► Our list of the cheapest electric cars on sale
► Options range from dinky quadricycles to SUVs
► Prices start from just £7695
Price is one of the main factors preventing motorists from trading in their petrol or diesel car for an electric one, so we’ve put together a list of the cheapest electric cars on sale in 2024. The fact is, the best electric cars cost more than their conventionally powered peers because the materials in their battery packs and electric motors are expensive – and few manufacturers are prepared to make a loss on each EV they sell.
But there are signs this is changing, and 2024 is proving turning point with the introduction of more affordable EVs including the £15,000 Dacia Spring and Citroen’s low-price e-C3 retailing at a whisker under £22k. Recent months have seen several car makers cut the price of their EVs in a bid to make them more attractive, with manufacturers under greater pressure to meet electric car sales targets that came into force in 2024.
The cheapest electric cars on this list might not have the fancy interior technology and safety equipment you’ll find in something like a Tesla Model 3, and they might not have the glamour of the best electric luxury cars, but you can’t argue with the value.
The best cheap electric cars at a glance:
Below, we’ve rounded up the cheapest electric cars on sale in the UK today. Our list includes tiny electric quadricycles, family-sized electric hatchbacks and compact electric SUVs. This list has changed in recent months due to the introduction of new models and a price cut to existing EVs. We’ve also included links to our dedicated review for each electric car if you need some extra information on how they drive. Scroll down for some inspiration.
The cheapest electric vehicles (EVs) to buy in 2024
Citroen Ami – from £7695
Best for: City-only driving
Pros: Minuscule dimensions, great fun, no car will get more attention
Cons: Bad ride, you’ve seen the video of one being rolled in Monaco, right?
Citroen had one goal in mind when it was designing the Ami – to build the ultimate small electric car. And it bashed the nail on the head with a 20lb sledgehammer. The Ami is perfectly suited to city life. It’s small, so it can fit down narrow alleys. Its cabin is surrounded by glass, so you can spot kamikaze moped riders long before you could in a conventional car. Plus, because it’s electric, you don’t need to pay Sadiq Khan a single penny to drive into the centre of London, at least for now.
The only fault with the Ami is that it only works in the city. It has a maximum range of 46 miles and a top speed of just 28mph. That’s more than enough for zipping around Knightsbridge but nowhere enough to venture out of the city and onto an A-road. It’s achingly slow. Stay within the confines of town, and you’ll be king of all you survey, though. The Ami is more than nimble enough to carve up Civics and Golfs on roundabouts, while its 8bhp motor is sprightly enough to surprise them at the lights.
Read our full Citroen Ami review
Dacia Spring – from £14,995
Best for: The cheapest ‘proper’ electric car you can buy
Pros: Cheaper than an equivalent petrol city car, decent interior, surprisingly big boot
Cons: Terrible safety performance, feels every bit as cheap as it is
Brits have previously been deprived of the value-packed Dacia Spring, one of the most popular electric cars across Europe. But that’s now changed with new version of the Spring now on sale in the UK. It’s a compact city that’s quite a lot smaller than the Sandero, and grabs the headlines with a starting price of just £14,995, making it by far the cheapest proper electric car available. Finance deals have been confirmed from £128 a month with a £2325 deposit on a four-year PCP lease deal, with 0% APR.
The new Spring is powered by a fairly small 44bhp motor as standard, with a dizzying 64bhp available from higher-spec versions. A 26.8kWh battery allows for a claimed range of up to 140 miles, giving scope for some out-of-town trips but you wouldn’t want to go too far as it’s not very quick to charge with a maximum 30kW DC rapid charging rate. While it might be hard to ignore at the price, the Spring is one of the worst electric cars we’ve tested in 2024, with driving manners and core build quality that feel every bit as cheap as its price.
To find out more read our full Dacia Spring review
Leapmotor T03 – from £15,995
Best for: Urban commuters seeking a budget-friendly electric option
Pros: Great value, decent build quality, decent interior space considering its size
Cons: Not much range, feels slow
Leapmotor is only just now on the cusp of reaching European shores thanks to distribution networks from Stellantis. It’s been developed almost entirely in-house – even the battery is homegrown, aside from a few of the cells – but some of the styling quirks seem familiar.
Specs-wise, the T03’s 37.3 kWh battery provides a WLTP-rated range of 165 miles. A modest 93bhp motor yielding a 0-62 mph time of 12.7 seconds, but that’s enough for city driving and outperforms similar budget EVs like the Dacia Spring. The build quality feels solid for a car in this price range, and features include five doors and a spacious cabin with decent headroom.
