Best Affordable Electric Cars 2019
1. Kia e-Niro
Along with its sister car, the Hyundai Kona Electric, the Kia e-Niro redefines how much real-world range we should now be expecting from an electric vehicle towards the more affordable end of the price spectrum. For around £35,000, the 64kWh battery pack common to both enables them to comfortably travel 230 miles on a single charge. A few years ago, that would be the sort of range you’d be expecting from something far pricier, and probably with a Tesla badge on its nose.
2. Nissan Leaf
The Nissan Leaf, in first-generation form, set the mould for the affordable electric car approaching a decade ago – and in new second-generation form, it’s back on the top of the pile of contenders who are following in its tread marks.
Having had a 25 per cent boost on battery capacity, the Nissan now leads many of its rivals with a WLTP-certified range of 168 miles. It’s also got significantly more power and torque than its direct predecessor; performs fairly keenly; feels like a more rounded car to drive generally; and has one of the strongest showings here on daily-use practicality for a small family.
A value proposition that’s also improved, and is now on a par with that of a mid-market, conventionally fuelled family hatchback once you take the government’s £3500 PiCG grant into account, cement the car’s market-leading position. It’s our default recommendation for anyone looking to simply replace their fossil-fuelled family hatchback with an electric one well-capable of doing the same job – and doing it well.
3. Hyundai Kona Electric 64kWh
Until quite recently, an electric car good enough to combine a genuine 300-mile daily-use range with a sub-£30,000 price point seemed an awfully long way off. The Hyundai Kona Electric has made it a reality, however; quite a coup for its aspiring Korean maker.
By wielding what must be a sizable competitive advantage on battery buying power, Hyundai has delivered this car to the road with 60 per cent more on board electrical storage than either of the cars by which it’s bracketed in this list. That’s enough for more than 250 miles of range at typical UK motorway speeds, or more than 300 at a slightly slower clip or around town. And, in this car, it comes packaged with much stronger accelerative performance than its nearest rivals. The Kona Electric is quick enough, even, to live with some hot hatchbacks away from the traffic lights.
4. Kia Soul EV
Kia’s boxy compact crossover is back for a third-generation, but this time around the Soul will be offered exclusively as an electric vehicle in European markets. While it’s yet to touch down in the UK, initial impressions are very promising indeed.
While not particularly sporty, it rides well and doesn’t make too much of a point of its 1682kg kerb weight. And because it makes use of the same powertrain as the slightly bigger e-Niro, it promises a WLTP-certified range of 280 miles when equipped with a 64kWh battery. It’s rather convenient, then, that this is the only battery Kia will offer here in Britain when it goes on sale next year.
We’re yet to have prices confirmed, but initial reports suggest it’ll still cost more than £30,000, and will only be a few thousand pounds cheaper than the e-Niro, which offers slightly more in the way of practicality. A UK drive could well see the Soul move further up this list. Watch this space.
5. Renault Zoe R110
The Renault Zoe was always an appealing short-hopper electric supermini, even when it was offered with a 22kWh battery and had only 80 miles of real-world range. The car’s usability was enhanced during a mid-life update, however, by a 41kWh battery option which, on a warm day, turns the car into one good for 150 miles of mixed real-world use.
The Zoe offers strong value for money against its competitors, with battery lease options making ownership that big more accessible and the UK government’s PiCG incentive bringing the car’s entry price down below £20,000. It’s also pleasing to drive: very nippy and fairly quiet – albeit with some leaden feel to the controls, and some quickly gathering body control problems at higher A- and B-road speeds.
