Cheapest Electric Cars 2023: The Complete Guide For The UK

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Overview

The past few years have witnessed a number of positive trends, in relation to the development of electric cars. One of these, has been the reduction in the price of electric vehicles (EVs), to include, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

Though a number of factors have contributed to the increased affordability of electric cars, but none quite as important, as the increased volumes of EVs sold. Economics ‘101’: the EV industry has benefited from increased economies of scale and scope.

In the first half of 2022, globally, more than 4 million BEVs and PHEVs were delivered. Though the figures for the complete trading year for 2022 are not yet available, we can expect total deliveries of EVs to have exceeded 8 million in 2022. It was only as recently as 2017, that we crossed the 1 million milestone of electric vehicles delivered. We can expect this incredible momentum to only accelerate, as new EV markets develop and existing electric driving markets become more matured.

Closer to home, the UK growth in the registrations of electric cars mirrors the global trend. For 2022, the combined market share of PHEVs and BEVs was 22.9%, with new car registrations for pure electric cars up 40.1%, compared to 2021. For those new to electric driving, a battery-electric vehicle (BEV) is also referred to as a pure electric car. A total of 267,203 BEVs were registered in the UK, while 101,414 plug-in hybrid electric cars were registered.

It is not surprising, in that, pure electric cars have demonstrated a stronger momentum compared to PHEVs. 2022 also witnessed a record year for the introduction of BEVs across all body types and budgets. The combination of improved electric range, lower prices, increased choice, attractive exterior styling, enhanced onboard technology and features, have all contributed to the continuing success of electric driving in the UK.

But above all, it is the paradigm shift in consumer tastes, that has been the most important driver for the adoption of electric cars. The benefits of electric driving, in particular, the environmental benefits, has resonated strongly with private and business consumers. Consumers want lower tailpipe emissions cars and improved air quality, and only electric vehicles can meet this need.

Though the higher ‘sticker price’ of an electric car, compared to a conventional petrol or diesel car, has been a historic barrier in the adoption of electric cars, the latest introductions of EVs has helped in overcoming this barrier. It is also worth noting, that driving an electric car is far cheaper compared to driving a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) petrol or diesel car. Depending on where the EV is charged and the cost of charging, driving an electric car can be cheaper than 10 pence per mile. In comparison, the cost of driving a petrol or diesel car is well over 20 pence per mile. With the continued increase in fuel prices, conventional petrol and diesel car will only continue to cost more to drive per mile!

Yes, it is true, in that, due to the global events of 2022, energy prices have witnessed a sharp increase. But in the long-term, we expect, energy prices to settle down to the long-term historic average. Moreover, electric car owners can take advantage of on-site renewable energy generation and battery storage, to further mitigate the risk of energy price inflation! Petrol and diesel car owners cannot mitigate the risk of fuel price rises!

The financial advantages of owning an electric cars does not stop here. In general, pure electric cars have far fewer moving parts compared to petrol and diesel cars. The fewer moving parts reduce the maintenance costs historically associated with car ownership. Of course, there are also other savings for electric car owners to include, lower company-car tax, etc.

Despite the reduction in the scope of the UK electric car incentives, also known as the plug-in car grant (PiCG), the unabated growth of the EV market can be attributed to the increased affordability. As automotive manufacturers continue to gain more efficiencies in the development and manufacturer of electric cars, expect EVs to continue to become even more affordable.

Apart from lower retail prices, the increase in the use of financing mechanisms for owning a vehicle further enables the ‘affordability’ of electric driving, for both, companies and families. Electric car leasing is one of the most popular purchase mechanisms for owning an electric car. You can lease electric cars via e-zoomed at very competitive prices.

In our list below of the cheapest electric cars, we have focussed on pure electric cars that offer real-world practicality. The majority of these electric cars are priced around £30,000. However, there are a few electric cars that are priced significantly cheaper. For example, the Citroën Ami is priced below £10,000. However, this EV offers limited real-world practicality, hence, the reason it is not on our list.

It is clear from the data below, that these cheap electric cars also offer very useful electric range. For a number of these cheap EVs, achieving a real-world electric range over 150 miles is very realistic. Not surprisingly, the majority of the affordable electric cars are smaller vehicles, primarily electric hatchbacks. However, also on the list are electric SUVs, an all-electric estate and an all-electric MPV.

Though a number of automotive manufacturers are committed to achieving lower retail prices, a few global manufacturers are already demonstrating early-stage price leadership. A good example is MG Motor UK. Three entry-level MG BEVs feature on our list, to include, the MG4 EV, MG5 EV and the MG ZS EV. However, this should not come as a surprise, given the ownership of MG Motor UK. The automotive manufacturer is owned by the Chinese automotive company, SAIC Motor. SAIC is owned by the Chinese government and headquartered in Shanghai.

You can read a complete guide on each of the electric cars listed below on the e-zoomed Electric Living Blog by following the links below.

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Gallery

Cheapest Pure Electric Cars 2023

Citroën ë-Berlingo, Citroen E-C4, Fiat 500e, Hyundai Kona Electric, Mazda MX-30, MG4 EV, MG5 EV, MG ZS EV, MINI Electric, Nissan Leaf, Peugeot e-208, Renault Zoe E-Tech, Vauxhall Corsa-e

Cheapest Pure Electric Cars

Brand/ Model	Battery Size (kWh)	Electric Range (WLTP)	Body Type
Citroën ë-Berlingo	50 kWh	153 miles	MPV
Citroen E-C4	50 kWh	217 miles	Hatchback
Fiat 500e	24 kWh/ 42 kWh	118 – 199 miles	Hatchback
Hyundai Kona Electric	39.2 kWh/ 64 kWh	189 – 300 miles	SUV
Mazda MX-30	35.5 kWh	124 miles	SUV
MG4 EV	51 kWh/64 kWh	218 – 281 miles	Hatchback
MG5 EV	61.1 kWh	250 miles	Estate
MG ZS EV	51.1 kWh/ 72.6 kWh	198 – 273 miles	SUV
MINI Electric	32.6 kWh	140 – 144 miles	Hatchback
Nissan Leaf	39 kWh/ 59 kWh	168 – 239 miles	Hatchback
Peugeot e-208	50 kWh	218 – 224 miles	Hatchback
Renault Zoe E-Tech	52 kWh	223 – 238 miles	Hatchback
Vauxhall Corsa-e	50 kWh	222 miles	Hatchback

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