Electric cars (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular around the world, and the United Kingdom is no exception. The demand for electric city cars is increasing as there is a greater emphasis on sustainability, better air, and lower emissions.
These tiny and environmentally friendly vehicles are not only useful for navigating urban surroundings, but they also contribute to a cleaner future.
In this post, we’ll look at the 20 finest all-around electric city vehicles on the market in the UK, taking into account variables like range, price, practicality, and features.
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Top 20 Best Electric Cars In The UK For All-round Performance
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1. Fiat 500e
The Fiat 500 has long been a popular city car, and the launch of the electric version makes it a perfect contender.
There are two models available: a 118bhp and a 95bhp, with a £3,000 price difference between them.
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The 24kWh battery is stated to have a range of 118 miles, while the 42kWh battery has a range of 200 miles. If you choose the larger battery, the 500e can be charged at up to 85kW, as opposed to 50kW for the 24kWh.
It seats three passengers and has a cargo capacity of 185 litres. Prices begin at £28,195.
2. Vauxhall Corsa Electric
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The Vauxhall Corsa Electric is available with two powertrains: a 134bhp motor and a 51kWh battery that provides up to 222 miles of range, or a 154bhp model that utilizes the same battery but can travel up to 246 miles on a single charge.
The less powerful Corsa starts at £32,445, while the top-of-the-line model starts at £38,585. The shorter-range variant is available in two trim levels: entry-level Design and mid-level GS. The long-distance vehicle is available in GS or Ultimate trim levels.
3. Peugeot e-208
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When a manufacturer releases an EV edition of its ICE vehicle, it usually gets smooth body panels and blue accents, but the e-208 looks the same.
Underneath is a 134bhp motor powered by a 50kWh battery, with a range of 225 miles and support for 100kW charging. It includes rear parking sensors as standard. It also seats four people and has 311 litres of cargo space, which is the same as the ICE model.
Prices begin at £31,745.
A new e-208 is on the way, with the next-generation vehicle boasting a slightly larger 51kWh battery and a range of up to 248 miles.
4. Jeep Avenger
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Although it bears the Jeep moniker and appears enormous in photos, the Avenger is smaller than the Renegade, measuring just under 4.1m in length and 1.7m in width.
Prices begin at £35,700, but you get a 248-mile range, a 24-minute quick charge from 20% to 80% at 100kWh, and a 156bhp motor. It has standard rear parking sensors and a boot capacity of 355 litres.
5. Dacia Spring
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The Spring, which will be available in 2024, is being touted as Europe’s cheapest electric car, with a price tag of less than £20,000. It is currently propelled by a 44bhp electric motor that is charged by a 26.8kWh battery.
This translates to a stated range of 143 miles. It is 1.5m tall, has a sprinkling of the Dacia’s rough terrain ability, and is 3.7m in length, making it a great city car. There are 23 litres of storage in the front and 300 litres in the boot, which doubles when the seats are folded flat.
6. Mini Electric
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The Mini Electric stays true to the Mini brand: it’s compact (3.8m length and 1.7m width), has a Cooper S-rivaling 181bhp, and is quick about town thanks to its tight chassis.
The range is advertised to be 145 miles, but charging takes only 36 minutes using a 50kW rapid charger. The boot space is 211 litres, but folding the seats flat increases this to 731 litres.
There are three Mini Electric models to select from, each with a different level of technology: the £32,550 Level 2, the £34,500 Level 3, and the £35,050 Resolute.
7. BYD Dolphin
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BYD has previously given us the quirky Atto 3, a competition for the MG ZS, but with the Dolphin, it is now going after rivals in the supermini class.
Prices start at £25,490 for the base Active model and rise to £30,990 for the top-of-the-line design. Its 204bhp is more than plenty for city driving, and BYD claims it can travel 265 miles on a single charge. It comes standard with a heat pump and a rear-cross traffic warning.
It has a 4.2m length and a 1.7m width due to its compact structure.
8. Mazda MX-30
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The MX-30’s low roof line and 4.4m SUV-like footprint indicate that it is unsure of which category it fits in.
However, it rides nicely on uneven roads, and its 124-mile range is ideal for city travel. Prices start at £31,250, and cars come standard with front and rear parking sensors as well as a reversing camera.
The boot space is 366 litres, but it expands to 1,171 litres when the seats are folded.
9. Renault Zoe
There’s no disputing that the Zoe has long been a fan favourite, with a starting price of £29,995 and a range of 239 miles. It’s small enough to zip around cities, measuring only 4m long and 1.7m wide, and seats four people.
Park assist, active emergency braking, keyless entry, a reverse parking camera, and lane-keep assist are all standard features. The boot has 338 litres of space, which grows to 1,225 litres when the seats are folded.
10. Honda E
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Are you looking to make your city EV stand out? From its camera side mirrors to its boxy design and lounge-like interior, the Honda E’s bizarreness covers that.
Previously, purchasers could select from a basic E model with 137bhp, but Honda has subsequently withdrawn this option, leaving only the range-topping Advance model for £37,395. Power is up to 152bhp in this configuration, and Honda claims the E can travel over 140 miles.
Honda’s Parking Pilot and multi-view camera system will be helpful when navigating or parking on city streets.
