Best small electric cars 2025: Our top 10 compact EVs on sale
With a growing number of small electric cars bringing EV motoring to a wider audience, here are our favourites, from Renault to Mini
Until recently, the world of EVs has been dominated by relatively large and expensive SUVs.
Models like the Ford Explorer, Skoda Enyaq and Kia EV6 are great for families hauling lots of people and stuff over long distances. But there are plenty of drivers who don’t need all that space or continent-crushing range. And plenty who can’t or don’t want to drop £40k on a new car.
Thankfully, 2025 has been the year of the small EV. After the pioneering work of the Renault Zoe and Mini Electric, and the false dawn of the Honda e, the compact, affordable EV sector is booming.
So to celebrate, we’ve come up with our list of the 10 best small electric cars on sale in 2025.
Renault 5
Everywhere you look pundits are praising the Renault 5, and we at EV Powered are no different. This European Car of the Year winner is a brilliant blend of value, capability and style. Its exterior and interior design perfectly balance nods to the original R5 with a fresh modern look and feel. Beneath the surface it packs an impressive powertrain offering 118bhp and 191 miles of range or 148bhp and 252 miles. And it drives beautifully as well. With prices from £23,000 to £29,000, it’s also helping make electric motoring more affordable.
Hyundai Inster
Although its styling is all about rough ‘n’ tough SUV-like looks, the Inster is a city car at heart. Beneath its Fisher Price 4×4 looks, this tiny EV measures just 3.8m long. But Hyundai packs a lot into its small package, from houndstooth upholstery to adaptive cruise control, and a surprising amount of space. Powering it all are 96bhp or 115bhp motors and either a 203-mile 42kWh battery or a larger 49kWh unit good for 229 miles – more than enough for most weekly demands. Priced from £23,500, it’s an interesting alternative to the sharp Renault 5 or Citroen E-C3.
Citroen E-C3
If the Renault 5 is the best small electric car out there, its French rival isn’t too far behind. It’s not quite as sharp looking inside or out, but with a decent 199-mile range and a budget-friendly price it’s easy to recommend. Starting at less than £22,000, the e-C3 is a compact five-door hatch with very mildly SUV-inspired styling and space for four onboard. Despite its low starting price, features such as alloy wheels, a 10.25-inch touchscreen with wireless phone mirroring, auto LED lights, and 100kW charging are standard.
Mini Electric
The recently launched second-generation Mini Cooper is as compact as ever but brings major improvements over the old car in almost every regard. There are now three power options ranging from 181bhp in the basic Cooper E to 215bhp in SE models and 254bhp in JCW variants. There’s also a much bigger, 49.2kWh battery offering 250 miles of range – more than 100 more than before. Added to that is a brilliantly unusual new interior and the same grin-inducing go-kart handling as before.
Dacia Spring
Possibly the last word in affordable, honest electric transport. Dacia isn’t claiming the Spring is the right car for everyone but what it is doing is offering a truly accessible model for drivers with undemanding needs. Entry level cars cost just £14,995 and offer a modest 44bhp and 137-mile range, although there’s an option of a 64bhp motor for an extra £1,000. Basic cars get a smartphone dock instead of an infotainment screen but cruise control, digital instruments and parking sensors are standard. And if you splash out £16,995 on the Extreme trim you’ll get a 10-inch Android- and Apple-compatible touchscreen and bi-directional charging.
Abarth 600e
There’s nothing that says all small cars have to be sensible or affordable, which is how the Abarth 600e makes it onto our list. Yes, it’s £40,000, and no, you probably don’t need 276bhp in a very compact crossover. But, my word, it’s fun. Based on the bland 4.17m Fiat 600e, the Abarth gets a delightfully lively chassis, limited slip differential and lots of silly boy racer cosmetic upgrades. As a package, they add up to one of the most engaging “hot hatch” EVs out there, and one you won’t struggle to park at the supermarket.
Alpine A290
The Alpine A290 was joint winner of the European Car of the Year award with the Renault 5, largely because the two are so closely related. Although they do share the same core, the Alpine is worthy of inclusion on its own thanks to how it transforms the sensible everyday R5 into a rapid, characterful hot hatch. Smart cosmetic changes give it a more purposeful and aggressive look, and there’s a unique 221bhp motor for added oomph. Coupled to major chassis revisions and the Alpine joins the Abarth 600e in proving that small electric cars can be bundles of fun.
BYD Dolphin Surf
BYD is on a mission to have a car in as many segments as possible and the Dolphin Surf is its smallest offering yet. It’s a little longer than a Renault 5 but prices start at around £18,000, putting basic models closer to the Dacia Spring and Leapmotor T03. Stick to those cheaper versions with their 137-mile range and 87bhp and there’s plenty to like about the Dolphin Surf, from its relatively roomy cabin to city-friendly ride and handling. More expensive models can’t compete with the R5 and E-C3, and the infotainment system has some “quirks”, but as a budget urban runaround, the Dolphin Surf is a decent prospect.
Fiat 500e
The Fiat 500e was one of the first wave of small electric cars and it still holds a certain appeal after nearly five years. Its modern take on the iconic 500’s lines are a cute blend of modern and traditional and the interior is littered with neat design details that will make you smile. There are two versions – a city-suited 94bhp version with a 118-mile range or a more flexible 115bhp one with 199 miles of range. Sadly, after some sharp price cuts, the cost of the 500e has crept up again, with even basic models starting at £25,000 and bigger-battery ones costing £31k. That’s pretty steep but for the fashion-conscious motorist keen on la dolce vita the compromises might just be worth it.
Vauxhall Corsa
Ford might have abandoned the supermini segment but perennial rival Vauxhall is sticking with it and bringing it right up to date with an electric version of its best-selling Corsa. The Corsa is a lot bigger than it once was but that means there’s decent space for use as a family car, and there’s plenty of modern tech, from lane keep and high beam assist to wireless Apple and Android mirroring, plus a 246-mile range in higher-spec models. And for buyers concerned about budgets, the new Corsa is available for the same monthly PCP rates as a petrol version.
