What is the cheapest electric car with the longest range

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Citroen Ami

Price: from £7695

6/10

Forget cheapest electric cars for a second, the Citroen Ami is actually the cheapest new car on sale right now, and by some margin. Even if you head up to the top-spec Citroen Ami Vibe it'll cost £8895, which is thousands less than a Dacia Sandero in 2022. So what's the catch? 

Well, we're playing very fast and loose with the word 'car' here. Technically the Citroen Ami is a quadricycle. While that term used to be used for a 'four-wheeled pedal bike', it's changed today. It means the Ami can be driven without a full driving licence by a 16 year-old, but it also means it's limited in use and doesn't have to pass the same kind of safety tests as a car. 

As such, the Citroen Ami has an electric range of just 47 miles, but that doesn't really matter when the top speed is limited to a measly 28mph. You only get two seats, the only real equipment on offer is a heater and you can only charge it from a domestic plug socket. 

Don't write off the funky little Ami, however. It's great fun to thread through town, costs pennies to run and is certainly more secure and safe than a moped when it comes to city commutes or leisure journeys. The Citroen Ami has its place - just don't expect too much. 

MG4 EV

Price: from £25,995

9/10

A new entry in our guide to the cheapest electric cars, the MG4 is the best budget electric car you can buy right now. It's the brand's first entry into the family hatchback sector and should be seen as a direct rival to the Volkswagen ID.3. 

But while the ID.3 starts at £36,195, the MG4 starts at £25,995 and the top of the range MG4 in what's called Trophy Long Range trim is priced at £32,040. Granted, it's a touch smaller than the ID.3 but the interior is finished nicely, has plenty of good tech and enough space for a growing family. It's also surprisingly good to drive, with tidy handling and a comfortable ride. 

You're not compromised when it comes to electric range either, with even the most affordable MG4 capable of covering 218 miles before needing to be charged. Pick the Long Range SE model and you'll get 281 miles on a single charge. The only downside is it's so new that you won't find many good used deals. 

• New cars 2022

Smart EQ Fortwo

Price: from £20,100

6/10

Ever since the original Smart car arrived in the late 1990s, the Mercedes-Benz offshoot has produced vehicles with tiny footprints that cost peanuts to run. With Smart now an electric vehicle brand, the Smart Fortwo EQ makes perfect sense. 

It has a range of up to 81 miles, which will be plenty for pottering around town. Unless you live in a pretty enormous town. There’s a Cabrio version, too, while the Smart EQ Forfour caters for those who need four seats (as its name suggests).

A new Smart Fortwo starts from £20,100 at the time of writing, making it one of the cheapest electric card you can buy today. If that's not enough to tickle your fancy, there are often some impressive deals available, while a nearly-new example could be yours for as little as £15,000.

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Fiat 500 Electric

Price: from £30,645 in 2022

7/10

The Fiat 500 first arrived in 2008 and has been a huge success for the Italian brand. For this third generation model, Fiat has made the bold decision of making it electric only - although you can still buy the old model as a budget new car choice. 

Still one of the smallest cars on the road at just some 3.6m long, the Fiat 500 Electric starts at £30,645 in well-equipped Icon form. You used to be able to buy a much cheaper model with a modest 24kWh battery which gives a 115 mile range, but today you can only order a bigger battery version with a 200-mile combined range. 

 while the Fiat 500 Electric can be fast charged to 80% of full battery power in 30 minutes (provided you're using a fast charging public station with the bundled mode 3 cable). 

Fiat's freshened up the 500's already stylish looks with some nice little touches, and while Action trim is pretty basic the Icon model gets niceties such as a 10.25-inch touchscreen with sat-nav and fancy styling add-ons. 

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7/10

If you want maximum bang for your buck, the MG 5 is quite literally the most amount of electric car you can get for your money. For just under £30,000 you get an EV estate car that's 4.6m long and has more than enough space for all the family. 

No, it isn't particularly stylish, lavishly trimmed or exciting to drive. But it's a lot less basic than you expect, with standard equipment including adaptive cruise control and a reversing camera. The cabin is roomy and comfortable, while a 479-litre boot is bigger than anything else here. 

On the road the MG 5 offers perky performance and a soft ride, but it isn't the last word in handling prowess. Early versions could be had with a smaller 52kWh battery offering a respectable 214-mile range, but as of 2022 new buyers will only get the 61kWh battery with 250 miles available on a charge. That's plenty for those longer family trips, and 50kW rapid charging is possible if you need to go further. 

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Nissan Leaf

Price: from £28,995

7/10

As more and more electric cars hit the market, the Nissan Leaf is starting to be eclipsed by some very desirable vehicles. It’s still an incredibly competent (and great value) choice, though, with enough space for all the family and a proven electric powertrain.

There are two models available: the standard Leaf and the Leaf+. The latter has a larger 62kWh battery, giving it a range of up to 239 miles. 

It’s the standard car you’ll be looking at if you’re on a budget, though. This can cover 168 miles between charges from its 39kWh and is priced from £28,995. That’s not a great deal more than some much smaller alternatives, and it still comes pretty well equipped. 

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MINI Electric review

Price: from £29,000

7/10

If you’re on a budget but still want a fashionable electric city car, you’ll be pleased to know the MINI Electric starts at 'just' £29,000. Which is kind of cheap for an electric car, especially a very desirable one.

It’s great to drive and has a plush interior, just like a standard petrol or diesel MINI. If anything it's even more fun to steer thanks to its impressive (and instant) performance on tap. 

With a 145-mile range and the ability to rapid charge to 80% in just 36 minutes, the MINI Electric is a really easy to use electric car, if not the longest range one out there. 

