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Whether you crave sumptuous luxury, adrenaline-inducing thrills, or affordable practicality, this is our Top 10 list of the Best Electric Cars available in 2022.
When it comes to choosing your dream EV, there’s a lot to think about – not least your budget – and any Top 10 list for electric motoring is always going to be subjective.
But the very best electric lease vehicles manage to combine cutting-edge design with a reassuring range between charges while also boasting great performance. And the Battery Electric Vehicle format, or 'BEV' for short, is always zero emissions with low running costs.
And we’ve taken all of those factors into consideration – as well as our unique Select Car Leasing rating system – to come up with this handy guide.
Some are older models that took the market by storm, others are newcomers amassing armies of admirers, but all of them are worth a look if you want to plug in to the automotive zeitgeist.
Combustion engine petrol and diesel cars beware – the electric revolution is here!
Here we put all the top EVs in 2022 under the microscope...
The first electric car on the list is the Model Y, an all-wheel-drive, SUV crossover that’s an affordable junior sibling to the much more expensive Model X.
Available with seats for 5 people (possibly up to 7 in the UK in due course), it boasts all the fun of the Tesla Model 3 saloon while also having a much more practical hatch at the rear.
There are two variants: ‘Long Range’ and ‘Performance'. The former can travel for 315 miles (official WLTP range) between charge top-ups, while in Performance guise you get a 462 PS monster capable of accelerating from 0-60 mph in just 3.5 seconds.
Both variants have a minimalist interior, with superb underlying tech that other manufacturers can only dream of. For example, the Model Y comes with 'Autopilot', a form of adaptive cruise control and lane assist that just works exactly as you would like. You also get 'over the air' software updates, bringing new features to your car every few weeks – for free.
The other great thing about all Teslas is the firm’s network of Tesla charging stations – known as Superchargers – with 30,000 worldwide and 6 new locations opening every week.
And because the Model Y boasts high-speed DC charging capabilities at 250 kW, it’s pretty much future-proof. It's an electric SUV to die for.
What makes the Model Y so good?
When it comes to bang for your buck, nothing beats the MG ZS EV. Taking into account the purchase price – including the Government’s plug-in grant – alongside its maximum range of 273 miles, it is, quite simply, the best value EV on the market right now.
The hardened critics love it, too. The ZS won big at the recent 2021 Auto Trader New Car Awards, taking home the gongs for ‘Best Value New Car’ and ‘Best Car for Dog Owners’.
The front-wheel-drive, Long Range 68 kWh (usable) battery can be charged from 0-100% in 10.5 hours with a standard 7 kW home wallbox, or as little as 42 minutes on a 100 kW rapid charger.
The even more affordable MG5 estate is also worth a look. The long range version has a range of 250 miles as well as 578 litres of luggage space in the rear.
Why we like the ZS EV
Like Top Gear’s Freddie Flintoff in his cricketing prime, the Volkswagen ID.3 is the perfect all-rounder, boasting that winning mix of practicality, affordability and eye-catching style.
And what’s also great about the ID.3 is the choice you get when selecting your perfect model:
Most base ‘Life’ models come with a 58 kWh battery that provides a range of around 260 miles and despite being the entry level, they’re loaded with tech, including wireless phone charging, sat nav and a host of state-of-the-art driver assistance systems.
Range-topping ‘Tour’ models, however, feature a larger 77 kWh ‘Pro S’ battery and a huge 338-mile range.
If the design of the ID.3 is a little too friendly for you, check out the Cupra Born – a car that’s a close relation of the ID.3, but which features much more youthful, aggressive styling. It's got that 'hot hatch' look.
Why is the ID.3 in the Top 10 list?
The Mercedes-Benz EQS isn’t just one of the most luxurious electric vehicles on the market, it’s also got a range to make other EVs weep with envy. It's the undisputed flagship of the Mercedes-Benz EQ family, with superb ride comfort and class.
