The best value electric cars in 2021
We compare the cost of an EV to its range in miles to work out the best value electric cars.
The ‘best value’ calculation shines a very bright spotlight on car manufacturers. It’s easy to create an EV that can go hundreds of miles on a single charge – just stuff it with batteries. But then it would be very expensive.
At the other extreme, you could make an electric vehicle very cheap by hardly putting any batteries in at all. But then it wouldn’t go very far. Not much use.
The holy grail for best value electric cars is to secure a very good range, but to do so at a relatively low purchase price. The relevant calculation is therefore:
Purchase price including the grant ÷ Real-world range in miles
Below we list a Top 10 best value electric cars. They are ordered by the results of the formula above. The lowest ‘price per mile of range’ represents best value.
1st Peugeot e-208
A stylish, compact, modern car – excellent value for money
Rivals: Renault Zoe | Nissan Leaf | Vauxhall Corsa-e
Real-world range: 195 miles | from £25,050 | 5 seats | 5 doors
Price per mile of range: £128 | Battery size: 50 kWh | More…
2nd Kia e-Niro
A family-sized SUV with incredible range for the price
Rivals: Hyundai Kona Electric | Nissan Leaf | Tesla Model 3
Real-world range: 254 miles | from £34,495 | 5 seats | 5 doors
Price per mile of range: £136 | Battery size: 64 kWh | More…
3rd Hyundai Kona Electric
Dynamic SUV, fantastic range for the price, great acceleration
Rivals: Kia e-Niro | Tesla Model 3 | Nissan Leaf
Real-world range: 251 miles | from £35,100 | 5 seats | 5 doors
Price per mile of range: £140 | Battery size: 64 kWh | More…
4th Vauxhall Corsa-e
A sporty, compact, modern EV – very good value for money
Rivals: Renault Zoe | Nissan Leaf | Peugeot e-208
Real-world range: 188miles | from £27,165 | 5 seats | 5 doors
Price per mile of range: £144 | Battery size: 50 kWh | More…
5th Renault Zoe
Excellent value, compact but 5-seat, EV with good range
Rivals: Nissan Leaf | Hyundai Ioniq | Kia Soul EV
Real-world range: 167 miles | from £24,320 | 5 seats | 5 doors
Price per mile of range: £145 | Battery size: 41 kWh | More…
6th MG ZS EV
Low-cost, 5-seat SUV with lots of features
Rivals: Kia e-Niro | Renault Zoe | Nissan Leaf
Real-world range: 147 miles | from £22,245 | 5 seats | 5 doors
Price per mile of range: £152 | Battery size: 44.5 kWh | More…
7th Tesla Model 3, Long Range
4-wheel-drive saloon with fantastic range
Rivals: Kia e-Niro | Hyundai Kona Electric
Real-world range: 313 miles | from £47,990 | 5 seats | 4 doors
Price per mile of range: £153 | Battery size: 75 kWh | More…
8th Nissan Leaf e+
Good value, family-sized hatchback with very decent range
Rivals: Hyundai Kona | Kia e-Niro | Tesla Model 3
Real-world range: 215 miles | from £35,895 | 5 seats | 5 doors
Price per mile of range: £167 | Battery size: 62 kWh | More…
9th Tesla Model 3, Standard Range Plus
Hi-tech, rear-wheel-drive saloon with very good range
Rivals: Kia e-Niro | Hyundai Kona Electric
Real-world range: 229 miles | from £39,490 | 5 seats | 4 doors
Price per mile of range: £173 | Battery size: 60 kWh | More…
10th Tesla Model 3, Performance
Hi-performance, 4-wheel-drive saloon with fantastic range
Rivals: Kia e-Niro | Hyundai Kona Electric
Real-world range: 296 miles | from £52,990 | 5 seats | 4 doors
Price per mile of range: £179| Battery size: 75 kWh | More…
Best value electric cars – Price
You might initially be looking for best value, but eventually settle on an EV that grabs your attention for other reasons.
If price is your motivating factor, please refer to the pricing bands below, with cars listed in ascending order, i.e. the cheapest first. Price bands already include the government grant.
To get these EVs even cheaper, you can consider second hand electric cars. The cheapest electric car you can find second hand is not necessarily the one to go for, however. A suspiciously low, used electric car price might be a sign there’s something wrong with it. Best to work with reputable, specialist EV dealers who have a long list of satisfied customers you can talk to.
Below £20,000
Citroen C-Zero, Peugeot iOn, Smart EQ fortwo coupe, Smart EQ forfour, Volkswagen e-up!, Smart EQ fortwo cabrio
£20,000 to £30,000
MG ZS EV, Renault Zoe, Mini Electric, Peugeot e-208, Kia Soul EV, Vauxhall Corsa-e, Hyundai Ioniq Electric, Nissan Leaf, Volkswagen e-Golf
£30,000 to £40,000
BMW i3, Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia e-Niro, BMW i3s, Nissan Leaf e+, Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus
£40,000 to £50,000
£50,000 to £60,000
Above £60,000
Jaguar I-Pace, Mercedes EQC, Audi e-tron 55 quattro, Tesla Model S Long Range, Tesla Model X Long Range, Tesla Model S Performance, Tesla Model X Performance
Best value electric cars – Range
Again, you might start off by wanting the best value electric car, but later decide range on a single charge is more important.
If this is the case for you, below we list some range bands in ascending order, that is, the lowest range first.
If you are really concerned about range, you might consider hybrid cars. These have both a petrol / diesel engine and an electric motor. The best hybrid cars can travel over 500 miles on a single tank of petrol / diesel. However, bear in mind that hybrids – especially self-charging hybrids – are mainly fossil fuel based cars and emit large amounts of CO2, as well as pollute the environment, making the air we breathe unhealthy.
Finally, if you are looking for the very best electric cars available in the UK in 2021 – and prepared to pay high prices in some cases – please see our dedicated best electric car page.
Up to 100 miles
Smart EQ fortwo cabrio, Smart EQ forfour, Peugeot iOn, Citroen C-Zero, Smart EQ fortwo coupe, Volkswagen e-up!
100 to 200 miles
Kia Soul EV, Volkswagen e-Golf, Mini Electric, Hyundai Ioniq Electric, MG ZS EV, Nissan Leaf, BMW i3s, Vauxhall Corsa-e, Renault Zoe, BMW i3, Peugeot e-208
200 to 300 miles
Nissan Leaf e+, Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus, Mercedes EQC, Audi e-tron 55 quattro, Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia e-Niro, Jaguar I-Pace, Tesla Model X Performance, Tesla Model X Long Range, Tesla Model 3 Performance
Over 300 miles
Tesla Model 3 Long Range, Tesla Model S Performance, Tesla Model S Long Range
