Despite the simplicity of an electric motor, which has just one moving part, it’s the high cost of an EV’s battery pack that is the biggest contributor to its list price.
Indeed, the 2024 RAC Report on Motoring reveals the high cost of electric cars is one of the biggest reasons motorists don’t plan to make the switch from petrol or diesel for their next car. But are today’s EVs as expensive as public perception suggests?
Recently there’s been an influx of truly affordable electric cars onto the market. Age-old value focus brands such as Citroen, Dacia and Vauxhall, combined with new market entrants from promising Chinese brands, have dramatically increased the level of choice for motorists looking to buy or lease a new car.
We’ve rounded up a list of the ten cheapest electric cars currently available to order in the UK. We’ll be updating this regularly, so bookmark this page and check back when the time comes to order your new car.
Oh, and for those looking to buy used, there are a few of our current favourite used EV bargains that we reckon are well worth snapping up.
Cheapest new electric cars 2025: Shortlist
- Citroen Ami – £7695
- Dacia Spring - £14,995
- Leapmotor T03 - £15,995
- Citroen e-C3 - £21,990
- Renault 5 - £22,995
- Hyundai Inster - £23,495
- Vauxhall Frontera - £23,495
- Fiat 500 Electric - £24,995
- BYD Dolphin - £26,195
- Vauxhall Corsa Electric - £26,895
Cheapest new electric cars 2025: Top 10
1. Citroen Ami
Price: £7695 Range: 46 miles
Technically speaking, the Citroen Ami is the cheapest road-legal, four-wheeled, fully-enclosed electric vehicle on sale today. Notice how we didn’t use the word ‘car’. The Ami is actually a quadricycle – meaning it’s limited in terms of weight, power and speed but can also be driven from the age of 16.
The tiny Ami is an ideal city runabout which you could use all year round comfortably, unlike a moped. However its limited range, top speed of just 28mph and lack of creature comforts restricts its appeal as much as its lack of any safety equipment.
2. Dacia Spring
Price: £14,995 Range: 140 miles
The Dacia Spring might be twice the price of the Ami, but it’s the cheapest EV classified as a car. That means it can seat four, is legally allowed on a motorway and has plenty of safety equipment including six airbags and automatic emergency braking.
In fact, even the base £14,995. Spring comes with kit such as air-con, cruise control and rear parking sensors, although with a modest 45hp we’d see why many would spend a couple of grand more on the Extreme model. That gets 65hp, niceties such as a touchscreen sat-nav and DC rapid charging.
3. Leapmotor T03
Price: £15,995 Range: 165 miles
Never heard of Leapmotor? It’s another new Chinese EV brand, but this one is half-owned by European giant Stellantis. That means the T03 – Leapmotor’s smallest model – is built in Poland alongside the Fiat 500 and Jeep Avenger.
The compact T03 might be a little more expensive than the Dacia Spring, but it packs a bit more punch. There’s a bigger 37kWh battery, a faster charging speed and more than double the power – a whole 94hp. You also get plenty of standard equipment including a 10-inch touchscreen and even a panoramic sunroof.
4. Citroen e-C3
Price: £21,990 Range: 199 miles
There’s quite a big jump in price from the Leapmotor to the next cheapest electric car – and it’s another Stellantis model. The Citroen e-C3 is a much more substantial car than either of the cheaper models in this list, but remains refreshingly simple and charming.
It’s also an electric supermini that’s pretty much on a par with petrol-powered alternatives for price, with a comfortable ride and decent amounts of space. The entry-level Plus model comes with essential safety kit plus a 10.3-inch touchscreen with smartphone mirroring, cruise control, rear parking sensors and LED headlights.
5. Renault 5
Price: £22,995 Range: 190 miles
It’s refreshing for one of the most hotly anticipated cars of the year to be one of the cheapest. The return of the iconic Renault 5 has stirred up huge interest, and it’s wholly appropriate that the reborn version comes with electric power.
There are posher versions with more power and kit, but the entry-level 5 Evolution has a 120hp electric motor and a 40kWh battery. It still looks plenty funky enough, too, with 18-inch diamond-cut alloys and kit such as an 10-inch touchscreen, wireless phone charging, a heat pump and dual-zone climate control.
6. Hyundai Inster
Price: £23,495 Range: 203 miles
Hyundai has come over all premium with many of its electric cars – like the bold IONIQ 5 and swoopy IONIQ 6 – but its nice to see a truly affordable EV finally land. The Inster is no bargain basement small car, though – it’s funky on the outside and surprisingly spacious on the inside.
Even at this entry-level price the Inster has climate control, a battery heater, a heat pump, keyless entry, rear parking sensors and a 10.3-inch touchscreen with sat-nav. Its 203-mile range is achieved with a small 39kWh battery, so it’s very efficient – a Long Range versions is available that’ll do up to 229 miles on a charge.
7. Vauxhall Frontera
Price: £23,395 Range: 186 miles
We’d stop well short of calling it the “return of an icon”, but Vauxhall has revived a somewhat well-known name from its past for the new Frontera electric SUV. It shares its underpinnings with the e-C3 (above) but extends them into a larger, more family-friendly proposition.
The Frontera might not be the coolest or most visually exciting in this list, but it’s an awful lot of EV for the money. For just over £23k you get plenty of cabin space, a 460 litre boot, a decent range and kit such as twin 10-inch displays, wireless smartphone charging and a reversing camera.
8. Fiat 500 Electric
Price: £24,995 Range: 118 miles
Small in size but big in personality, the Fiat 500 is the perfect car for electric power with its dinky dimensions and city focus. It’s an absolute doddle to park and thread through traffic, and it looks great inside and out – a real design-led car.