Buyers should note its limited 165-mile range and shorter-than-average warranty, though.
Read our full review of the Leapmotor T03 here.
Citroen e-C3 – from £21,990
Best for: Cheap and the promise of comfort
Pros: Good range, great price, very comfortable
Cons: Slow steering, boot is an awkward shape
Citroen already has a fairly expansive line-up of electric models, but it’s hunting the cheaper end of the market with its new e-C3, which arrives as part of a fourth generation of Citroen’s popular supermini. Getting a chunkier look to appeal to SUV-loving buyers, the e-C3 comes with the firm’s trademark comfy suspension and seats, and it’ll likely prove a great daily driver.
Orders are yet to open but it’s expected to arrive in the UK before the close of 2024, and makes for a great option with its 199-mile range and quick 100kW DC charging. It drives well, is surprisingly spacious and comes with plenty of kit as standard, with an attractive £21,990 starting price considering it’s a much more rounded car than the Spring.
To find out more read our full Citroen e-C3 review
Renault 5 – from £22,995
Best for: Cool, quirky and just general small car brilliance
Pros: Terrific price, Epic styling, great infotainment
Cons: Underwhelming real-world range, irritating stalk arrangement
We already loved the new Renault 5, and when it was announced it was going to start from £22,995, we liked it even more. Perhaps the most successful reinvention of a car icon since the Fiat 500, the Renault 5 is a cool, eye-catching EV that we expect to sell in droves.
It really is brilliant, ticking all of the boxes needed for a compact EV. It’s cheerful, fun to drive, modern and – importantly – desirable. The £22,995 starting price is reserved for the entry-level 40kWh battery model, though Renault still claims 194 miles of range. You still get plenty of standard kit, too, including 18-inch alloy wheels, climate control and Renault’s excellent infotainment system that comes with various Google features built in.
To find out more read our full Renault 5 review
Vauxhall Frontera – from £23,495
Best for: A genuine family SUV available for city car money
Pros: Brilliant value, spacious interior, comfortable ride
Cons: Not a lot of range, interior feels cheap
Vauxhall is at the forefront of trying to make EVs as affordable and accessible as possible. It’s trying to get councils to install more on-street EV chargers so that electric cars aren’t the reserve for those who are to charge on their drive, and has also slashed prices of its electric models. But it’s biggest statement yet is the new Frontera, which is the first EV that costs the same to buy as the petrol versions.
Priced from £23,495, the Frontera represents outstanding value for money, with no other electric SUV available for anywhere near its price – yet, at least. It’s a decent size, too, and ideal for families with its spacious interior and roomy boot. The Frontera is also very comfortable, and though its 186-mile range isn’t a lot for a vehicle of this type, it’s perfect for local journeys and school runs.
To find out more read our full Vauxhall Frontera EV review
Hyundai Inster – from £23,495
Best for: A small car with a massive interior
Pros: Hugely spacious interior, decent range, attractive price
Cons: Only four seats, ride could be better
Hyundai makes some of the best electric cars, but until now it’s failed to have anything at the more affordable end of the spectrum. That changes with the new Inster, a Korean take on the kei car formula with distinctive styling and an impressively spacious interior for something with such dinky dimensions. It’s one of the more interesting EVs on sales, and we highly rate it.
It’s a lot of car and equipment for your £23,495, with the entry-level model packing a 96bhp electric motor and 42kWh battery enabling a touch over 200 miles of range. A longer-range and more powerful version is available for a £2,000 premium, though we suspect the standard car will suit most.
To find out more read our full Hyundai Inter review
Fiat 500 Electric – from £24,995
Best for: The fashion-conscious
Pros: Looks great, drives well, modern tech
Cons: Range isn’t amazing with standard trim, isn’t particularly practical
We like the Fiat 500 Electric. It’s by no means the fastest, most practical or longest-legged electric hatchback on sale – but it does have the biggest character. Just like its petrol-powered predecessor, it’s ideally suited to the city. However, it’s sophisticated enough to allow you to tackle faster roads. Providing you keep a mental note of all the nearby charging stations, that is. The entry-level model only has a tiny 24kWh battery that offers a maximum official range of 118 miles.
