Best electric cars in the UK

The best electric cars give you much more than just a good battery range. They’re also impressively practical, good to drive and excellent value for money. Our top 10 includes options to suit a variety of budgets, whether you’re buying via EV car finance or outright. Our focus is on new cars, and includes the latest models, but many of these cars are also available to buy used. If you’re inspired to make the switch to an electric car, check out our free car valuation tool – a quick, hassle-free way to find out how much you could get for your current car. 

The cars featured in this article

• BMW iX3

• Mercedes-Benz CLA

• Renault 5 E-Tech

• Kia EV3

• Skoda Elroq

• Citroen E-C3

• MG 4 Urban

• Renault Scenic E-Tech

• Kia EV9

• Tesla Model 3

1.BMW iX3 

Maximum range: 500 miles

The latest, second-generation BMW iX3 was the first car in the UK with a battery range starting with a ‘5’. Yep, 500 miles. Enough, in theory, for a return trip from London to Blackpool without stopping to recharge. Since it went on sale in late 2025, a couple of newcomers have beaten it for outright range, but the iX3 remains one of the longest-range electric cars you can buy, and one of the best. 

As you’d expect of a BMW, it’s great to drive and feels classy inside. Futuristic, too, thanks to its minimalist design and ‘BMW Panoramic Vision’ – a digital display that projects information onto a strip at the bottom of the windscreen. Sounds wacky, but it’s surprisingly user-friendly. The interior is also hugely spacious, with limo-like rear legroom and a large boot. Want some more good news? This new iX3 is about £7000 cheaper than the first one, so it’s decent value too.

2. Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric

Maximum range: 483 miles

Thanks to its super-sleek shape, the Mercedes-Benz CLA looks more like a coupe than a saloon. The low roofline and smooth sides aren’t just about style, though. They also help the CLA cut through the air as efficiently as possible, and that goes a long way to boosting battery range. In fact, the CLA’s maximum of 483 miles was the longest range of any electric car in the UK for a while (until the BMW iX3 came along). 

There’s more than just a mega-range to like about the CLA, starting with its showstopping interior. There’s no dashboard to speak of, just a huge display screen that stretches from one side of the car to the other. It looks amazing, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to hear an “Oh wow!” from anyone who gets in the car for the first time. Back-seat space is a little tight due to the swoopy shape, but the CLA is still a practical car. It’s also a very classy one, offering the kind of smooth, quiet ride you associate with a Mercedes-Benz saloon. 

3. Renault 5 E-Tech

Maximum range: 250 miles

What’s the most desirable car on the planet right now? An ultra-luxury SUV or mega-fast sports car, perhaps? We think it might be the Renault 5 E-Tech, a compact electric hatchback that costs about the same as a petrol-powered Volkswagen Polo. Seriously, this is one of the hottest cars around. 

And not just because of its gorgeous modern-retro exterior design. It’s just as chic inside, with lovely details and interesting materials (some versions have recycled denim seat trim). The 5 is also good to drive, and all versions have an easy-to-use infotainment system and wireless smartphone connectivity. Battery range is a match for most small electric cars, too. On top of all this, it’s comparatively cheap, well-equipped and available in some awesome colour combos. No wonder it was named European Car of the Year 2025.

4. Kia EV3

Maximum range: 375 miles

Like all Kia’s latest cars, it has a bold, futuristic look – in fact, it’s like a wild concept car that you can actually buy. And in common with other Kia models, it gives you a lot for your money. Prices start at about £33,000, and even the entry-level car has LED headlights, heated front seats, front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera. Maximum range is ahead of most rival cars, with all but the entry-level version capable of well over 300 miles on a full charge. 

Kia might not have been overly creative with the name of its latest electric hatchback (yep, we get it – it’s an EV!), but in every other respect, it’s smashed it out of the park.

5. Skoda Elroq

Maximum range: 355 miles

Skoda already produced one of the best electric SUVs in the shape of the Enyaq – but in 2025, it launched the Elroq, which is arguably even better. The two cars share many parts, and both give you the kind of generous boot space and budget-friendly prices that Skoda is known for. The Elroq gets our vote because it’s more compact, yet still very practical, and it costs a lot less.

