Cheapest electric cars UK: The 10 most affordable EVs of 2025
EVs might be about to get more affordable under a new government grant. While we wait to see how that affects individual models, here’s guide to the 10 cheapest electric cars in the UK, from Dacia and Citroen to BYD and Renault
The new Electric Car Grant is set to cut EV prices by up to £3,750, making dozens of models more affordable than before.
It’s a response to complaints that electric cars are too expensive and unattainable for most drivers.
While that was certainly true a few years ago as manufacturers focused on the high-profit family SUV segment, the last year or two have brought a significant shift.
Even since last year, the list of the cheapest electric cars on sale has changed dramatically as new entrants force their way in, old ones fall by the wayside and existing models come in for significant price shifts. The most expensive car on this list now is £3,000 cheaper than last year’s No.10.
2025 should see even more affordable EVs join the fray, from the Fiat Panda to the Volkswagen ID.2, but here, we’re rounding up the 10 cheapest electric cars on sale in the UK right now.
Dacia Spring. Price from £14,995
While there are cheaper EVs on sale, such as the Citroen Ami and Mobilize Duo, they are technically quadricycles and come with some big compromises that mean they’re really only suitable for urban driving. The Dacia Spring, on the other hand, is a proper car that’s actually suitable for use outside a city centre and is also the UK’s cheapest electric car. That said, it’s still going to be most at home in urban environments. The Spring is a compact city car, intended as a family’s second vehicle or an affordable electric option for those who rarely make long journeys. That’s reflected in the spec, which has been kept simple in the name of value. The 26.8kWh battery is small by modern standards but should offer up to 137 miles of driving (180+ if you never leave the city) and 30kW DC charging will get it from 20% to 80% in 45 minutes. Two motors offer either 44bhp or 64bhp and top-spec versions get a 10-inch touchscreen, wireless smartphone mirroring and two-way charging for less than £17,000.
Leapmotor T03. Price from £15,995
The Leapmotor T03 is the closest thing to a direct rival for the Dacia Spring. The first model from a joint project between European/US behemoth Stellantis and China’s Leapmotor, it’s a tiny A-segment hatchback that won’t win any beauty pageants but does offer a pretty generous spec for the money. Just £1k more than the Spring gets a 37.3kWh battery good for up to 165 miles, and a 94bhp motor. A 10.1-inch touchscreen, panoramic sunroof, adaptive cruise control and air conditioning are also among standard features.
BYD Dolphin Surf
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 new 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 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 127-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.
Citroen E-C3. Price from £22,095
Unlike Citroen’s cheapest EV, the Ami, the E-C3 is a proper car, powered by a 111bhp motor and equipped with a 44kWh battery. That means you can safely venture out of the city in the E-C3 and you’ll get almost 200 miles away before you need to charge. All versions of the E-C3 come with touches such as alloy wheels and two-tone paint and even the well-equipped Plus version with heated seats and a parking camera comes in under £24,000, meaning even the higher-spec car would make it onto our list of the cheapest electric cars.
Renault 5. Price from £22,995
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 new Renault 5 is already 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 £23k. If your pockets are a little deeper, there’s a more powerful, longer range version too, that starts at just under £27,000.Read the review here
Citroen E-C3 Aircross. Price from £23,095
The C3 Aircross name has been around for a while, offering a bigger, more rugged SUV companion to the regular C3 hatch. LIke the E-C3, this latest version uses the Stellantis Smart Car platform and, like its predecessors, is a compact yet practical crossover that offers more family space in a relatively small footprint. And it does it for just £1,000 more than the hatch. Its bigger, less aerodynamic body means a drop in range to 188 miles but like the hatch it offers Citroen’s Advanced Comfort ride and an impressive specification for the money.
Vauxhall Frontera. Price from £23,995
Under the boxy SUV skin, the Frontera shares the same ‘Smart Car’ platform as the Citroen E-C3 and its Aircross sibling. That means it gets the same 111bhp motor and 44kWh battery, which in this larger vehicle means a range of 186 miles. On top of that, though, the Frontera is a practical compact SUV designed for family life, with twin 10.25-inch digital screens, sat nav, reversing camera and cruise control as standard. What’s more, it’s the first car in the UK to offer price parity with its petrol equivalent.
Hyundai Inster. Price from £23,505
Hyundai is finally bringing its extensive EV know-how from its bigger, more expensive models to the affordable compact sector. Looking like a Land Rover but with the footprint of a Mini, this ruggedly styled city car is going head-to-head with the Citroen and Vauxhall. 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.
Fiat 500e. Price from £24,985
Fiat’s electric reinvention of its retro-chic city car is a real success. It 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. To make it one of the cheapest electric cars available, 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.
GWM Ora 03. Price from £24,995
A recent rethink of the range has cut £7,000 off the price of the artist formerly known as the Funky Cat and propelled it into the list of the cheapest electric cars on sale. A five-door, five-seat rival to the BYD Dolphin and MG 4, the entry-level 03 comes with a 45.4kWh battery offering 192 miles of range, and a relatively punchy 169bhp. Like its fellow budget Chinese options, the Ora 03 comes with a generous specification for the money, but that does include some of the worst ‘driver assistance’ systems on the market.
