Best EVs of 2024: our top 10 electric cars of the last year

The EV Powered team round up their favourite new electric cars of the last 12 months

There has been a slew of new EVs launched in 2024, ranging from the sensible to the outrageous and the affordable to the out-of-reach.

While we haven’t got behind the wheel of every single one, the team at EV Powered have been fortunate to drive a huge number of the year’s new electric cars, including some of the very best EVs of 2024.

In the coming months we will hold our official EV Powered awards but, in the meantime, here’s the list of our favourite EVs of 2024.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 N

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N has been the EV revelation of this year. The related Kia EV6 GT showed that the E-GMP platform could handle lots of power, but the Hyundai proved that it could be truly thrilling. Thanks to 641bhp and 546lb ft, the Ioniq 5 N is staggeringly quick whether you’re going from a standstill or powering out of a corner. What’s far more impressive though, is how thoroughly sorted the entire car feels, with an engaging steering, chassis and suspension set up that delivers hot hatch handling in something that’s effectively a lowered SUV. Add in weirdly effective fake gearshifts and you’ve got a recipe for a true performance superstar.

Skoda Elroq

The Skoda Elroq isn’t on sale yet, but we drove it in early December and it shot right into the list of the best cars EV Powered has driven in 2024. Not just among EVs but among the tide of hybrid and PHEV models too. It’s a smaller companion to the Enyaq and packs a staggering combination of space, range, comfort and technology into a sensibly sized family package. What’s more, it does it for less money than any comparable EV and without any sacrifice in quality. The only car stopping us instantly naming it the outright best compact SUV, is the next on our list.

Kia EV3

Until our team drove the Elroq, we were pretty convinced the Kia EV3 was the standout champion in the smaller SUV market. It has Kia’s usual blend of sharp looks, impressive battery technology and generous equipment, pitched at the vitally important B-SUV market. Value-wise it offers more bang for your buck than (virtually) any competitor and the right mix of performance and range, plus tonnes of space for people and luggage. It’s only the arrival of the Skoda that means the Kia has a legitimate rival.

Polestar 4

Polestar’s rapid shift from a one-car to a three-car line-up in 2024 has been impressive. The Polestar 3 shows it can do big, comfy and classy, while the Polestar 4 shows it has the performance angle covered. While everyone talks about the lack of rear window, it’s what the Polestar 4 does have that matters. And what it has are buckets of accessible power, and a well-balanced chassis that provides the sort of engaging driving experience that eats up challenging cross-country A roads.

Renault Scenic E-Tech

The Renault Scenic E-Tech arrived in the UK in early 2024 and spent most of the following eight months scooping up awards left, right and centre. There’s a good reason for that – it’s simply brilliant. Priced noticeably lower than rivals such as the Ford Explorer or Skoda Enyaq, it offers exceptional cabin space, class-leading range and plenty of performance for a family SUV. It also features innovative tech such as the Solar Bay sunroof and can match any rival for comfort and refinement.

Peugeot E-5008

There’s a strong argument that the Kia EV9 is the best seven-seat EV you can buy. But its starting price of £65,000 puts it out of the reach of a lot of families. The Peugeot E-5008 still isn’t cheap, but starting at £48,550, it’s definitely more accessible. And while it can’t quite match the brilliance or space of the Kia, it’s still an impressively thought out and spacious family SUV, with neat packaging and a pleasingly different interior. There’s also now the option of a massive 97kWh battery that gives the E-5008 an astonishing 415 miles of range.

2024 Porsche Taycan

Okay, so this isn’t an all-new car but it is a) quite significantly updated and b) still absolutely brilliant. Alongside some cosmetic changes that keep the sharply styled Taycan looking fresh, there were some big technical updates in 2024. Chief among these were more powerful motors across the range that added up to 107bhp and shaved 0.5 seconds off the 0-62mph time of most models. A major battery overhaul and energy saving changes also boosted range by up to 35% – to a maximum of 421 miles – and cut charging times. In combination with the already brilliant chassis, these changes made one of the best EVs on the market even better.

Ford E-Transit Custom

The Ford E-Transit Custom is perhaps the least glamorous vehicle on this list but also arguably the most important. The Transit Custom is Ford’s (and Britain’s) best-selling van and the addition of an electric version is a big deal as fleets look to switch to EVs. So it’s just as well Ford has got it right. The electric version shares a lot with the diesel van – from its modern and user-friendly cabin to its substantial cargo area and impressive road manners. To that, the EV version adds extra functions including the ability to power tools from its drive battery and access to Ford’s smart connected fleet management system. It’s exactly the all-round brilliant vehicle the one-tonne van market needs.

BMW i5

The BMW 5 Series has majored in delivering a high-tech, luxurious executive experience for decades and the creation of an all-electric variant has enhanced that even further. The spacious cabin is packed with clever design and material choices – from the touch-sensitive dashboard to the hidden air vents and high-grade leather. And under the surface, BMW’s electric drivetrains offer effortless, smooth and silent progress to soothe away stress. Or, in the case of the M60, the kind of punch usually reserved for M cars.

Abarth 600e

While the Ioniq 5 N deservedly gets praise heaped upon it for the injection of fun it brings, the Abarth 600e also deserves recognition for its smaller scale efforts that make it among the best EVs of 2024. As Abarth has always done, it has taken a middle-of-the-road Fiat and turned it into a bit of a mini hooligan. With 276bhp, a limited slip differential and some smart chassis tweaks it has given Fiat’s innocuous small family SUV proper hot hatch credentials. It’s playful and lively and has just a touch of old-school squirminess that encourages you to explore and exploit its performance while putting a grin on your face.