The Cheapest New Electric Cars You Can Buy Right Now

You might be surprised to learn just how easy and affordable it is to upgrade to an electric car these days… and even more surprised when you discover just how good these cheap EVs are!

Indeed, while electric vehicle technology has advanced at a rapid rate over the past few years, prices are increasingly within reach to complement the significant day-to-day savings you’re bound to make on running costs.

Moreover, a low starting price doesn’t have to be a cheap electric car’s key selling point either, with many also offering generous range, plenty of modern features and attractive designs as well.

If you’re in the market for a new small car, it is worth doing your sums and considering one these appealing cheap new electric cars…

Cheapest New EVs in the UK 2026

Dacia Spring

OTR Starting Price* - £15,900 (24.3kWh Expression 70)

WLTP Range (Combined) – 140-miles (24.3kWh EXTREME 100)

If you’d assumed all electric cars carry a chunky premium over their petrol-sipping equivalents, allow the Dacia Spring to challenge your preconceptions…

Indeed, not only does the Spring hold the title of the cheapest new electric car in the UK right now, it’s in fact the cheapest new car outright in the UK right now too.

Pint-size yet perky, the Spring is best suited to negotiating congested city streets with its responsive electric throttle and compact dimensions that make lane changes and parking a breeze.

The 24.3kWh battery has recently gained a power hike to 100bhp, while WLTP range is quoted at 140-miles, making it the ideal urban commuter accessory on a budget.

BYD Dolphin Surf

OTR Starting Price* - £18,675 (30kWh Active)

WLTP Range (Combined) – 200-miles (43.2kWh Boost)

When it comes to electric vehicles, few manufacturers can claim to have the sheer expertise and experience that BYD has.

It’s a reputation for innovation that now stretches to one of the UK’s cheapest new electric cars, the BYD Dolphin Surf.

Compact but well-packaged, the distinctive Dolphin Surf blends a fun-loving nature with sophisticated technology to produce one of the most likeable and affordable cars for under £20,000.

Two battery options are available – 30kWh and 43.2kWh – with the larger of the two capable of returning upwards of 200-miles on a combined WLTP cycle.

Whichever you do choose, the Dolphin Surf is very well equipped with features that include a 10.1-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera and cruise control all as standard.

Honda Super-N

OTR Starting Price* - TBC

WLTP Range (Combined) – 128-miles

Coming this summer, the Honda Super-N introduces Japan’s age-old expertise for developing small but mighty models to the UK.

Based on a ‘kei’ car philosophy – models built to a set of Japanese government guidelines that dictate a model’s length, engine size and horsepower to encourage buyers into smaller, more economical cars - the Super-N mates it with electric power too.

With a short but tall profile typical of a kei car, the UK-specification gets chunky bumpers and bold colour choices to ensure it commands a presence on the road.

Featuring a 29.3kWh battery, while the Super-N will act as a 63bhp car for much of the time, Honda has also included a fun ‘BOOST’ button, which activates more power from the e-Axle for a burst of 94bhp-propelled performance to use when overtaking or pulling away.

With its high-set dashboard and lofty roof, the Super-N feels more spacious inside than it might look, while clever touches like the flip-up ‘Magic Seats’ are handy practical options too.

Citroen e-C3

OTR Starting Price* - £18,495, incl. ECG £1,500 saving (30kWh PLUS)

WLTP Range (Combined) – 202-miles (44kWh PLUS)

The Citroen C3 might be a long-running name but a major recent overhaul has seen it take on an entirely new identity to its predecessors.

Placing greater emphasis on practicality, functionality and – in electric Citroen e-C3 guise – frugality, the e-C3 is thoughtfully designed and, with a price tag that comes in well below £20,000, is exceptional value.

With the utilitarian SUV-inspired looks doing its bit to maximise space on the inside, the e-C3 offers ample head and legroom in the rear and provides an airy atmosphere for all occupants.

The fuss-free interior is smartly laid out, while the driving experience is well suited to urban environments thanks to light steering and – typically for a Citroen – a comfortable ride.

Battery choices are split between 30kWh and 44kWh units, with the former returning 130-miles on a combined WLTP cycle, while the larger is capable of hitting the magic 200-mile marker.

Nissan Micra

OTR Starting Price* - £21,495, incl. ECG £1,500 saving (40kWh Engage)

WLTP Range (Combined) – 260-miles (52kWh Advance)

The Nissan Micra is back… but not as we know it! A loveable favourite down the years, the latest Micra is now a technological tour de force with its innovative features and electric powertrain.

Sharp-eyes will spot its relation to the Renault 5 E-Tech upon which it is based, but that is to its benefit, with its low-slung look and wheel-at-each-corner profile giving it a head-turning appearance.

The ergonomic interior features high-end materials and is brimming with fun easter eggs, such as the images on Mount Fuji on the centre console and inside the boot.

Under the skin, the Micra gets the choice of either a 40kWh or 52kWh battery, with the latter eligible for the full Electric Car Grant of £3,750. They offer 198 and 260-miles of range respectively.

Renault 5 E-Tech

OTR Starting Price* - £21,495, incl. ECG £1,500 saving (40kWh evolution)

WLTP Range (Combined) – 252-miles (52kWh techno+)

Few cars on the market can claim to be as irresistibly desirable as the brand-new Renault 5 E-Tech.

A neo-retro electric alternative to the Renault Clio, the 5 E-Tech is brimming with exquisite attention to detail, to complement a daring exterior design that really pops against other small cars – especially if you go for one of the brighter colour options

While the overall look is a faithful homage to the original 5 sold until 1994, the 5 E-Tech of today is thoroughly modern inside-and-out, from an interior filled with smart-connected technology to the responsive R-link infotainment system.

It’s also very contemporary under the skin, the 5 E-Tech getting the choice of either 40kWh or 52kWh batteries delivering between 190 and 250-miles of range respectively.

Already one of the most in-demand electric cars on the road today, it is satisfying to see the 5 E-Tech is also one of the cheapest too.

MG4 Urban

OTR Starting Price* - £23,495 (42.8kWh Comfort)

WLTP Range (Combined) – 258-miles (53.9kWh Comfort)

A brand-new addition to the small electric segment, the MG4 Urban may share its name with the critically-acclaimed – and popular – MG4, but that is where the similarities end.

Billed as a more affordable, practical take on the MG4 formula, the Urban offers extraordinary value-for-money with its massive 577-litre boot, impressive standard kit and generous seven-year warranty.

It’s frugal too with two battery options – a 41.9kWh and 52.8kWh unit – generating 201 and 258-miles of range respectively, which places the MG4 Urban among the very best.

Despite this, prices undercut other electric models of its size, and even then the MG4 Urban has them soundly beaten when it comes to sheer interior room and boot space with a mammoth 577-litres available.

Hyundai INSTER

OTR Starting Price* - £23,755 (42kWh 01)

WLTP Range (Combined) – 229-miles (49kWh 01)

Not only is the Hyundai INSTER one of the cheapest electric cars on sale, it is undoubtedly one of the funkiest too.

The INSTER might be diminutive in size, but with its exaggerated features and bold, edgy profile, it leaves the impression of a more substantial one that will turn heads wherever you go.

Remarkably, despite those compact dimensions, the INSTER is surprisingly spacious inside thanks to a series of clever touches, from the end-to-end floor at the front, to the sliding rear seats that can increase boot space upwards of 351-litres.

It’s also generously equipped for the class across the entire line-up, while quality feels a cut above models in this price bracket too.

*OTR Starting Price correct at time of publication, view Vertu deals for latest pricing