Our top picks for affordable electric cars

The costs to run an electric car are way less than those of regular cars, which is a huge bonus. Depending on the type of car and size of the battery, a single charge can last you 100 to 300 miles. These cars are rechargeable at your selected electric charging stations at work or at home. Below we look at the most affordable fully Electric Vehicles you can choose from today. It is important to note that when purchasing a new EV in the UK, they are eligible for Government Grants which can reduce the RRP by up to £3,500. These discounts may already be included in the advertised price.

After a long wait, Mini has made its entry into the electric car market with the Electric hatchback. With a three-door Mini body shell, the car prides a potent 181bhp and 199lb-ft of torque. Combined with a range of 144 miles, these figures make the Mini Electric Hatchback a great option for those looking to switch to Electric.

The car has a sizeable boot with back seats making it a perfect family car. A road trip with your family will most definitely be fun in this sporty car. It also features fast-charging capability that will get the battery from 0-80% in less than forty minutes.

The newest model of the Renault Zoe (one of the first electric EVs to hit the market) has seen huge improvements from its predecessors. With a 245 mile range and 100,000-mile warranty, the car’s size is similar to the Renault Clio. It boasts large boot space and room for four people.

The battery pack is mounted at a lower position than usual, thus making the car easy to drive and more responsive. From the interior to the overall build, it is evident that Renault did an excellent job on this one.

By far the cheapest EV on the list, unsurprisingly the Skoda Citigo sold out shortly after going on sale in the UK with it’s extremely affordable starting price of just £17,455.

With the EV model Skoda revised the headlights and placed the charging port where the petrol filter cap was in the predecessor cars, retaining some familiarity from the previous petrol and diesel models.

The Skoda Citigo E IV has a mile range of 170 miles in perfect conditions; road and weather it is capable of picking from 0 to 62mph within 12.3 seconds with 82bhp.

Widely seen as a re-badged VW e-up, the Seat Mii electric employs the same 36.8kWh battery, chassis and drivetrain; allowing the car to accelerate to 32mph in just 3.9 seconds. The range stands at 131 miles with the capacity to carry 4 people.

A 251 litre boot space offers enough room for medium-sized luggage. Safety features like LaneAssist and Traffic Sign Recognition make this little city car perfect for those small commutes.

Given the shared features between the Seat Mii Electric and VW e-up, the Seat offers a great product for an affordable price.

As suggested by the model name, this tiny car is designed to carry two people. With a charming design, the car is agile and great to drive in town. It picks up from 0 to 62mph in 11.6 seconds, which is not bad at all for a little city car.

With a mile range of 80 miles, it is excellent for its model and charges up to 80% within forty minutes. Inside is a 41kW electric motor and a 17.6kWh, 96 cell Lithium battery.

The interior has a Smart infotainment system, cup holders, and a smartphone tray on the dashboard making it an excellent candidate for urban driving.

The Peugeot e-208 features Peugeot’s new sleek look. With a 50kWh battery, supplying a 134hbp electric motor this little city car has the power to back up the looks. It can reach 62mph in a sporty 7.9 seconds, which is by no means slow. The e-208 has a range of 217 miles making it one of the better cars for range in the list. However in winter, this can fall to around 160 miles, which is still better than some of the other vehicles listed.

The car’s interior is an advancement from the predecessor models, featuring the infamous smaller steering wheel, giving the car a much sporty go-kart feel. It is also equipped with a 7.0-inch infotainment system for easy navigation of the range of systems on board. The boot supports up to 311 litres of space, which is adequate for medium-sized luggage.

MG recently launched its first electric vehicle and named it MG ZS SUV. The only SUV featured on the list, MG is aiming to make its mark in this sector. The EV model is stated to be up to 5 seconds faster accelerating in a straight line than its petrol counterpart.

It boasts 141bhp and 353Nm of torque, all sent to the front wheels upon pressing the accelerator pedal, getting the vehicle from 0 to 62mph in 8.5 seconds. The car however is limited to a top speed of 87mph. However being one of the only EV SUV’s at this price range the MG ZS EV offers the space and size none of the other EVs on this list can provide.

There’s no better time to take the leap and make the move to an electric car. With the every growing EV charging infrastructure there will be no shortage of places to recharge. One unique feature to EVs not found with their petrol or diesel counterparts is that they can be refilled from home with little effort. It is important to consider purchasing an EV charger for your home and also finding a better energy tariff to best take advantage of your newer, cheaper and sustainable means of travel. So don’t wait around, the future is electric!