What car for me? The electrifying range of EVs now on the market
The Lexus UX 300e comes with the expected Lexus build quality but is also exceptionally comfortable.
There are dozens of electric car currently on the market, with dozens more in the pipeline. The variety is already astonishing, so where to start? We’ve grouped the cars by size to help you decide which suits your needs, though spoiler alert: there are very few seven-seat electric cars as yet.
The i3 is one of the oldest electric models on the market, and its circa 300km range is far from ground-breaking, but it’s still a good car. It’s great fun to drive, still looks fresh and has a modern and high-quality interior.
A brand new Citroen C4 arrives in Ireland this year, a five-door hatch that looks a bit like a crossover. The most interesting version is the e-C4, purely electric with a range of up to 350km.
This is Cupra’s new take on the VW ID.3 formula, which means it’s the sporty member of the family. Its extrovert appearance is backed up by good performance, rear-wheel drive and an official range between charges of up to 540km.
Despite the fact that the Honda e has a low 222km range, it’s one of our favourite EVs. It looks cool, has a uniquely brilliant cabin and drives with more vim than many ostensibly sportier cars. Shame the boot is so tiny.
Not to be confused with the cutting-edge new Ioniq 5, the original Ioniq was offered is purely electric format as well as hybrid. It’s a good-value and smooth option, majoring on comfort and ease-of-use. It has a range of 312km.
Mazda’s first electric car is seriously quirky thanks to rear-hinged back doors (opening into a rather cramped rear seat) and a surprisingly low 200km range. Nonetheless, it’s of exceedingly high quality and is silky smooth to drive.
We do believe that the MG5 might be the only all-electric estate car on sale, excluding the rather more expensive Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo. The MG comes with a massive boot and a useful 345km range, not to mention a high standard specification.
The electric version of the MINI is only available in the three-door body, which is a shame, but it does drive as well as the sportiest of MINIs, with the performance to match. A modestly updated version is on the way, but the range is still relatively low, at 233km.
Nissan was one of the pioneers of mass-market EVs with its original Leaf hatchback and it has stuck with the same formula, since, offering a sensible five-door model at an attractive price. Some versions can go up to 385km between charges now.
Opel’s latest Corsa is available as a purely electric car, and one of the best things about it is that it looks no different to any other model in the range. Indeed, there are several trim levels to choose from, and a useful range between charges of 337km.
The Peugeot 208 is one of the most striking looking small hatchbacks around, which seems to suit the electric version, the e-208, particularly well. It uses the same electric powertrain as the Opel Corsa-e, for an electric range of 340km.
If you can live with the name and the curvy styling, the Zoe is probably the best all-round EV money can buy. It’s well-priced, can do up to 395km on a charge and belies its city car looks with a spacious cabin and perky driving manners.
Though the ID.3 is Golf-sized, it has much more space inside, and it’s a high-tech cabin, too. There’s a vast range of options in the line-up, including a model that will do up to 543km between charges. All drive well and look great.
This is one of the coolest looking EVs on our way, and it’s set to be offered in SUV and ‘Sportback’ styles, too, with a range of up to 511km. It’s effectively the same as the VW ID.4 underneath, but gets a thoroughly Audi makeover.
For the past couple of years, the Kona Electric has been one of the most impressive EVs on the road, with great efficiency leading to a range of up to 449km. It has just been facelifted, adding to its appeal, though there are more spacious electric cars out there now.
Sharing its electric powertrain with the Hyundai Kona, Kia’s electric Niro takes the appearance of a spacious and modestly styled SUV. It’s not exciting, but its 455km range will certainly grab your attention.
If the e-Niro is just a little too staid looking for your taste, fear not, as Kia also sells the e-Soul, a more distinctive looking option using the same electrical components. Hence, the range of 452km is about the same. The e-Soul is less spacious, though, so that’s the price for its appearance.
The first ever electric Lexus is this, the UX 300e, and it comes with the usual high Lexus build quality. It is also exceedingly comfortable and quiet. Shame the range is only 315km, but for urban buyers that want a premium product.
These near-identical twins are based on the Mercedes GLA and GLB, compact SUVs that look great, drives well and exude quality. The major difference between them is that the GLB has seven seats. So it is for the electric versions, making the EQB the most affordable seven-seat EV there is, for now. The EQA has a range of up to 426km and the EQB isn’t far behind.
At first, the ZS’s range of 263km seems unimpressive, but if you can live with that (and most drivers can according to the stats), then the ZS makes for an exceptionally good value-for-money electric SUV option with a spacious, well-equipped cabin and a massive boot.
Forget everything you think you know about the Opel Mokka, as there’s a brand-new model in the country, and it’s incredibly stylish. An electric version, the Mokka-e, is available from the off, with a 324km range and a great chassis, too.
