The electric revolution is here! Yes for many years electric cars have been too expensive
and simply haven’t had long enough ranges to work for people as everyday cars.
Well, this is the year where everything changes - and in this video we’re going to tell
you, if you are looking to go for an electric car, which ones are the very best (and worst)
on sale.
If that wasn’t enough - we can reveal exactly how far they will go in the real-world, thanks
to our Real Range testing, which you can read more about by clicking on this link in the
top right corner.
And if you do want to buy an electric car, or any other new car, then head to the New
Car Buying section on whatcar.com to find out how much money you could save - online,
straight away, without the need for haggling. And to see more videos like this - hit the
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So let’s start the countdown of our top 10 best electric cars on sale right now with
10th place and the Hyundai Ioniq.
The thing to remember about the Toyota Prius-beating Ioniq is that there are three different versions
you can buy. You can get it as a conventional hybrid model, a plug-in hybrid, and as full
EV. The electric version in 10th place on our list has a real-world range of 117 miles,
and feels quick around town, but the ride is unsettled at low speeds. The interior is
good quality, and if you go for Premium trim - which is the one we recommend - then you
get sat-nav and heated front seats as standard. But, even though there are plenty of great
things about it, the reason it’s propping up the bottom of our list is that all versions
of it are a bit pricey and cheaper rivals have longer ranges.
Even though it’s six-years old now, it still looks incredibly futuristic outside plus its
smart interior makes the i3 one of the most appealing electric cars on sale today. Its
groundbreaking use of super-light carbonfibre and aluminium offset the weight of the heavy
battery pack that’s mounted beneath its floor, and a recent facelift means it’s
better to drive than ever.
The latest changes to the i3 are so new that we haven’t yet put it through our Real Range
test just yet - but BMW reckons that it’ll manage around 160 miles on a full charge in
real-world conditions.
Yes, in eighth place the Tesla Model X. Tesla is possibly the most talked-about name in
the electric car world, and for good reason. This all-electric SUV is to many the dream
combination, offering both luxury and the green credentials. It has low running costs
and a practical interior - which includes those not-so practical Falcon Wing doors - and
no matter which version you choose there’s an incredible amount of pace on offer AND
it’s got one of the most impressive real-world electric ranges. But, it’s eye-wateringly
expensive - much more so than even the i3 and Ioniq - and while it is luxurious in some
ways, parts of the interior do feel a little low-rent.
Cars like the i3 and Model X are purpose-built electric cars. But this e-Golf is based on
- you guessed it - the conventional Golf hatchback. That’s no bad thing, because it means it
has all the good points of the regular Golf - so it’s brilliant to drive and relatively
spacious inside - BUT it has much cheaper running costs. It’s not all good news though.
It’s let down a bit by its mediocre real-world range, which is no better than the Ioniq’s.
But in all other areas, the e-Golf is very impressive.
The Renault Zoe was one of the first mass-market electric cars and set out to prove that zero-emissions
motoring could be both practical and cheap. Well, seven years after its launch, the latest
version of the Zoe continues to impress.
Its main strength is that it feels like a conventional, nippy small car, and just happens
to cost pennies to run. The electric motor has enough oomph for the Zoe to lead the charge
away from traffic lights, and the interior has room for four - but not five - to sit
in reasonable comfort. Even the boot is pretty big compared to many regular small cars. And
as for it’s range, well it’ll go further than all its key rivals mentioned so far - apart
from the much more expensive Model X. You can either lease the Zoe’s battery on a
monthly basis, or buy the whole car outright - we’d recommend leasing the battery to
keep upfront costs down, and if you do then it’s one of the most recommendable, and
affordable, electric cars around.
At number 5 it’s another Tesla. This time, the Model S saloon. It’s quiet, comfortable,
rapid, and massively desirable. Along with staggering performance you get an impressive
real-world range, too. Why is it higher up the list than the Model X? Well, it’s cheaper
for one thing, and has a longer range. The Model S is still really practical inside,
too, with massive amounts of storage on offer in both of its boots, plus loads of room for
you and your passengers. If you’ve got a big budget and want some serious EV thrills,
this is right up there with the best. But why isn’t it the best? Well, because of these four cars...
The first-generation Nissan Leaf became one of the best-selling electric cars of all time.
Now in its second-generation, this car is even better all-round than the original model.
It’s faster, more sophisticated to drive, bigger inside and - probably most important
of all - it’s capable of much longer distances between charges. It also offers punchy performance,
lots of standard safety equipment and a decent-sized boot.
Sure, expensive electric cars like Teslas can do plenty of miles on a full charge - but
what about the more mainstream electric cars? Surely they can’t manage such big distances?
Well this is a car that completely blows that thinking out of the water. The Hyundai Kona
Electric is available in two forms - a 39kWh version and a 64kWh version. Pick the bigger
battery and it’ll manage a whopping 259 miles of range in real-world driving conditions
between charging. Even the smaller battery can do 158 miles. Add in the fact that the
Kona is much cheaper than the likes of the Tesla Model S and still has great acceleration
- and it’s no surprise that we rate it as one of the best electric cars you can buy.
At number two, Jaguar’s first all-electric car - the I-Pace SUV. If your budget stretches
up to the high-end of the electric car market - then there’s nothing better than the Jaguar.
What makes it better than a Tesla? Well, it’s just as entertaining to drive, still very
practical, AND, we’ve proved it can go even further than a Model S or Model X on a full
charge in real-world conditions. Plus it’s a fair bit cheaper than them as well and has
a more upmarket interior. As a first effort in the electric car market, this is a hugely
impressive car.
So, the Kia e-Niro.
But why is it the best electric car? Well, it offers one of the most impressive
electric ranges, matching the much more expensive I-Pace. And it’s only the Kona Electric
that goes a tiny bit further on a full charge, but the e-Niro is a better all-round car.
Indeed, compared to its immediate price rivals, the e-Niro offers better performance, is more
spacious, and more comfortable, plus it has a decent infotainment system and comes brilliantly
well equipped. The e-Niro isn’t just a fantastic electric car - it’s a great car, full stop.
But, although these 10 electric cars are brilliant examples of how far EVs have come - not every
electric car is recommendable. The Smart ForTwo EQ might seem relatively cheap to buy, but
it has a very disappointing electric range from a full charge. You can get a Zoe for
similar money which has far more space and more than double the range.
Then there’s the Volkswagen e-Up. It should be good - after all it’s based on the excellent
petrol-powered Up, but with a high list price and comparatively tiny electric range it simply
isn’t a sensible buy.
So there you have it - the best and worst electric cars you can buy right now. Head
to whatcar.com for our extended reviews on all of the cars mentioned and don’t forget
to check out the New Car Buying section when you’re there to see how much money you could
save on your next car purchase.
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