Find the Best Value Electric Cars in 2024
We compare the cost of an EV to its range in miles to work out the best value electric cars available in 2024 in the UK.
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 ÷ Real-world, average range in miles
Below we list all the electric cars available in the UK – plus every trim variation – with the best value cars at the top and the worst value ones at the bottom. Basically, the car list is ordered by the results of the formula above.
Car Statistics
 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| THE BASICS | |||
| Brand | BYD | ||
| Model | Dolphin | ||
| Trim | Comfort | ||
| Type of car | Hatchback | ||
| Seats | 5 | ||
| Isofix seats | 2 | ||
| Doors | 5 | ||
| Drive | Front-wheel-drive | ||
| Overall rating | out of 5 stars | ||
| PRICE | |||
| Gross price | £30,195 | ||
| Grant | £0 | ||
| Net price to pay | £30,195 | ||
| BATTERY, RANGE & EFFICIENCY | |||
| Battery capacity (useable) | 60 kWh | ||
| Range (WLTP) | 265 miles | ||
| Range (NEDC) | n/a | ||
| Range (EPA) | n/a | ||
| Average range | 217 miles | ||
| Average efficiency | 3.62 miles/kWh | ||
| MPG equivalent | 145 MPGe | ||
| PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS | |||
| Top speed | 99 mph | ||
| Acceleration 0-62 mph | 7 seconds | ||
| Power kW | 150 kW | ||
| Power bhp | 204 bhp | ||
| BOOT SIZE, DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT | |||
| Boot size | 345 litres | ||
| Cargo volume (seats down) | 1310 litres | ||
| Length | 4290 mm | ||
| Width | 1770 mm | ||
| Height | 1570 mm | ||
| Weight | 1658 kg | ||
| HOME CHARGING BASICS | |||
| Car socket | Type 2 | ||
| Socket electricity type | AC | ||
| Car on-board maximum charging rate | 11.0 kW | ||
| Home charging point maximum charging rate | 7.4 kW | ||
| Charge time from 0% to 100% | 5 hours 27 minutes | ||
| HOME CHARGING OFF-PEAK COST | |||
| Off-peak electricity tariff | 10.0p | ||
| Charging cost 0% to 100% | £6.00 | ||
| Cost per mile | 2.8p | ||
| HOME CHARGING PEAK COST | |||
| Peak electricity tariff | 34.0p | ||
| Charging cost 0% to 100% | £20.40 | ||
| Cost per mile | 9.4p | ||
| WORK CHARGING BASICS (assuming a 3-phase, 32A electricity supply) | |||
| Car socket | Type 2 | ||
| Socket electricity type | AC | ||
| Car on-board maximum charging rate | 11.0 kW | ||
| Work charging point maximum charging rate | 22.0 kW | ||
| Charge time from 0% to 100% | 5 hours 27 minutes | ||
| PUBLIC / RAPID CHARGING BASICS | |||
| Car socket | CCS | ||
| Socket electricity type | DC | ||
| Car maximum charging rate | 88 kW | ||
| 50 KW RAPID CHARGER | |||
| Charge time from 10% to 80% | 50 minutes | ||
| Electricity tariff | 50p | ||
| Charging cost 10% to 80% | £21.00 | ||
| Cost per mile | 13.8p | ||
| 150 KW RAPID CHARGER | |||
| Charge time from 10% to 80% | 29 minutes | ||
| Electricity tariff | 60p | ||
| Charging cost 10% to 80% | £25.20 | ||
| Cost per mile | 16.6p | ||
| 350 KW RAPID CHARGER | |||
| Charge time from 10% to 80% | 29 minutes | ||
| Electricity tariff | 70p | ||
| Charging cost 10% to 80% | £29.40 | ||
| Cost per mile | 19.3p | ||