This Peugeot uses the same underpinnings as the new Opel Mokka, and it’s just as distinctive looking, inside and out. The e-2008 has a larger boot than its Opel cousin and a similar range, so really it comes down to personal preference between the two.
The mid-sized Enyaq looks more like a tall estate than a full-on SUV, and it’s already sold out for 2021 in Ireland. That’s because it has more space than most petrol or diesel SUVs of the same size yet is priced on a similar level. Some versions come with a range of nearly 540km, too.
If you couldn’t get your hands on an Enyaq, get yourself over to your local VW dealer instead, as the ID.4 is essentially the same car. It comes with a cleanly styled interior, loads of rear-seat space and a decent boot. There’s plenty of choice in the line-up, including one that hits 519km on a charge.
The ‘Recharge’ tag is applied to plug-in hybrid and purely electric versions of Volvo’s excellent XC40 SUV. The electric model has a decent range of 418km and is also extremely fast.
The e-tron has been around for a few years now and it’s still a high-tech electric option, offered in SUV and Sportback guises. There are several different models to choose from and even new ‘S’ versions that are incredibly powerful. Audi quotes a range of up to 433km.
This is the all-electric version of the established BMW X3 SUV, and it’s a polished creation, too. To start with, only high-specification models will be available, though, surprisingly, it is not four-wheel drive. Still, a range of up to 460km should grab buyers’ attention.
The iX is set to be BMW’s range-topping electric car, though all everyone is talking about is its divisive styling. Behind that, however, sits the most cutting-edge vehicle in the BMW line-up, with a stunning interior and an official range of up to 600km.
For its first global electric car Ford, curiously, turned to its traditional American sports car, the Mustang, for inspiration. Nonetheless, a few design cues aside, the Mach-E is an all-new creation, vaguely SUV-like with an impressive range of up to 610km.
It’s debatable whether Hyundai’s retro styled Ioniq 5 is an SUV or not, but no matter. This represents the next generation of Hyundai’s EV tech, with high-speed charging, lots of performance, lots of space and a range of up to 500km.
Jaguar gave its I-Pace a modest facelift this year to remind us about its existence. It’s always been a leftfield SUV alternative, but it undeniably has a great cabin and exceptional driving dynamics. Its range is up to 470km as well.
The EV6 is Kia’s version of the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which is to say it gets the same dedicated EV platform, superfast charging architecture and a range of some 480km. Although it looks quite compact, this is a large family car.
The EQC was the first ‘EQ’-badged Mercedes, kickstarting the electric-only brand. Based on the GLC SUV, the EQC is perhaps a little compromised on space, but it’s a lovely car all the same, with smooth manners, lots of performance and a 417km range.
The Model X SUV is only the second seven-seat EV on our list, and it’s not cheap to buy. Access to the minimalist cabin is via dramatic ‘Falcon Doors’ that open like wings, while the performance of the car is just as impressive. As is its range, of up to 547km.
Audi expanded its e-tron brand in 2021 with the addition of the gorgeous e-tron GT model. It’s a four-door sports car, in essence, sharing its underpinnings with the Porsche Taycan. Offered in regular and RS flavours, the e-tron GT can travel up to 479km on a charge.
The i4 isn’t quite on sale in Ireland as yet, but it’s coming later this year. This is, in effect, an all-electric BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe, with a promise of exciting rear-drive dynamics and a range of up to 600km. Rumour has it that there will be a proper ‘M’ version in time, too.
The EQS is a simply spectacular new electric luxury saloon, positioned alongside the Mercedes S-Class in the line-up. It represents the pinnacle of EV tech for the brand, not to mention a stunning and luxurious cabin. Mercedes quotes a range of up to 770km, as well.
The EQV may not be as attention grabbing as the EQS, but it’s much more spacious within. This is the electric version of the Mercedes V-Class, usually used as an airport shuttle due to its vast size. It’ll do about 350km on a full charge of its battery.
Money no object, this is our favourite EV on sale in Ireland. The Taycan line-up started out with several takes on the four-door coupe style, but has since expanded to include the amazing Cross Turismo version, a sort of jacked-up estate. One version does up to 484km on a fully charged battery.
Think of the Tesla Model 3 as an equivalent size to the likes of the BMW 3 Series. It’s the most affordable Tesla right now, and it’s well-priced, too. Despite that, it still has loads of performance, lots of on-board technology and a range of up to 580km.
This is the car that most people picture when you mention Tesla, as it’s been around since 2012. A significant update is due in the coming months, but that won’t change the core formula of lots of space, buckets of technology and a range of up to 628km.