It starts from £24,995 for the entry-level 24kWh version, with a 118-mile range. We’d recommend paying the £27,995 for the larger 42kWh battery, which manages a claimed 199 miles between charges, though it does start to get expensive next to rivals. It’s good to drive and gets lots of tech for such a small car car, but isn’t very practical so is best treated as a two-seater.
To find out more read our full Fiat 500 Electric review
BYD Dolphin – from £26,140
Best for: Those wanting something different
Pros: Fantastic value for money, interesting interior, comfortable ride
Cons: MG4 is better to drive for similar money, intrusive safety tech
Chinese brand BYD gives you a lot of car for the money with its amusingly named Dolphin, which is far larger than the other cars on this so far. It has enough space inside for four adults, plus it has a 345-litre boot. The cheapest £26,140 model features a 45kWh battery allowing a claimed maximum range of 211 miles, but a larger 60kWh unit increases this to 265 miles.
It even drives quite well. Sure, it isn’t as polished as a European electric hatchback, such as a Cupra Born, but it still offers plenty of grip and manageable levels of body roll. And, if you opt for the more expensive 60kWh 201bhp version, you’ll have a car that can dash from 0–62mph in 6.7 seconds. The interior is quirky, too – the infotainment screen is mounted on a motor and can spin through 90 degrees to be either portrait or landscape.
To find out more read our full BYD Dolphin review
Vauxhall Corsa Electric – from £26,895
Best for: Familiarity
Pros: Huge price cut, excellent spec, decent range
Cons: Could be more spacious, nothing special to drive
The Vauxhall Corsa continues to be one of the UK’s most popular cars, with the addition of an electric version boosting its success in recent years. That said, the EV model has always been scuppered by its expensive price.
But Vauxhall has addressed the Corsa’s high price with the addition of a new value-packed ‘Yes Edition’, that drops the Corsa EV’s starting price by a significant £5,550. You still get the same 134bhp electric motor and 50kWh battery enabling a claimed 221 miles from a charge too. And it’s not like Vauxhall has ripped out all the equipment either, as you still get LED headlights, keyless entry and a 10-inch touchscreen to name just a few highlights.
To find out more read our full Vauxhall Corsa Electric review
What is the cheapest electric car to buy today?
That depends on your definition of ‘car.’ The cheapest fully enclosed, road-legal, four-wheeled vehicle you can buy is the Citroen Ami, priced from just £7695. However, it isn’t legally recognised as a car – it’s a pure-electric quadricycle. The cheapest proper electric car you can buy is the Dacia Spring, which costs from just £14,995.
Are electric cars getting cheaper?
Gradually, with much of that change being driven by Chinese manufacturers. Falling R&D costs, economies of scale, and the presence of smaller, less upmarket electric cars to sit alongside the big electric SUVs and saloons that kickstarted the whole shift towards electrification mean the market’s becoming ever more friendly to those on a budget.
With manufacturers increasingly under pressure to shift more EVs to meet mandatory sales targets, we’re seeing more firms cut the prices of their existing models to boost demand. Cupra, Citroen, Mazda and Vauxhall have all slashed the prices of their electric cars in recent months. This will trend will only likely continue into 2025.
Is it worth buying a used electric car?
Buying any used car always means you’ll take on a certain amount of risk, but EVs are a different kettle of fish. The positives? There are far fewer parts to go wrong, and most are loaded with technology. But the value of an EV hinges on the condition of its battery pack – and if the cells have been thrashed by the car’s previous owner, you could end up with a lemon that won’t do half of its claimed range. On newer EVs, you shouldn’t need to worry.
There are some significant savings on nearly-new cars to be had if you’re not bothered about being the first person to have their name on the V5. We’ve compiled a guide to buying a used EV that includes a list of the best cars you might want to consider. Follow the link above to learn more.
Are there any cheap EVs worth waiting for?
In 2024 we saw the arrival of two far more affordable EVs mentioned in this article. The first is the new Dacia Spring, a car that’s been on sale in other European countries for several years, but will now come to the UK for the first time, with a starting price of just £14,995. Citroen’s e-C3 will be a larger and more substantial offering on top of that, and with a £21,995 price, undercuts the competitio
Are electric cars cheap to charge?
That depends on where you charge your electric car. Plug in at a motorway rapid charger at peak times, and you could end up spending more on electricity than you would for a tank of fuel in an equivalent petrol car. However, you could save hundreds of pounds if you charge up at home using a wallbox charger and an intelligent charge scheduler that can reap the benefits of an off-peak electricity tariff.