With a range of up to 453 miles, it can go further than any other EV on the market, while there’s still a hefty power output of 333 hp. Of course usable range in the real world will often be less – especially at high speeds when it's cold in winter – but basically the EQS means no more range anxiety.
What’s also impressive is the fact a 200 kW DC on-board charger allows the Mercedes EQS to charge from 10 to 80 per cent in about half an hour on the latest 250 kW chargers. That’s enough to deliver an extra 120 miles of range in just 15 minutes.
It may have a higher price tag than most electric cars, but the cabin is truly space-age. If you opt for the AMG Line Premium model, or any trim level above, you can enjoy an infotainment ‘Hyperscreen’ which has multiple displays that merge seamlessly under one piece of glass to create a curved tablet some 141 centimetres wide.
Why the EQS is one of the best
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Cars don’t need to be big to make our list of the Top 10 Best EVs, but they do need personality, and the Fiat 500 Electric has got it in spades.
The Fiat 500 has been providing affordable personal transport across Europe since the 1950s. And the all-electric variant, introduced last year, sees the nimble little city car accelerating into the future.
Base ‘Action’ models get a limited range 22 kWh battery and a 70 kW electric motor, with a predicted range of either 118 miles in normal driving, or around 130 miles when pootling around the city.
But as you move up the model levels you can unlock a larger 37 kWh battery and more powerful 87 kW motor, which takes the predicted range up to 220 miles in urban use in mild weather (200 miles range WLTP).
Although the 500e isn't the longest range EV going, it does benefit from fantastic efficiency. At over 4 miles per kWh, it will save you a lot of money on electricity. The best small electric cars often handle electric power very efficiently.
The most obvious external feature of the 500 Electric is its retro looks, which gives it an unrivalled timeless quality. It also has a tight turning circle for those tricky city parking spots. It's a 4-seater, so if you need to be able to carry 5, consider rivals like the Renault Zoe, Peugeot e-208 or Vauxhall Corsa-e.
What gives the 500e an edge?
Fancy a BMW 4 Series that runs purely on electricity? That’ll be the i4.
And not only does the i4 look great, with a range of up to 365 miles, depending on which model you choose, it really is a saloon you’ll love. Watch it become a really popular company car with Benefit in Kind 'BiK' rates so low at the moment.
The regular ‘eDrive40’ model boasts a 250 kW power unit, which makes 340 PS and 430 Nm of torque. That’s enough to accelerate the i4 from 0-62 mph in just 5.7 seconds.
For those who crave even more performance, the i4 M50 variant utilises two powerful eDrive motors to create power of 551 PS and means it’ll sprint to 62 mph in just 3.9 seconds.
The i4 also supports DC fast-charging at up to 200 kW, which means that just 10 minutes of charge will give you 90 miles worth of range.
Why does the i4 make the list?
The Skoda Enyaq iV is a proper ‘do it all’ SUV that’s perfect for families on the go, and is a worthy – cheaper – competitor to the key rivals like the Volkswagen ID.4 and the Audi Q4 e-tron, other electric SUVs from the VW Group stable.
With a vast amount of boot space – all 585 litres of it – the iV trumps the boot capacity of both the ID.4 as well as the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
And there’s a few different options to choose from:
The entry level version Enyaq iV ‘60’ model has a 58 kWh battery and an official WLTP range of up to 252 miles. The iV ‘80’ variants, on the other hand, boast a larger 77 kWh battery and an extremely generous range of up to 336 miles. There's even a 4x4 variant, the 80x Sportline, with electric motors on both axles.
What’s also great about the Enyaq iV is that rapid charging is between 100 kW and 125 kW, depending on the battery size, which is very good for a vehicle at this price point. Basically, electric car buyers are now spoilt for choice in the family SUV segment and the Enyaq is one of the leaders.
What we like about the Enyaq iV
As far as looks are concerned, the only car that comes close to the Hyundai Ioniq 5’s jaw-dropping design is the Kia EV6.
