Cheapest Electric Cars 2024

It’s hard to believe how rapidly the modern electric car era has progressed since the weird and not-so-wonderful Mitsubishi i-MiEV went on sale in 2009, a year before the first Nissan Leaf. But such quick progress means that EV development costs have been high, which is why electric cars can still look expensive compared to their petrol and diesel equivalents. Prices are levelling out though - and we are starting to see some new EVs that will dramatically change the pricing landscape. In the meantime, loads of great EVs offer genuinely good value, especially considering how cheap they are to run.
Here are the cheapest new electric cars on sale today all starting below £30,000.

The cheapest new electric car on sale isn’t even a car. It’s a quadricycle, technically. But it looks like a car, right? Okay, maybe not. Still, its weirdness is a big part of the appeal. It’s a quadricycle because any vehicle that weighs less than 450kg and has less than 20 horsepower is one, by definition. The Ami only has eight horsepower, which means it can be driven legally by a 16-year-old with a moped licence. At less than £8,000 it’s cheap for a new ‘car’, but you’ll have to live with its tiny two-seat interior and a 28mph top speed. Hilarious to drive, though. Genuinely.
Your brand new Citroën Ami can be Found AT Auto Trader

If you are after an actual car then the Dacia Spring is the cheapest electric one on offer. It’s a snip at just under £15,000 and covers all the basics making it the definition of cheap and cheerful. Entry-level Expression cars come with rear parking sensors, air conditioning and assistance features such as lane keeping assist and traffic sign recognition. You also have the choice of 45 of 65 horsepower. Meanwhile top of the range Extreme models are all 65 horsepower and get front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, and a central infotainment screen. It’s Dacia to a tee with rugged styling, functional interior, and a range of around 140 miles. However, refinement isn't the Spring's strong point so it is best kept within city limits.
Your brand new Dacia Spring can be Found AT Auto Trader

The Citroën ë-C3 is a step up from the Dacia Spring in all respects. Yes it does cost more, but it is larger and represents impressive value for money with a usable range of nearly 200 miles. Citroën believes the ë-C3 will help to make electric motoring more accessible and we think it would easily slot into most people’s daily routine. It comes with a decent amount of kit as standard and it’s very comfortable thanks to Citroën’s advanced comfort seats and suspension. With quirky looks and customisable colour clips to add a dash of your own personality, it’s a fun, compact and affordable electric car which is well worth a look.
Your brand new Citroën ë-C3 can be Found AT Auto Trader

By fixing everything that was fundamentally below par about the outgoing Fiat 500 – mainly the poor driver ergonomics and patchy interior quality – the latest 500 is already a massive improvement. The fact that it’s electric makes it even better. Two battery choices mean you can opt for a cheaper version if you don’t need big range (the smaller battery will give you about 100 miles), but whichever you choose, the latest 500 is just great. A tall adult can now get comfy in the driver’s seat, and electric power means it’s really refined and feels proper quick.
Your brand new Fiat 500e can be Found AT Auto Trader

Build Your Dreams (BYD) called this ‘Dolphin’ because it’s part of a series of cars designed using an “ocean aesthetics” brief. Nope, us neither. That aside, it’s actually a very sensible small EV that’s surprisingly spacious and has a lot of kit for the money. The interior is a lot more interesting to look at than the exterior, albeit the driving experience doesn’t have the refinement or sophistication of, say, an MG4. Still, a lot of EV for the money.
Your brand new BYD Dolphin can be Found AT Auto Trader

The YES Edition of the Vauxhall Corsa Electric brings it well under £30,000 in a bid to help ease the cost of going electric. It come with the choice of four colours and a decent amount of kit. The YES Edition has 136 horsepower and a slightly smaller range than the higher-level models, but it still should be able to travel around 200 miles according to official figures. This should easily be enough for most day-to-day driving.
Your brand new Vauxhall Corsa Electric can be Found AT Auto Trader

The MG4 is almost certainly the best value electric car on sale today, picking up the crown from another MG, the ZS EV . It’s a more appealing car than the ZS in most ways: looks sharper, more interesting to drive, very nearly as spacious, just as comfy, and with excellent battery range. There are two battery choices, in fact, but even the smaller of them boasts a 323-mile range – surprisingly close to the 365 miles of the ‘Long Range’ version. A very easy car to recommend.
Your brand new MG4 can be Found AT Auto Trader

Okay, so the Zoe feels like it’s been around for years... because it has. The version on sale now is basically the car that first appeared in 2012. However, a constant schedule of improvements means that today’s Zoe is actually very different from decade-old versions. The battery has grown from 22kWh to 52kWh – now good for a 245-mile range – and the interior has had a total makeover. It feels modern and high quality, and because the Zoe is tall, it has an airy feel that makes it a small car suitable for taller people.
Your brand new Renault Zoe can be Found AT Auto Trader

The Mazda MX-30 was met with a mixed reception when it launched. It’s great to drive – as much fun as you could possibly expect from a small electric SUV – and it’s designed with a sense of fun, including its rear-hinged ‘suicide’ back doors. Its infotainment system is proper intuitive to use too. All good. That said, the battery is on the small side. At 35kWh, it's less than half the capacity of the battery in an MG ZS. Therefore, the 124-mile range (which is closer to 100 in real life) is prohibitively low for many. Shame, because with a bigger battery it would be superb.
Your brand new Mazda MX-30 can be Found AT Auto Trader

The car that started it all (sort of) is now in its second generation, and it’s still one of the most appealing EVs on sale. It feels high quality, has plenty of space in the rear seats, and is designed to be comfortable to drive first and foremost. Nissan has a habit of sporadically introducing new trim levels with confusing names, but even a base model (whatever it happens to be called when you read this) will be chock full of safety tech and convenience features. The 40kWh battery should be good for a real-world 150-mile range.
Your brand new Nissan Leaf can be Found AT Auto Trader