Don’t get us wrong; few things make us happy like a sensational internal combustion engine. Despite what some of the shoutier corners of the internet would have you believe, though, you are allowed to like more than one thing, and the range of electric cars on sale is only getting bigger and better all the time.
In a few short years, EVs have gone from miserable penalty boxes that could barely go from town to town on a charge to genuinely desirable machines that can more than comfortably serve as an only car for lots of people (or perhaps some clean, cheap-to-run daily transport to complement something rorty and petrol-powered for blasting about in at the weekend). In no particular order, and at a vast array of different price points, here are 10 of our very favourites.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Let’s be honest, we truly never believed an electric car could provide genuine engagement and driving thrills in the way internal combustion does. After all, it’s the inherent flaws of an engine that bring character – something an electric motor just can’t recreate.
Well, so we thought, but then Hyundai came along with the Ioniq 5 N. Forget the headline 641bhp and 3.4-second 0-62mph sprint – the Ioniq 5 N’s party trick is e-Shift. This artificially recreates the feeling of an engine and gearbox, and the effect in reality is profound. We even went as far as to proclaim it the first truly great performance EV.
It’s soon to be joined by an Ioniq 6 N that promises an even more refined version of this already brilliant package. At the complete opposite end of the scale, Hyundai also offers the Inster, a cute and characterful little electric city car that we can’t help but love.
Porsche Taycan
Porsche Taycan
Believe it or not, the Porsche Taycan has been around for six years now. Such is the rapid rate of EV advancement in that time that the low-slung four-door risked getting left behind, but Porsche saw to that with 2024’s mid-life update.
It offers up better range than before and is even more blisteringly quick, with up to a brutal 1020bhp on tap in the unhinged Turbo GT version. Even the base car should be quick enough for the real world, though, and all of them drive with a finesse that shows they’ve been developed by the same company that makes the 911.
Fancy some of that in an SUV? Porsche’s second EV, the all-electric Macan, manages to transpose a lot of what’s great about the Taycan into a taller, more practical package without losing too much of its handling chops.
Renault 5/Alpine A290
Renault 5
We’ll keep this duo as a single entry because the Alpine is just the sporty version of the Renault. That reborn Renault 5 has been the utter darling of Europe since it was unveiled in 2024, racking up countless awards, sales and glowing reviews. It’s not hard to see why – the R5 successfully taps into our collective nostalgia centres with its brilliant modern update of the original’s design, and packages it all into a premium-feeling, sweet-handling package that remains more affordable than nearly every rival.
And the Alpine A290? That just takes the excellence of the 5 and sprinkles it with some of the dynamic excellence of the company formerly known as Renaultsport, the brains behind some of the best hot hatches of the 21st century.
There’s also the small matter of the incoming, and joyously mad, 5 Turbo 3E. And if French nostalgia doesn’t work for you, the new Nissan Micra is exactly the same car as the 5 underneath, and costs pretty much the same too. We’ve yet to drive it, but there’s no reason to think it won’t be just as good.
Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce
Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce
Could an EV from a company as renowned for its sparkling engines as Alfa Romeo really be worthy? The Junior Veloce is evidence that yes, it can. Even though it’s a small crossover, its 276bhp makes it usefully quick, but its real piece de resistance is its Torsen limited-slip diff.
Paired with excellently-tuned steering and a host of other chassis tweaks over the standard Junior, it imbues the Veloce with the eager, grippy character of some of the best hot hatches. It’s not the EV for doing massive miles in, but for blasting down your favourite B-road, it’s one of the best.
Should you find the Junior Veloce’s £42,305 price tag a bit steep, or its unconventional looks a bit challenging, a very similar setup can be found for a few grand less in the closely related Abarth 600e. It’ll soon appear in stuff like the Vauxhall Mokka GSE and Peugeot e-208 GTi, both of which should also undercut it on price.
Kia EV3
Kia EV3
The Kia EV3 is not the EV to buy for gut-punch acceleration or Ioniq 5 N-style handling trickery. If you just want an electric car that slips seamlessly into your life, though, not much else comes close.
With its minimalist yet easy-to-operate control layout, wonderfully calm ride and bright, spacious interior, it might just be one of the most de-stressing cars on sale right now. As we said in our review, it does the boring stuff brilliantly, and in the vast majority of driving scenarios, that can matter just as much as blasting off the line or pulling huge lateral G.
Mini Cooper Electric
Mini Cooper SE
The Mini Cooper Electric is a Mini Cooper, complete with the spirited, darty handling, premium but quirky interior and cutesy styling that Mini Coopers have always had. It’s just one that happens to be electric.
In fact, the instantaneous delivery of electric power suits the immediacy of the Cooper SE’s driving experience very nicely. We’d recommend sticking to the entry-level Cooper E or warmed-over SE, though – we were a bit less smitten with Mini’s attempt at a full-on electric hot hatch, the JCW Electric.
VW ID Buzz
VW ID Buzz
The ultimate electric family car? It could well be, providing said family is decently moneyed. VW’s ID range of EVs might have gotten off to a rocky start, but the ID Buzz nails the brief, especially after a round of 2024 updates that improved the previously cack infotainment and brought a more powerful motor and a much-needed seven-seater version.
It’s got looks that make everyone smile, one of the roomiest and most versatile interiors this side of a private jet, and an inherently VW-ish driving experience that some of the ID cars have lacked. Our only advice would be not to bother with the more powerful dual-motor GTX version – just save yourself some money, sit back and relax.
Cupra Born
Cupra Born
The first EV to emerge from Seat’s sporty spinoff/possible successor Cupra, the Born offers up a relaxed and refined driving experience, a spacious and high-quality interior and striking looks. Also copper. Lots of copper.
Plump for the 322bhp VZ version and you’re getting an interesting take on the electric hot hatch – not as immediately involving as some, but one that’s rapid, refined and with a superbly set up chassis.
The Born is, of course, largely identical to the VW ID3, a car that’s seen gentle but transformative improvements since its rocky launch in 2020. While the Born is generally cheaper spec-for-spec, you can get lower-powered entry-level versions of the ID3 with no Cupra equivalent, so it’s worth a look on a tighter budget.
BMW i4
BMW i4
After its first full EV, the i3, was a bit too far ahead of its time, BMW played it safe with its second, the i4. It’s effectively an electric 4 Series Gran Coupe, and therefore has a traditional (if low-slung) four-door silhouette.
That means it drives like a BMW – nicely, in other words. It’s no M3 botherer but it’s nearly as sweet along a nice road as its petrol-powered equivalent, despite its significant heft. It’s also comfy and refined, has a good interior, and gets a solid 300-plus mile real-world range if you opt for one of the lower-powered rear-wheel drive versions. Or, if you want to feel like your organs are falling out, there’s the 593bhp dual-motor M60 version. Either way, it’s one of the most straight-laced, familiar-feeling EVs on this list, and that’s no bad thing.
Polestar 2
Polestar 2
Want an EV that’s reasonably affordable, nice to drive, practical, well-made and gets a strong range? Though it’s one of the oldest cars on this list, having been unveiled way back in 2019, the Polestar 2 is still one of the best all-round electric cars on the market.
The first pure EV from this sporty electrified Volvo offshoot, there’s some much-welcome Scandi DNA from Polestar’s parent brand in the 2’s cabin and styling, but it’s mixed in with a spritelier chassis than you get from anything Volvo-badged these days, and a healthy turn of pace to boot. If you like getting your hands dirty, you can even get a Performance Pack with a set of 22-way manually adjustable Öhlins dampers, but we’re not sure we’d bother.
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