Remember when every EV was a £40,000 C-segment SUV and small and cheap remained the preserve of tiny petrol engines?
Well times have changed and in 2026 there’s a wealth of cheap electric cars vying for buyers’ attention.
Advances in battery and motor technology have helped bring down costs dramatically, along with measures such as the Electric Car Grant and other manufacturer discount schemes. There’s also been a recent rush of cheaper EVs from manufacturers famous for their affordable small cars, plus a couple of newcomers.
The result is that there are now 46 EVs priced under £30,000. But to make it onto our list of the UK’s cheapest electric cars we need to look far lower than that. In fact, more than half of the country’s cheapest EVs now cost less than £20,000.
There are even more affordable EVs on the horizon and we’ll update this list accordingly but, for now, these are the cheapest EVs on sale in the UK in 2026.
Dacia Spring – £11,990
Still the cheapest electric car on sale in the UK, despite a recent effort by Leapmotor to undercut it. It’s a pretty basic thing and its driving experience and build quality are reflective of its price, but it is also the cheapest brand new car of any fuel type. There’s an all-new model coming next year but earlier in 2026 the Spring got a range of updates that added air conditioning, cruise control, rear parking sensors, a digital instrument display to all models. New motors offer 68bhp or 99bhp and there’s faster charging for its 24.3kWh battery, plus chassis upgrades to improve handling. Entry-level cars are a little bare compared to the Leapmotor T03, but even top-spec versions come in at under £13,000 with the savings applied.
Leapmotor T03 – £12,995
The Leapmotor T03 enjoyed about 30 seconds as the UK’s cheapest EV before Dacia cut the Spring’s price again. The first model from a joint project between European/US behemoth Stellantis and China’s Leapmotor, the T03 is a tiny A-segment hatchback that won’t win any beauty pageants but does offer a pretty generous spec for the money. Priced from a shade under £13,000, thanks to an in-house discount scheme, the T03 gets a 37.3kWh battery good for up to 165 miles, and a 94bhp motor to compete with higher-spec versions of the Spring. A 10.1-inch touchscreen, panoramic sunroof, adaptive cruise control and air conditioning are also among standard features, giving the T03 something of an advantage over the Spring.
Fiat 500e – £17,245
Fiat’s electric reinvention of its retro-chic city car blends the styling cues of the earlier models with a sleeker finish and high-tech interior, and what it lacks in space it more than makes up for in charm. Fiat has just slashed prices again to make it one of the cheapest electric cars available, perhaps also reflecting its position as one of the oldest EVs still on sale. Entry level versions come with a less powerful drivetrain featuring a 93bhp motor and 24kWh battery that’s good for around 118 miles of range. If you can find an extra £3,000, higher-spec versions offer an extra 25bhp and, more importantly, a range of almost 200 miles, plus faster charging.
Citroen E-C3 – £18,495
The Citroen E-C3 was already among the UK’s cheapest EVs but to bring prices down even further, the French brand has added a new Urban Range model that’s even cheaper. With the smaller ECG applied, this weighs in at under £18,500. The pay-off is that its smaller 30kWh battery only delivers 130 miles of range and doesn’t come with DC charging as standard. If you can step up to the £21,215 Collection you’ll get a bigger battery with 199 miles of range, plus DC charging. Every version of the E-C3 gets alloy wheels, wireless smartphone mirroring and Advance Comfort seats, and even the well-equipped Max version with heated seats and a parking camera comes in under £24,000.
BYD Dolphin Surf – £18,675
BYD entered the UK market with larger family-focused models such as the Atto 3 and Seal, but is looking to compete at the affordable end too with the Dolphin Surf. Predictably, it’s a compact city car but one that’s positioned to compete with everything from the Spring and T03 to the Renault 5 and Citroen E-C3. Beneath the awkward design is a relatively spacious (for the segment) and well-equipped four-seat cabin and the choice of three powertrains. The budget-friendly Active trim uses a smaller battery and motor for a Spring-like 137-mile range, while the most efficient Boost offers up to 200 miles. Top-spec cars can’t compete with the Renault 5, but at the lower end, there’s a lot to like about the Dolphin Surf.
Honda Super-N – £18,995
The Super-N is the Japanese automaker’s second attempt at a cute electric city car. The short-lived Honda e failed largely because its limited performance didn’t match its massive price tag but there’s no such worries here, with the Super-N coming in at under £19,000. Measuring a tiny 3.6m long by 1.6m wide, it’s based on a Japanese kei car but beefed up with a fat body kit and the ability to boost its 64bhp motor to 95bhp for short bursts. Alongside that a simulated gearbox and synthesised “engine” note promise driving fun to match its looks, although the 29.6kWh battery with its 128-mile range means you’ll be having that fun mostly around town.
Fiat Grande Panda – £20,995
Its arrival was much delayed, but the Fiat Grande Panda was well worth waiting for and, in some ways, rendered the 500e slightly irrelevant. It’s a brand-new model inspired by the beloved Panda of the 1980s and ‘90s, with retro yet modern boxy styling and a funky high-tech interior with space for four. This Italian rival to the E-C3 and Renault 5 uses the same underpinnings as the Citroen, which means 111bhp and 199 miles of range from its 44kWh battery, and it’s as charming to drive as it is to look at. There are three trim levels to choose from starting at under £21,000. Even top-spec La Prima (which would be our pick) starts from a fiver under £24,000.
Renault 5 – £21,495
Renault really seems to have got a handle on the whole EV thing. The Scenic and Megane have won awards all over the place and the Renault 5 and its SUV sibling the Renault 4 are following suit. As well as looking fantastic, the stylish five-door supermini offers a competitive 118bhp motor and 40kWh battery good for 190 miles of range, plus packs high-end kit such as 18-inch alloys, twin digital screens and keyless entry/start for less than £21,500. If your pockets are a little deeper, there’s a more powerful, longer range version too. This packs 148bhp and a 252-mile range courtesy of a 52kWh battery. Thanks to a more generous £3,750 EGC allowance, that starts at just £23,945.
Nissan Micra – £21,495
Everything we’ve just said about the Renault goes equally for the Nissan Micra. That’s largely because behind the googly eyes and Nissan badge, it is the same car. But if you’re going to borrow, you might as well borrow from the best, which is what Nissan has done. Like the R5, the Micra starts at less than £21,500 for the smaller-battery version, with the larger battery taking the starting price to £23,245. There’s also the higher-grade Evolve trim, which pushes the price beyond the equivalent Renault by a couple of hundred quid. Whichever grade you look at, you get a decent equipment list rock-solid technical specs and a thoroughly pleasant driving experience.
Hyundai Inster – £22,995
Hyundai is finally bringing its extensive EV know-how from its bigger, more expensive models to the affordable compact sector. It recently announced the Ioniq 3, which will start at £22,245 but doesn’t make it onto our list as it’s not yet on sale. For now, we have to make do with the even smaller Inster. Looking like a Land Rover but with the footprint of a Mini, this ruggedly styled city car is going head-to-head with Citroen and Renault. And it’s bringing plenty of tech to the fight. Entry level cars get a 42kWh battery with 203 miles of range, plus a heat pump as standard along with twin 10.25-inch screens, adaptive cruise control, rear parking camera and keyless entry.
