Top 10 best EVs for under £35,000
Got a budget of £35,000 to spend on a new electric car? We’ve selected the 10 best models on the market
New cars are expensive, but shop about and it’s surprising what you can find for a relatively tight budget and modest monthly payments.
That’s where our list of the 10 best EVs for under £35,000 comes in. While not exactly pocket change, competitive finance deals and low running costs make these cars more affordable than you think. The cheapest among them are far less than our limit, too.
Below you’ll find everything from a practical people-mover to nimble electric hot hatchbacks aimed at driving enthusiasts, and plenty of sensible family choices too – as well as the model we voted as our Car of the Year in the 2023 DrivingElectric Awards.
1. MG4 EV
The MG4 is DrivingElectric’s Car of the Year, which tells you all you need to know about MG’s latest family EV. In a footprint the size of a Ford Focus and a starting price tag (under £27k) that undercuts all but a handful of other EVs, the MG4 packs a minimum of 218 miles of range, a practical cabin, and a more entertaining and engaging drive than many of its rivals. Because of the low entry price, even the 280-mile Long Range model comes in under £30k, while the new 323-mile Extended Range and 423bhp XPower versions only just breaks our budget. A slightly cheap-feeling cabin is pretty much the only black mark on its otherwise clean score sheet.
Read our MG4 EV review here to find out more
2. Hyundai Kona Electric
By the skin of a crisp five-pound note the brand-new Hyundai Kona Electric sneaks into our list. At £34,995 that makes it one of the more expensive cars here, but Hyundai has made big strides over its likeable predecessor with the latest Kona Electric. From its sharper exterior styling to an interior that echoes the larger Hyundai Ioniq 5, there’s plenty to recommend. The cheapest cars still do more than 230 miles on a charge (with a 40-minute top-up from 10-80 per cent thanks to 102kW charging), while those costing a little more will break the 300-mile barrier if you’re careful. Every car drives well and comes with plenty of kit, too.
Read our full Hyundai Kona Electric review to find out more.
3. BYD Dolphin
BYD – that’s ‘Build Your Dreams’, so we’ll probably just stick with the initials – has been around for two decades now, but with the entry-level Dolphin, the brand is making a real splash into the UK market. Like many Chinese makers, BYD is competing with a mix of price and technology, and it absolutely nails the former, with this Ford Fiesta-sized small car starting at just over £25,000. We’re not as convinced by the tech, with a gimmicky rotating touchscreen on the dash, but the hardware is responsive enough. The cheapest model is good for around 200 miles of range, while even top-end models with more power and extra range fall well within budget.
Read our full MG ZS EV review to find out more.
4. Citroen e-Berlingo
The original Citroen Berlingo made a mockery of its people-carrying contemporaries, demonstrating that a van with windows and seats was always going to offer better utility than something trying desperately to avoid any commercial connotations. Today, the e-Berlingo does the same, showing ‘lifestyle’-oriented electric SUVs what real space and practicality looks like. Its 174-mile range isn’t as useful as some, and what you gain in space you lose in touchy-feely interior materials, but it’s a doddle to drive and massive inside. Peugeot and Vauxhall offer equivalents that are largely identical under the skin, but with a £32,315 starting price, the Citroen’s the cheapest of the bunch.
TrustpilotRead our full review of the Citroen e-Berlingo to find out more.
5. MG ZS EV
It won’t stand out in a crowd like the MG4 and isn’t as good to drive either, but as an affordable electric option in the popular small SUV segment, the MG ZS EV makes plenty of sense from a pragmatist’s perspective. Like other MG electric cars even the entry-level model has a usable range (198 miles for just over £30k), and while the cabin’s not up there with the best to behold, there’s plenty of space both for passengers and luggage, so it should slip easily into family life. Spend a bit more – but still without breaking the bank – and MG offers a ZS capable of 273 miles on a charge.
Read our full MG ZS EV review to find out more.
6. Fiat 500e
The Fiat 500e is a former DrivingElectric Car of the Year, and it remains one of the most desirable small cars – electric or otherwise – on the market. Its styling has a retro-futuristic feel that’s less cutesy than the combustion-powered 500, but those hints back to the 1957 original still make it more chic than most rivals. The entry-level model is priced just over £28,000, though its 118-mile range may be limiting for some. From a shade over £31,000 you get a 42kWh battery pack good for 199 miles, and that’s the model we’d recommend. The new Abarth 500e hot hatch slips under our £35k limit too – with 150bhp on tap, a synthesised exhaust note, and some wild colour options.
Read our full review Fiat 500 to find out more.
7. Nissan Leaf
Unless there’s one already on the driveway, you’d probably forgotten the Nissan Leaf exists. When the original Leaf debuted it was one of just a handful of other EVs on the market, but now there are dozens to choose from, the one that started it all has faded into the background. But with prices starting at under £30,000 for a reasonable 168-mile range, a spacious cabin, and surprisingly good driver-assistance tech for what’s now an older model, it’s better than you’d expect. Several rivals are better to drive and offer more surprise-and-delight features, but if you’re not bothered about all that, the Leaf is still worth a look.
Read our in-depth Nissan Leaf review to find out more.
8. Peugeot e-208
Peugeot has always made its smaller models lively to drive, and it’s no surprise that the e-208 feels right at home with punchy electric power driving its front wheels. With 154bhp it’s not the hottest hatch around but it’s still the most powerful 208 on sale – and a quoted range of 248 miles from the recently-updated 51kWh battery pack means it won’t leave you stuck in the city like a MINI Electric might. The cabin’s great too, provided you can get used to the high-set dials and low-set wheel, and its quality and design goes some way to justifying the e-208’s relatively high price tag.
Read our full Peugeot e-208 review to find out more.
9. Ora Funky Cat
You can’t take a name like Funky Cat too seriously (and it looks more like a mouse than a cat to us), but Chinese brand Ora isn’t joking around with the car that won our best urban electric car title in 2023. Prices start at just under £32,000 with cheaper models on the way, and while a 193-mile range can’t square up to the MG4, the Funky Cat has plenty of other highlights. It comes packed with kit, and liberal use of bright fabrics gives the cabin just as much character as the friendly exterior styling. Materials aren’t quite as soft as one of our furry friends, and the boot’s a bit pokey, but interior space for front and rear seat passengers is good.
Read our full Ora Funky Cat review to find out more.
10. MINI Electric
With a real-world range just scraping 100 miles – despite a price on the wrong side of £30,000 – it’s just as well the MINI Electric is one of the most entertaining electric cars on the market to drive. A battery with just under 29kWh of usable capacity limits the car primarily to urban use, but like all Mini-badged models since time immemorial, it’s as at home scooting around right-angles and roundabouts as it is on a country road. Performance is on a par with the petrol Cooper S too, zipping from 0-62mph in a fraction over seven seconds.
Read our full MINI Electric review to find out more.
Top 10 best EVs for under £35,000
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