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The list of cheapest electric cars in the UK might surprise you. Fancy a Volkswagen for just £185* a month? Or maybe a Mini Electric for around £275* per month?
Using personal contract hire or car leasing to finance the car, new electric cars are now no longer the preserve of the rich. Read our comprehensive guide to the Top 10 Cheapest Electric Cars and connect straight through to the best car lease deals available in the UK today.
* Correct as of 21/12/2021. Prices are subject to change.
There's a seismic change in the type of electric cars available in 2022, with many more value battery electric vehicles coming to market. Here are the very cheapest electric cars to lease (as of December 2021), with big named reputable car manufacturers now very well represented:
Discover below what makes each of these cars so attractive – it's not just the price! To find the best electric cars you need to consider maximum range, electric power output, low running costs, petrol powered rivals and more.
The versatile VW e-up! might be a nimble city car, but there are four doors, plenty of room for adults in the rear, and it also comes with a surprisingly large 250-litre boot space.
There’s bundles of high-tech kit that comes as standard, including a Lane Assist safety system, full smart-phone integration and docking, as well as a DAB radio.
Meanwhile the e-Up! has a battery range of up to 159 miles between charges and you can replenish the battery from 5%-80% in under two hours, using a DC 40 kW charger.
The e-up proves that cheap electric cars can mean high quality electric motoring.
As the name might suggest, the Smart EQ ForTwo is a compact city car designed ‘for two’ people. Its tiny turning circle makes it ideal for narrow streets. Also available in the form of an eye-catching cabrio model sister car, the EQ ForTwo is most at home in the urban jungle.
All models feature a 17.6 kWh battery that offers a range of up to 81 miles. And when using a dedicated home wallbox, you’ll be able to recharge that battery from 10-80% in 3 hours and 18 minutes.
The UK electric car market is clearly working, as you can lease a 2-seater in the form of the Smart ForTwo all the way up to the Tesla Model X with 7 seats! If electric convertibles are your thing, check out the cabrio EQ ForTwo.
The super-cool Fiat 500e is an all electric car which marries striking retro styling with a surprisingly large range – it incorporates highly efficient battery tech.
You also enjoy a great choice as a lease customer. Base ‘Action’ models feature a 24 kWh battery pack and a 70 kW electric powertrain, with a predicted range of either 115 miles in normal driving, or around 150 miles when nipping around the city.
If you regularly go beyond the city limits, the ‘Icon’ and ‘La Prima’ models use a larger 42 kWh battery that equates to up to 285 miles of range, and which can be replenished from 15%-80% in less than four hours using a dedicated home wallbox.
This electric Fiat shows affordable electric cars can be both fun to drive and beautifully designed. The best cars needn't break the bank. Another stunning electric car to consider with compact dimensions is the Honda e.
How do you reinvent an absolute icon of British motoring? Create a BEV version, is how.
Power comes courtesy of a 32.6 kWh battery producing 184 bhp. That means you enjoy an acceleration time of 0-62 mph in just 7.3 seconds and a range of 141 miles between charges.
A recharge takes around 4.75 hours when using a 7.4 kW home charge point. Base ‘Level 1’ Mini Electrics come loaded with cruise control, smartphone connectivity and an 8.8 inch infotainment display, while ‘Level 3’ unlocks goodies like self-parking capabilities.
The Mini Electric may not be the absolute cheapest electric car, but the overall package is hard to beat. Check out our Mini Electric Car Review for more details.
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The original – and still one of the best. The Nissan Leaf has been wowing customers for a decade now and has been facelifted for 2021.
There are two batteries up for grabs – with the larger 62 kWh ‘e+’ variants providing up to 239 miles between charges (real-world, usable range more like 200 miles). And you’ll be able to fully recharge that battery in around 8 hours using a 7 kW home wallbox.
The Leaf also remains one of the safest cars on the road, with the latest version featuring sophisticated Intelligent Blind Spot Intervention (IBSI) as standard.
