We’re used to seeing electric cars being a lot more expensive than normal combustion engines, however that gulf is narrowing year on year. Components are getting a lot cheaper to make and the demand for electric is slowly increasing, meaning manufacturers are finally being able to offer models that might sit in a more accessible price range. Below are some newer, more affordable electric cars that are actually good.
BYD Dolphin Surf
Not to be confused with the Dolphin, the BYD Dolphin Surf is a completely different, smaller and more affordable entry-level car. By normal EV standards, the Dolphin Surf is super affordable with its base trim starting off at £18,675. You get a lot of bang for your buck with keyless entry, rear parking sensors and a reversing camera as standard on the base model when normally you’d be looking at two to three trims higher with competitors.
Despite being pretty small, there’s plenty of space for passengers and baggage inside, so you don’t feel cramped. What sells the Dolphin Surf is its infotainment system. You can orient the screen however you wish, and it’s pretty easy to use and fast for flicking between menus. It’s a car that, even though it is small, you get a lot of equipment for no extra cost.
Leapmotor T03
A brand that not that many people know about so often gets looked over. The Leapmotor T03 is a more than capable, well-built car that, like its Chinese counterpart the BYD Dolphin Surf, punches well above its weight in terms of cost vs specs. Before, a lot of people would just choose petrol as it’s cheaper, but this car gives you a real headache with its cost of £15,995 being more than competitive amongst a sea of similarly priced petrol options.
Normally, you would also limit your expectations with cars costing this little, but you’d be pleasantly surprised with the build quality being pretty decent, with doors having a nice weight to them. Slight downside is that there is only one model of the T03, so there isn’t a lot to choose between. It’s all or nothing.
Dacia Spring
If you want something cheap from a brand you recognise, then take a look at the Dacia Spring.
It falls right on the cheapest end of the spectrum of EVs (literally the cheapest over 100 miles of range), starting at £14,995. Simple is probably the word to use when describing this car. It’s small, compact but still boasts a boot size of 290 liters, making it a pretty good family car. You still get a decent car infotainment system but it’s a bit smaller than other cheap EV models and the interior does have a bit of a budget feel but then it’s no worse than what you’d expect from a budget car.
Where the Spring strengths lie is in its ability for urban driving. It’s very much designed as a city car – small, compact and with just enough power to get you from A to B. It doesn’t have the best range, only 137 miles – so falls short when compared to competitors in this sense.
Gone are the days that budget EVs meant sacrificing looks, size and range. As you can see from the list above there are plenty of electric cars now on the market that can even rival budget petrol cars and are actually decent to own and to drive.