11. Smart #1
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While it is a crossover, the #1 is approximately 4.2m in length and 1.8m in width, and it is touted to have an interior size comparable to the Mercedes E Class.
Under its sleek exterior, you’ll find a 62kWh battery with a range of 273 miles and a 264bhp rear-wheel drive motor. There are three variants available: Pro+, Premium, and Brabus; all accept 150kW charging.
The boot capacity is 273 litres, but sliding the back seats forward increases this to 411 litres, and folding the seats flat yields 986 litres. Prices begin at £35,950.
12. Hyundai Ioniq 5
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The Ioniq 5, which starts at £43,445, is another unusual vehicle to enter our list. There are three options: Premium, Ultimate, and Namsan Edition.
Depending on your demands, the range includes two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive options, as well as 238-mile 58kWh and 282-mile 77kWh batteries.
The standard technology list is excellent, with features such as all-around LED lighting, blind-spot assist, parking distance warning, and rear-view monitoring with dynamic parking advice. Outside, it is 4.6m long and just under 1.9m wide, making it one of the largest cars on our list, but don’t be put off by this.
You also get 527 litres of boot capacity, which expands to 1,587 litres if the rear seats are removed.
13. Volkswagen ID 3
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This year, Volkswagen redesigned the ID 3, giving it a smoother front appearance and a new bumper with fins on either side.
There are two battery options: the 58kWh (Pro) for 266 miles and the 77kWh (Pro S) for 347 miles. It offers light steering, a short turning circle, plenty of visibility, and 18 or 19″ alloy wheels that give superior cushioning over speed bumps and tougher terrain. Prices begin at £37,115.
14. Citroën Ami
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The Ami, with its 28mph top speed and 8bhp, isn’t meant to replace your automobile; rather, it’s supposed to complement it, much like an e-bike.
It’s a quadricycle, so getting around town is a breeze thanks to its 2.4m length and 1.39m breadth. There are other colour and sticker options, including the Cargo, which removes the passenger seat and replaces it with a 140kg load space.
There is no boot, but there is a little compartment in front of the passenger seat that is large enough for a bag. Prices begin at just £7,695.
15. BMW i3
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While the BMW i3 is no longer available new, a used model may be had for as little as £8,000.
In exchange, you get a four-seater with a 170bhp engine and a claimed 100-mile range, which is estimated to be closer to 80 miles in real-world city driving. To alleviate range concerns, you can choose the range extender, which includes a small 647cc scooter-derived engine that increases the range to 186 miles.
16. Smart EQ ForTwo
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Nothing says city vehicle like a Smart ForTwo, and the EQ has all the small sweetness plus a zero-emission drivetrain.
Prices start at £23,375 for a 17.6kWh battery with a range of roughly 60 miles. There is space for one passenger inside, and the boot holds 260 litres.
Despite its small size, it comes standard with all the important features, such as rear parking assists and a reversing camera, and it has an acoustic presence detector, which emits a sound outside the vehicle to notify pedestrians of your presence.
17. Ora Funkycat
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Ora, a Great Wall Motors-owned company recognized in the UK for its attractive Funkycat EV, is new to the British EV industry. In terms of size, it is comparable to the Volkswagen ID 3, and its 193-mile range allows it to travel outside of the city if necessary.
The cargo holds 228 litres, and the front wheels are powered by a 171bhp single motor. The suspension is gentle on city road bumps, and the steering is light; it also offers a single-pedal driving mode, which is useful when traffic is heavy.
Prices begin at £31,995.
18. Kia Soul EV
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The Kia Soul EV, which was facelifted in 2020, offers eye-catching styling and checks all the criteria for a city car: 4.1m length, 1.8m width, and a reversing camera.
There are two trim levels to pick from £32,845 for the 39.2kWh Urban and £39,045 for the 64.8kWh Explore. The entry-level model has an overall range of 171 miles, while the range-topper has a range of 280 miles and a power range of 134 to 201bhp.
The boot space is adequate at 315 litres, and both types accept charging currents of up to 100kW.
19. Citroen DS3 E-tense
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The E-tense is a crossover, but at 4.1m long and 1.8m wide, it’s city-friendly, and there’s no reduction in boot room compared to the ICE variant, which measures 350 litres.
Across the board, there is only one electric variant: a 248-mile battery and a 155bhp motor. Entry-level vehicles lack a rear-view camera but do feature rear parking sensors. Prices begin at £37,200.
20. Nissan Leaf
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The Leaf rounds off our list as an excellent option to get started with electric city car ownership. It measures 4.4m in length and 1.8m in width, has a 435-litre capacity, and produces 148bhp.
The entry-level ‘Shiro’ costs £28,495 and comes with a 39kWh battery and a 168-mile range. In addition, you’ll get 50kW quick charging, a rear-cross traffic alarm, blind spot identification, a rear-view camera, a 360-degree camera, and moving object detection.
The UK electric vehicle market has never been more diverse or intriguing. There is an electric city car to fit every taste and budget, with an increasing variety of possibilities. Whether you value range, affordability, luxury, or environmental friendliness, there’s a suitable electric city car for you on this list.
As the electric vehicle market evolves, it is evident that sustainable and efficient urban travel is here to stay.
What do you think about it? Do let us know in the comments.
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