What could be better than gliding around the in near silence, knowing that you’re saving loads of money on fuel and not producing any smoke out of an exhaust at the same time? Sounds idyllic, right?!
With one of these amazing small electric cars you can do just that and more. The electric cars of today can go great distances between charges, are easy to park and you can drive into the inner-city charging zones that are cropping up in cities around the country.
Taking the leap into electric is all about the numbers for many people, all the way from how much you should pay for the car (there are some great tools out there, like this online car valuation tool) to how many charging points are in your area – the likes of Zap Map will help with that.
Once you’ve done your sums, these are the cars you could be zipping around town in.
- Fiat 500 Electric
Could the Fiat 500 be the most quintessentially stylish urban runabout? The new one is tailor made for towns with its dinky dimensions and super-cool looks. Fiat also made a big statement by saying that it will only be available as an electric model. You get a choice of battery packs, too, with the 24kWh model promising 115 miles and the 42kWh version offering 199 miles of range.
- Renault Zoe
Renault has been making electric cars, and the small Zoe, for a fair while now and the little car has got better and better with every update. It’s now got to the place where it can offer a decent 250-mile range from its 52kWh battery, which will get you around town for days before you have to plug in. The interior might not be as slick as some of its more modern rivals but that range more than makes up for it.
- Vauxhall Corsa
If you didn’t have a Corsa as your first car then the chances are one of your mates did, and now the perennial favourite can be had with a 50kWh battery that promises a range of 209 miles. If you have a rapid charger near you then you’ll be able to get to the battery to 80% in just 30 minutes and to 100% in only 50 minutes.
- Peugeot 208
Like the sound of the tech under the Corsa but don’t like the looks? The Peugeot 208 is basically the same car and has the same battery and motor. Officially it can go a tiny bit further between charges – 211 miles – but as ever with ranges you can’t bank on that every time. The really good news is that the e208 is simple to drive and is proof that going electric need not be intimidating.
- Kia Soul EV
The Kia Soul is proof that not all small cars need look the same – its boxy styling is perfect for town. It’s got some seriously impressive stats to go with those looks too, with its 64kWh battery promising a whopping 280 miles of EV range. If that’s not enough then you can get from 0-62mph in just 7.9 seconds and it’s even pretty good fun to drive.
- Renault Twizy
Fancy something really different? The Renault Twizy is definitely that! It’s like a mixture of electric car and bike, but with a roof and doors. Its tiny size means that it will nip in and out of tight spots in town too. It’s a true urbanite though – with its 62-mile maximum range you wouldn’t get far out of town without needing to stop and charge. It’s also no longer offered for sale so you’ll be looking at used bargains instead.