximise range on a chilly day.
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The Hyundai Kona Electric is a great family SUV with sci-fi looks on the outside and loads of space on the inside, whether you need room for passengers or a big boot space. Its range of up to 319 miles if you go for the big battery version is good but not great, and you do have to put up with a lot of annoying bings and bongs from the various assistance systems, but at least it's comfortable over bumps and really easy to drive around town. It's not what you'd call fun to drive, but that may not be your top priority when looking for a family-friendly electric SUV. And unlike the Volvo EX30, you get lots of physical switchgear so it's a bit easier to navigate your way around the interior. However, some of the materials used in the cabin feel a bit cheap compared to the likes of the Volvo.
Building on the success of the Model 3, the Model Y SUV is supremely practical and best-suited to families wanting an all-electric wagon. If you can look past the non-descript design, the Model Y is a great electric car overall, with its cavernous load spaces and comfortable cabin. While you’ll need to get used to having all the major controls put through the 15.0-inch central touchscreen, the design is very clean and tidy. Has it taken minimalism too far? You’ll have to learn where to glance to see how fast you’re going as the speedo is in the corner of the touchscreen. And in a car this quick, you absolutely need to keep an eye on your speed. It’s a shame there isn’t a head-up display and the Model Y can feel a bit firm on the road. But it’ll go very far on a full battery as you get up to 331 miles on a single charge in the Long Range version.
You might expect an electric car from Skoda to be very practical, easy to drive, comfortable and well thought out – and that's exactly what you get with the Enyaq. It's a very easy car to warm to, and even easier to fit into your life. The boot is one highlight, with the 585 litres you get back there being commensurate with Skoda's practical ethos, while the model range starts with a 60kWh battery for 246 official miles of range. You can pay around £2,000 extra for the 80kWh battery, which can cover up to 348 miles between charges. That’s impressive. Equally impressive is the quality of the interior. Long gone are the days when you could poke fun at Skodas being rubbish. Sure, it's not that exciting to look at and the infotainment system is a bit laggy but this is an EV that ticks many boxes and offers few compromises.
If style is important for your electric car, look no further than the Cupra Born. It has genuine hot hatch looks, despite being closely related to its more bland stablemate, the Volkswagen ID3. Snazzy design combined with quite a big, spacious family hatchback equals a great electric car, in our view. It's also good to drive, being comfortable around town and on the motorway even if it's not as exciting down a twisty road as its looks suggest it might be. You get good range, particularly on the big battery version, but more importantly it's also incredibly efficient, which will help keep your electricity bills down. The only major disappointment is the infotainment system which is quite laggy and awkward to use. And there are no buttons for the air-con so changing the temperature isn’t as easy as it should be.
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How to choose the best electric car for you
Choosing an electric car is no different from choosing a petrol, diesel or hybrid car, really. Here, we'll outline all the things you should consider to help create the perfect shortlist of EVs for your needs.
Budget
The first thing to consider is how much you would like to spend. You can pay in cash, but most people either lease or finance their car these days. In this case, you want to look at your incomings and outgoings and work out how much you can afford to pay each month on a car. Don't forget to calculate your charging and insurance costs, too.
Charging
Speaking of charging costs, it's very important to think about how you're going to charge your electric car. The best way is to get a home charger installed and get an EV-friendly tariff, which will drastically reduce your travel costs. If you can't charge at home, public chargers can get very, very expensive – if you'll have to rely on these exclusively, you might find an EV will cost you more in the long run than a combustion-engined car.
Range
For most people, most electric cars will have enough range most of the time, particularly if you can charge at home, top it up overnight, and stick to shorter journeys. However, if you're a high mileage driver, you're going to want to look for a car with a big range – that's how many miles it can do between charges. These do tend to be a bit more expensive because they have bigger batteries, though.
Space
There are now loads of types of electric cars to choose between, from two-seater sports cars to massive SUVs. Think about how many seats you need and what boot space you require, because this will help you filter out unsuitable models. Also consider things like the fact that SUVs are higher off the ground and could be more suitable if you live off the beaten track.
Electric car FAQs
There are lots of people who are open to the idea of an electric car as their next car, but many still have unanswered questions about what making that transition will actually mean for them on a day-to-day basis. Where and when do I charge it? Will it be safe? Will running an electric car actually work out any cheaper in the long run? Will it actually be any better for the environment?
Read on for answers to all those questions and more, to see whether electric motoring really is for you.
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