The 500 demands some compromises in the pursuit of style, though – namely the tiny boot and rear seat space that’s only suitable for children. You also don’t get much in the way of range in this entry-level 24kWh version, so if you plan to do more than potter about down we’d recommend the 42kWh version with its 199-mile official range.
9. BYD Dolphin
Price: £26,195 Range: 211 miles
Want a more aquatic vibe from your cheap electric car? The BYD Dolphin is what you need. Quite apart from the rather on-the-nose name, the BYD’s interior door handles are designed to resemble a Dolphin’s flipper, there’s wave-like detailing on the dash top and the option of sea blue interior trim.
All that aside, the Dolphin is a spacious and well-appointed electric hatchback. The entry-level Active is modestly powered with just 95bhp (the next model up has nearly twice the power) but it’ll go pretty far on a charge and gets the same funky electrically rotating touchscreen as the more expensive models.
10. Vauxhall Corsa Electric
Price: £26,895 Range: 221 miles
The Corsa Electric is by far and away the oldest car in this list, having been around with only a mild refresh since 2019. But Vauxhall has been gradually discounting it over the years, culminating in the low-budget Yes Edition model.
At under £27,000 it’s, amazingly, over £10,000 cheaper than when the old Corsa-e launched in 2019 if adjusted for inflation. It still gets the same 50kWh battery (giving the longest range in this list) and comes with
Cheap used electric cars: our picks for 2025
BMW i3
Price: from £6,000 Range: 80-192 miles (depending on version)
If you’re on the hunt for a used EV bargain, now is a great time to consider the radical BMW i3. Its forward-thinking design seems to look better now than it did when new, and although practicality is a bit limited we love its high quality, futuristic interior. It’s good fun to drive, too, although there are more comfortable alternatives.
A budget of just £6,000 will get you into an early i3. The mileage will be temptingly low, too, but bear in mind that’s because these early 23kWh versions had a range of just 80 miles. Upping the budget a little will get you in a ‘REx’ range-extender hybrid, with a little two-cylinder petrol engine giving a more usable range. The battery was upgraded to 33kWh in 2017 for a 114-mile EV range (from £8500) and again to 42kWh and 173 miles in 2019 (from £9,500).
Vauxhall Corsa e
Price: from £8,500 Range: 222 miles
If the BMW i3 is a bit too ‘out there’ for you, then the affordable Corsa e is a much more sensible bet. It’s a touch more practical, too, while also going further on a charge than even the biggest battery i3. Although hardly likely to get your neighbours curtains twitching, the Corsa is comfortable, offers good performance and comes with plenty of standard kit.
Just £8,500 will get you in a 2019 SE Nav model with 60,000 miles, while £10k gives you a pick of higher specs and lower mileage. It’s worth also checking out the Peugeot e-208, which is the same car under the skin but with funkier looks and a plusher cabin.
MG 5
Price: From £8,000 Range: 250 miles
Even today there are only a handful of electric estate cars available, but back in the day there was only one: the MG 5. If practicality, value and a decent range are your key used EV criteria, then don’t be fooled by the bland stying: the MG is a surprisingly good all-rounder.
Even entry-level SE trim comes with loads of kit including as adaptive cruise control and keyless entry, and you’ll get around 250 miles from a charge with the 57kWh battery. You’ll need just £8,000 for a 2021 model with 100,000 miles, while £16,000 gets you a facelifted 2022 model with around 25,000 miles.
Tesla Model 3
Price: From £12,500 Range: 254-348 miles (depending on version)
You cannot ignore a Tesla if you’re looking for a used electric car with a long range. Once the most popular electric car on the market (before Tesla’s own Model Y came along) the Model 3 is an impressive amount of car for the money thanks to excellent efficiency, market-leading technology, strong performance and a spacious interior.
You’ll find thousands of Model 3s for sale at any given time, and just £12,500 will get you in a 2019 Standard Range Plus with around 100,000 miles. Officially that’ll achieve up to 254 miles on a charge, but £15,000 will get you in a Dual Motor Long Range with a 348-mile range and a 0-60mph time of well under five seconds.
Skoda Enyaq
Price: From £15,000 Range: 246-339 miles (depending on version)
If you need more practicality than all of the above cars offer and don’t mind paying for the privilege, may we direct you towards the capable Skoda Enyaq. It’s got oodles of interior space and a big boot, while also being comfortable, nice to drive, well-equipped and efficient.
You’ll need a budget of around £15,000 to get in a 60 model with 85,000 miles (and a 246-mile range), while £18,000 gets you in a similar mileage 80 model with an impressive 339-mile range.
Cheapest electric car FAQs
Which EV is the cheapest?
The Citroen Ami is the cheapest electric vehicle you can buy new today in the UK. However, technically speaking it isn’t a car, it’s a ‘quadricycle’. If you want a car that can go on the motorway, seat four and has some proper safety equipment, the Dacia Spring is the cheapest electric car on sale.
Why are Chinese electric cars cheaper?
Chinese-built electric cars tend to be cheaper than European models for a variety of reasons. Partly it’s because labour and manufacturing costs are less, while the Chinese government subsidises its local EV brands to increase competitiveness. Also, China is able to produce EV batteries more cheaply than most other nations.
Do electric cars increase your electric bill?
Clearly, charging an electric car using your household electricity supply will increase your electric bill. However you’ll more than offset that cost by never having to fill up with fuel again. There are specific energy tariffs that allow you to charge your EV fully overnight for just a few pounds.
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