For all their apparent novelty it’s hard to believe that electric cars (EVs) have been a mainstream mobility choice for over a decade now, and have been bought, driven and owned by thousands of British motorists.
This Saturday marks World EV Day, a date to celebrate, and raise awareness of electric vehicles and their many benefits. With under seven years to go until the 2030 cut-off date for the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK keeping the conversation going around electric cars, busting the many myths that have grown up around them and understanding whether an EV is the right choice for you right now has never been more important. We understand it’s a difficult, often confusing decision to make, so we’ve tried to ease the way through the jargon and the myths with a collection of accessible, plain-speaking advice as well as the UK’s largest choice of new and used EVs on sale. In the meantime to mark World EV Day our expert Auto Trader car reviewers have selected their top 10 most important electric cars of recent years...

Your expert panel:

Erin Baker, Auto Trader Editorial Director Single mum, works full time, has off-street parking and home charger on an EV tariff. Typical weekly journeys: daily school run, gym, shopping, commute to train station, 2-3 motorway journeys of avg 100 miles. Mark Nichol, Auto Trader Senior Content Producer Dad of two, car reviewer, fast SUV owner, slow Nissan owner, regular EV user, EV Rally of Scotland participant. Based in Newcastle, drive at least 500 miles a week, a lot of it on the A1. Dan Trent, Auto Trader Content Editor Active family guy working full time with a mixture of regular local journeys, a 30-mile commute taking in motorway, country roads and city driving and regular 400-mile round trips on the motorway for work. Has off-street parking and a home charger. Has been seen driving EVs on track days.

“Someone in Honda is a true visionary who saw EVs need to be so much more than a car” – Erin Baker

It’s expensive and impractical, with less than 100 miles of range but, oh my, it’s stunning! Literally everyone loves you. That retro yet contemporary face, the brilliant paint colours, and cool grey textiles, brown seat belts, a massive digital clock against blue sky, wood everywhere and a three-pin plug in the back. Best of all: a digital aquarium of fish swimming across your car. Someone in Honda is a true visionary who saw EVs need to be so much more than a car. No one has improved on the fish. Read the review Search for a Honda E on Auto Trader

“Here we are, a century later, with the world’s most luxurious EV - Spectre” – Erin Baker

Charles Rolls was an electrical engineer, so in effect the British supreme luxury brand was invented for electric propulsion. And here we are, a century later, with the world’s most luxurious EV - Spectre. Silent, powerful, spacious and highly desirable, it proves electric cars aren’t boring or a hairshirt option, especially when you can have starlit doors, lambswool carpets and an art gallery behind the dashboard. There’s even a usable range of 329 miles. Yes, it has a questionable carbon footprint, but you cannot argue that this is the marker for luxe, zero tailpipe-emissions living. Read the review Search for a Rolls-Royce Spectre on Auto Trader

“The design twist is subtle but effective, and there are some stunning paint colours” – Erin Baker

A seminal car on the basis the 500e proves you can get decent range in a tiny, chic package, with a maximum 119 miles on offer, at a reasonable price. Inside, there are imaginative uses of recycled marine plastics and styling touches like the silhouette of Turin and an imprint of the 1957 model on the door lining. Outside, the design twist is subtle but effective, and there are some stunning paint colours, making the electric version seem the more glamorous option. Read the review Search for a Fiat 500e on Auto Trader

“In 2009 it became the first modern production electric car, and it proved that EVs could (and would) be a thing” – Mark Nichol

The i-MiEV looked ridiculous, had a stupid name, a battery with less life than an office on Christmas Day, and hardly anybody bought one. But in 2009 it became the first modern production electric car, and it proved that EVs could (and would) be a thing. It sounds silly to say now, but even the fact that it could hit motorway speed was a revelation. That feeling everyone gets of an EV being unconventionally quick and quiet, and just totally different, started with the i-MiEV. Read the review Search for a Mitsubishi i-MIEV on Auto Trader

“The prosaic stuff is just as dazzling as the design itself” – Mark Nichol

Where manufacturers like Audi and Vauxhall are making their EVs appear ‘normal’ so as not to alienate car buyers, the Ioniq 5 says, “yep, I’m an EV… take it or leave it.” Proper cutting-edge tech and big battery wrapped in a body that’s as practical as an SUV, the prosaic stuff is just as dazzling as the design itself. Stuff like its massive glovebox drawer, its three-pin socket, and genuinely useful blind spot cameras. The Ioniq 5 is arguably the world’s best EV. Read the review Search for a Hyundai Ioniq 5 on Auto Trader

“An exercise in manufacturing the best and most efficient mass-market EV possible” – Mark Nichol

Even today, 10 years after it launched and with production now ended, the BMW i3 feels like one of the most modern EVs on the road. An exercise in manufacturing the best and most efficient mass-market EV possible, the body is made from plastic-reinforced carbon fibre, for strength and lightness. So strong, in fact, that the i3 doesn’t need a pillar between the doors, hence the rear-hinged back doors. They’re useless in a tight car park, but they’re cool all the same. Read the review Search for a BMW i3 on Auto Trader

“The G-Wiz was technically an electrically powered quadricycle and not a car, and not an especially impressive one at that” – Dan Trent

Like the modern-day Citroën Ami the G-Wiz was technically an electrically powered quadricycle and not a car, and not an especially impressive one at that. A brief moment of popularity (and notoriety) among virtue signalling London based celebs earned it cameo appearances in the mainstream media, perhaps more by accident than design raising early awareness among the wider public for how EVs work as affordable, eco-friendly urban transport. Not a great electric car. But an important one, in its way.

“The Model S was truly its breakthrough moment” – Dan Trent

‘Gamechanger’ is a much over-used boast but the Tesla Model S truly deserves the title, and will likely go down in history alongside the likes of the Ford Model T, Volkswagen Beetle and original Mini as one of the great automotive innovators. And while Tesla’s first car may have been an electrified Lotus conversion the Model S was truly its breakthrough moment, the sleek looks perhaps deliberately conservative so as not to spook people while the range, performance and onboard tech of the original would still be competitive today. Read the review Search for a Tesla Model S on Auto Trader

“Porsche’s Taycan is an especially impressive example of how a brand’s engineering and emotional character can successfully survive the switch” – Dan Trent

The European car industry was caught asleep at the wheel by the likes of Tesla but when the giants of the business finally did wake up they showed what they are truly capable of. With electric technology honed in racing, Porsche’s Taycan is an especially impressive example of how a brand’s engineering and emotional character can successfully survive the switch from internal combustion. The fact it’s all electric and yet still all Porsche is the Taycan’s cleverest trick. Read the review Search for a Porsche Taycan on Auto Trader

“What it lacked in glamour made up for in its forward-thinking clarity of purpose” – Dan Trent

Carlos Ghosn’s career may have ended in infamy but he was quicker than most automotive bosses to see the promise of electrification and instrumental in leading the alliance between Nissan and Renault onto this path. The pooled resources resulted in the Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe, both with a focus on affordability, ease of use and urban-friendly range. Of the two the Leaf was earlier to market and gets the nod here, what it lacked in glamour made up for in its forward-thinking clarity of purpose. Learn about life with a used Nissan Leaf here Search for a Nissan Leaf on Auto Trader