Although the Elroq is fairly compact, it makes a great family car thanks to its smooth drive and spacious, solid interior. A starting price of about £34,000 gets you the SE L model, which has useful features such as front parking sensors and heated front seats. It has a range of up to 267 miles, while an extra £3000 or so gets you the larger-battery version with its 355-mile range. 

6. Citroen E-C3

Maximum range: 202 miles

Citroen is famous for its quirky, affordable cars, and the E-C3 brings all of that into the electric era. Prices start at about £20,000, although you need to upgrade to the version with the ‘standard’ battery for a range of just over 200 miles, rather than 130 miles. Even so, the E-C3 still costs less than many petrol-powered hatchbacks. 

For that money, you get a smart-looking car with SUV vibes, a slightly elevated driving position and a reasonably spacious interior. It’s fairly basic inside, but comes with all mod-cons. Comfort is a strong point, thanks to a smooth ride and especially cushy seats.

7. MG4 EV Urban

Maximum range: 258 miles

Looking for a bargain-priced electric family car? The MG4 EV Urban could be just what you’re after. It was introduced in early 2026 as a cheaper alternative to the existing MG4 EV that’s been on sale since 2022. Confusingly, the two models are completely different. While the older car is a sportier, more premium model, the MG4 EV Urban is larger, yet costs a lot (about £6500) less. 

With prices from less than £24,000, you get a lot of car for the money. It’s more practical than most EVs at this price, with generous headroom and legroom and a boot large enough to throw in a week’s holiday luggage or a baby buggy plus assorted parenting paraphernalia. The maximum range is 201 miles with the standard battery and 258 miles if you go for the long-range battery option. Not class-leading figures, but potentially enough to cover school runs and local shopping trips for a couple of weeks. 

8. Renault Scenic E-Tech

Maximum range: 383 miles

Like all Renault’s latest models, the Scenic has an especially good infotainment system that looks smart and is very easy to use. The rest of the interior is very stylish and, considering how much equipment you get for your money, the Scenic is very competitively priced. Battery range is near the top of the class, with Long Range models capable of 383 miles on a full charge.

Once upon a time, the Renault Scenic was a practical but not especially stylish MPV. Nowadays, it’s a sleek, sharp-edged SUV with pure electric power. Although not quite as versatile as its predecessor, it’s one of the most family-friendly cars of its type thanks to its spacious interior, large boot and a rear seat backrest that you can fold down in three sections to balance passenger and boot space. 

9. Kia EV9

Maximum range: 349 miles

The Kia EV9 is the brand’s most expensive model yet, with a starting price of almost £67,000. That might seem a lot, but when you consider how much you get for your money, it’s actually something of a bargain. 

Thing is, the EV9 is a powerful and luxurious family SUV that’s stylish, loaded with kit and seats up to seven in comfort. Its nearest EV rival, the Volvo EX90, costs about £6,000 more in its cheapest form, and the Kia matches it for design flair, comfort and tech. No other seven-seat SUV has a design that’s as bold as the EV9’s, either, and very few can match Kia’s seven-year warranty from new. Battery range is nearly 350 miles, and the EV9 accepts ultra-fast charging, allowing you to add 154 miles of range in just 15 minutes.

10.Tesla Model 3

Maximum range: 466 miles

Yes, we know – Elon. But whatever you think of the world’s richest person, the Model 3 remains one of the best electric cars around. Even though it was introduced way back in 2019, constant improvements over the years have kept it bang up to date. 

Image courtesy of Tesla, Inc.

Even now, the latest model is up there with much newer rivals thanks to a maximum of 466 miles on a full charge for the longest-range version. The Model 3 remains one of the quickest electric cars, too, and it gives you the benefit of Tesla’s network of high-powered ‘Supercharger’ chargers. While the ‘everything on a touchscreen’ layout isn’t to all tastes, it contributes to the Model 3’s minimalist look and over-the-air updates keep it packed with the latest features. New prices start at just under £38,000, which is very reasonable. Used versions can be a real bargain, with prices starting at just over £10,000.