The Ioniq 5’s style somehow combines at the same time futuristic lines with retro aesthetics, having been inspired by the Hyundai Pony hatchback from the 1970s.
And the Ioniq 5’s talents are more than skin deep. It enjoys an ultra modern 800-volt architecture, providing a mighty 175 kW to 220 kW rapid charging for trips. It's also very well equipped inside, with a paddle shifter for regenerative braking, front seats that can lie almost flat and SmartSense, a cutting-edge Advanced Driver Assistance System.
The SUV crossover is larger than it might look, with plenty of interior space for rear passengers and a 527-litre boot. There’s also a choice between either a 58 kWh or 73 kWh battery. The biggest battery, combined with all-wheel drive, delivers a power output of around 300 hp and gives a blistering 0-62 mph time of just 5.2 seconds.
And when equipped with two-wheel drive and a 73 kWh battery, the Ioniq 5 has a maximum driving range on a single charge of up to 300 miles which will rid you of any range anxiety.
Why the Ioniq 5 is a Top 10 car
The Porsche Taycan is, quite simply, one of the most in-demand lease cars on the market right now. And for good reason. It's an electric sports car that marries achingly-cool design with performance to push your head back into the seat-rest.
And if you combine that with future-proof, high speed DC charging (225-270 kW) and a range of up to 301 miles, the premium Porsche product becomes even more tantalising. All but the base version have two electric motors, delivering super smooth four-wheel-drive.
Porsche recently added Taycan ‘GTS coupe’ and ‘GTS Sport Turismo’ estate models to the range, with the coupe offering power of 598 PS and a 0-62 mph sprint time of just 3.7 seconds. Yet the estate still has 446 litres of luggage space, making it a head-turning daily family load lugger – and the perfect rival to the Audi e-tron GT.
Best car features of the Taycan
There are a few different models in Kia’s ‘Niro’ family – including traditionally powered variants as well as self-charging hybrid and plug-in hybrid models. All have a no-nonsense, practical interior, with decent standard equipment and a comfortable ride.
But it’s the electric version e-Niro that steals the show, and which recently won the coveted ‘Best electric small SUV’ at the 2021 WhatCar? Awards. If you want a slightly more compact electric car with similar characteristics, try the Hyundai Kona Electric.
There are three trim levels with an e-Niro – base ‘2’, mid-range ‘3’ and range-topping ‘4+’, the latter of which features goodies like black leather upholstery, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with satellite navigation, and all the driver assistance systems you could think of.
There’s also a choice of two battery sizes with an e-Niro lease – 39 kWh or 64 kWh – with either 134 bhp or 201 bhp, with range running from 180 miles to 282 miles.
All in all, it’s an affordable electric car that owners value highly – and a facelifted model is due for release imminently.
Why we rate the e-Niro
As we transition away from conventional cars, manufacturers are starting to ramp up their electric car output and now in 2022 there is an impressive range of new cars on sale today.
Our Top 10 Best Electric Cars list has something for everyone: from highly affordable car deals to seriously wallet challenging, from fairly spartan inside to the last word in luxury, from tiny to immense in size. Here's a summary:
Click on one of the Lease Prices buttons above or phone us now on 0118 920 5130 to talk to our team of expert EV leasing consultants.
Alternatively send us an email at enquiries@selectcarleasing.co.uk
If you're still hungry for more electric vehicle info, take a look at some of our comprehensive EV Guides:
Note sure what to look out for when considering an electric car? Read our simple 5-step guide covering vehicle types, official and real-world range, charging implications, savings potential, battery and electric motor performance, and more.
Do you have range anxiety? Worried you might not reach your destination in an all-electric car before the battery runs flat? In this detailed guide, we explain the difference between WLTP and real-world range, how to extend range, etc.
To support our fantastic EV lease deals, we have a wide-ranging set of guides to answer all your electric questions. We cover topics like range, charging, what are BEVs, PHEVs and HEVs, electrifying your fleet, and much more.