You can also customise it to make it look more or less like a conventional MINI - you can decide if you want to shout about your green credentials or not.

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MG ZS EV

Price: from £29,495

9/10

Looking for an electric vehicle that is practical enough to replace your family car? Say hello to the MG ZS EV. It’s one of the new Chinese-built MGs, which represent very good value for money and come with generous equipment lists as standard.

MG provides a seven-year warranty and says the ZS was originally designed as an EV, and this means the electric version looks and feels identical to the standard car. 

You also get an impressive 470 litres of luggage space - which is far more than you'll get in any of its EV rivals, like the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia e-Niro. It's now offered with a bigger battery providing a range of up to 273 miles which is pretty impressive considering its sub-£30,000 price tag.

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Vauxhall Corsa-e

Price: from £31,000

7/10

It shows you how much the market has changed that the Vauxhall Corsa-e has gone from a seriously affordable electric car buy to being outclassed by a number of cars on this list. But that doesn't mean the electric Vauxhall doesn't deserve your attention.

Priced from £31,000 new in Anniversary Edition form, the Corsa-e is well-equipped from the off with two-tone paint, heated sports seats, a rear-view camera and blind spot alert. But used car buyers will be delighted to know they start from £23,000 with a couple of years of wear and tear.

The Vauxhall Corsa-e is well-made and offers a refined, comfortable and fun driving experience. It's agile around town, with punchy performance and an electric range of up to 209 miles on a charge. 

If the Corsa-e's design doesn't do it for you, then the slightly pricier but classier-looking Peugeot e-208 is another option. It's the same basic car underneath, but has a more striking appearance and an interior with higher-class finishes.

• Best city cars

Mazda MX-30

Price: from £30,050

6/10

Mazda likes to do things differently, so there was no doubt that its first electric vehicle would stand out against competitors. For a start, the Mazda MX-30 has a relatively small 33.5kWh battery, which means it can cover just 124 miles between charges according to official WLTP tests (and, likely, considerably less in reality).

That's not necessarily a bad thing, though. Smaller batteries are kinder to the environment (both to produce and recycle), while they're also a lot quicker to charge. Less than 30 minutes at a public rapid charger will top up the Mazda MX-30, while your home wall box.

What's more the Mazda MX-30 has a fun driving experience, a neatly designed interior with quirky suicide doors and plenty of standard kit. It's priced competitively against other small SUVs, too, starting from just over £30k for the MX-30 SE-L Lux model.

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Renault Zoe

Price: from £29,995

8/10

The Renault Zoe is one of the original electric cars, on sale since 2013. It’s been comprehensively updated in recent years, however, meaning it now has an incredible 245-mile range and optional CCS rapid charging, plus a higher-tech interior. 

Prices for the Renault Zoe Techno model start from £29,995, rising to £31,995 for Iconic models. Earlier and cheaper models were available as an R110 model, but as of 2022 all models are the R135 with more power. 

The more powerful model is slightly quicker, obviously, but range isn’t affected. Go for the R135 if you’re planning to cover long journeys as this one comes with CCS rapid charging. Buying used? The Renault Zoe starts from as little as £10,000. 

• Cheapest city cars

Hyundai Kona Electric

Price: from £30,450

8/10

With a range of up to 278 miles, trendy crossover looks and practicality to match, it’s no wonder the Hyundai Kona Electric is flying off the shelves. Even with the more desirable Hyundai Ioniq 5 on the scene the sheer value of the Kona Electric makes it a popular buy.  

If you’re on a budget, you’ll want the 39kWh model (which can cover up to 189 miles between charges), but that’ll be sufficient for lots of buyers. Even the entry-level model is great to drive and comes packed with equipment. The 64kWh battery does have a punchy 204PS, however, as well as a range of up to 279 miles. 

Prices for the Hyundai Kona Electric in SE Connect trim with the smaller 39 kWh battery pack start from £30,450. You can easily spend a lot more (the Ultimate starts from £37,200), but it’s not really necessary as even the most affordable models are generously equipped.

• Electric cars with the longest range

Citroen e-C4

Price: from £30,995

8/10

With other electric cars increasing in price noticeably over the last few months, the Citroen e-C4 has entered this list as a surprisingly affordable buy. It isn't just a cheap electric car, though, as it has lots of things to recommend it. 

It's rugged SUV design certainly appeals, but it's actually more of a family hatchback. It sits alongside the regular petrol C4, and is cheaper than a number of electric city cars. But there's space for four adults to get comfort, and a decent 380-litre boot. 

With an official range of up to 217 miles the Citroen e-C4 could well be used as your main family car. It also has impressive 100kW rapid charging capability for those longer journeys, while its big ace up its sleeve is its very comfortable and smooth ride. Even the entry-level model gets LED headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels and a 10-inch infotainment system with navigation, and it even has a heated steering wheel. 

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If you're buying a new electric car then the cheapest one on sale is the Citroen Ami at £7695. Technically speaking it isn't a car, however, and it'll only do 28mph, so the next best thing is the Smart EQ For Two at just over £20,000.

It depends on your circumstances, but generally yes if you can charge it at home. Most electric car owners have cheap overnight energy tariffs allowing them to charge their electric car at a much cheaper rate than during the day. That's still far cheaper than filling up with fuel, but if you are unable to charge at home and have to use expensive public charging you may well find that your electric is car is barely any cheaper to run than an equivalent petrol or diesel car.

Modern electric cars should have no problems with longevity. Most come with a battery warranty of between five to eight years that covers you if the battery charge level drops below a certain point, but actually there are electric cars over 10 years old with very high mileage that still retain a healthy percentage of their battery performance.