The best Christmas gifts for EV fans: From Scalextric to road trips

From Gran Turismo 7 to charging subscriptions and ride-on Renault Twingos, we’ve listed 10 of the best Christmas presents for your EV enthusiast in residence. 

With the festive season just around the corner, it’s that time of year to start thinking about Christmas presents. Instead of dithering and getting in trouble (again…) for buying some last-minute tat from B&M, we’ve put together a list of 10 Christmas gifts that are bound to electrify the EV driver and/or aficionado in your life.

Scalextric

Scalextric is a time-honoured favourite that transcends age, and its latest sets take some of the most iconic machines in automotive history (Volvo 850 R wagon tin-top, anyone?) and shrink them down into fully-electrified cars you can race at home. Prices for sets start from £34.99 and go all the way up to just shy of £700. Love big electric cars? You’re bound to love small ones, too.

Gran Turismo 7

Unlike Gran Turismo games from days of yore, the latest iteration of the highly-successful racing franchise is packed with EVs. Gran Turismo 7 lets you drive everything from the iconic BMW i3 to the wild, 1,071bhp Škoda Vision Gran Turismo concept, which was created specifically for the game by the Czech carmaker. With the December update, Polestar will also make its GT7 debut with the gorgeous Polestar 5 coupé. 

Tamiya Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Unfortunately, Toyota doesn’t make an all-electric GR Yaris. Yet. For now, then, the nearest thing we’re getting to it is Tamiya’s 1:10-scale version. A straightforward build from Tamiya’s iconic TT-02 line of RC kits, this scaled down version of Toyota’s multiple championship-winning rally car comes with a clever permanent four-wheel drive system making it just as comfortable on dirt as it is on tarmac. Guaranteed to spice up your Christmas walk.

Renault Twingo R pass

The new Renault Twingo is here, and we all love it. Given it’s an electric Renault, it will also be excellent and many, many people will want what’s certain to be one of the hottest EVs of 2026. Deliveries are expected to start in January 2027, but spend £100 on the Twingo R Pass and you can help your loved one jump the queue and take delivery of their car around this time next year.

Lonely Planet’s Electric Vehicle Road Trips

EV road trips are easy, something we proved on our Grand Tour of Switzerland. Being wise of this fact, travel oracle Lonely Planet publishes a dedicated guide to EV road trips across Europe. Over the book’s 300 or so pages, you’ll have the  chance to explore routes that’ll take you everywhere from the fairytale-like Black Forest in Germany, to the dreamscape of Italy’s Amalfi Coast.

Renault EV merch

Most car merch makes you look silly. Renault’s doesn’t… because French. Celebrate the R5, R4, and Twingo with a line of dedicated clothing and superbly-detailed diecast models. There’s also a drift-ready version of the R5 3E R/C car and a push-along version of the Twingo available. The latter is supposed to be for kids only, but like drinking a pint of Baileys, anything goes on Christmas day… right?

Driving the Dragon, by Mark Andrews

A first-hand and often humorous look behind the scenes at the stratospheric rise and cutthroat world of the Chinese EV industry. Driving the Dragon is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how China’s electric car brands took on the West and won. If you’re anything like us, you’ll end up down a rabbit hole after reading one of the best car books we’ve read for some time. 

Formula E tickets

Formula E is set for a shakeup for the 2026-27 season with the introduction of its Gen4 car. Packing almost 830bhp and all-wheel drive, the new cars promise a top speed of over 200mph and a 0-60mph time of 1.8 seconds. As always, the racing will be close, exciting, and unlike Formula 1, affordable. Ticket prices start at €45 for the first European round in Madrid.

Electric aircraft flight 

Electric planes are very much a thing, so much so that they’re favoured by the RAF for training lessons. James May has given his approval to them, too. A number of operators around the UK offer training flights in the Slovenian-built Pipistrel Velis Electro training aircraft, offering a unique insight into flying without sound or smell. Trips last around 30 minutes and are priced from £159.99.

Charging subscription

As dull as a pair of socks but just as essential for any long-distance EV motorist. A charging subscription can help slash the cost of public charging for motorists who frequently use the public network. Whether it’s a manufacturer-linked option such as those from Porsche or Kia, an independent service like Plugsurfing+ which covers multiple networks or an operator-specific membership like Ionity or BP Pulse, a small monthly fee is the give that keeps on giving all year round.