Electric car prices have a habit of going up and down, but the Leaf is invariably one of the most popular EVs around. Attractive leasing deals for the Leaf are a common feature of our Electric Special Offers page.
Mazda has really nailed the styling and design of this brilliant SUV crossover. And the MX-30 should prove extremely easy to live with.
35.5 kWh battery capacity provides power of 145 PS via the electric motor and a range of 124 miles between charges. You’ll take that battery from 20-80%, using a home wallbox, in just three hours.
Meanwhile base SE-L Lux models give you everything from cruise control and a ‘Smart Brake Support’ system to sat-nav and a head-up display, all as standard.
Many of the best cars have been around for a while. The regular, traditionally-powered Vauxhall Corsa is the most popular car in the UK, bar none. And this all electric version is sure to attract even more lease admirers.
It’s nimble and it’s nippy – able to accelerate from 0-60 mph in just 7.6 seconds and with a top speed of 93 mph. Meanwhile its 50 kWh battery pack offers a range of up to 209 miles and can achieve a full charge in just 7.5 hours using a home wallbox. Can't charge at home? There are charging solutions if you don't have a driveway or garage.
Base ‘SE Premium’ trim even features rear parking sensors and cruise control as standard. Cheap electric cars are no longer boring and lacking in features!
If you need an affordable, all-electric family estate, the MG MG5 EV should be high up your lease list.
This year saw the introduction of a new Long Range model which offers a range of up to 250 miles between charges. That figure rises to a whopping 334 miles for ‘urban’ driving.
It’s also an incredibly safe car. The MG ‘Pilot package’ comes as standard, and features everything from adaptive cruise control to collision warning, automatic braking and lane keep assist.
Car deals come and go, but the MG5 should maintain a competitive price point over time. Its seven year warranty just adds to the great all-round package.
The Hyundai Ioniq is one of the most practical electric all-rounders on the market, offering decent range up to 193 miles from its 38 kWh battery as well as a huge 443 litre boot. You’ll be able to fully recharge the battery, using a home wallbox, in a shade over 6 hours.
Meanwhile the range-topping ‘Premium SE’ trim level gives you an awful lot for your monthly lease fee, including adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection, driver attention alert, front and rear parking sensors, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, as well as a parking system with rear camera and guidance. All these features make it a really safe car.
Conventional-looking electric vehicles like the Ioniq make the move to electric easier for the more conservative of drivers. Interested in electric cars with better battery range? Try another very popular EV from Hyundai's sister brand, the Kia e-Niro. Alternatively, if you want to stick to Hyundai, there is the Hyundai Kona Electric.
First launched in September 2020 amid great anticipation, the VW ID.3 is more affordable than you might think. Why would you want one? Well, it’s a five door hatchback built with busy families in mind and comes extremely-well equipped as standard.
Although there is a 45 kWh entry level model, the 58 kWh battery is the standard with an ID.3, which provides a range of around 260 miles. But ‘Tour’ models feature a larger 77 kWh battery and a huge 360 mile range. That should get rid of any range anxiety. In addition, first-class battery saving tech ekes out extra miles wherever they can be found.
A full charge using a home wallbox takes around 9.5 hours. Meanwhile the extensive standard equipment list on base ‘Life’ trim levels includes wireless phone charging, heated front seats, ambient lighting, an infotainment system with sat nav, and driver assistance software like VW’s Auto emergency braking Front Assist with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring.
Well-equipped, cheap electric cars are here to stay. You may even find conventional cars a bit boring after your first taste of electric!
Here are some quick tips and advice on what to look out for when selecting a low-cost electric vehicle:
To keep costs down, many cheaper electric cars have small batteries. This can mean less range on a single charge. Double-check the car you are considering has enough range to cover your normal daily driving requirements.
Newer models have more advanced battery tech inside and offer better efficiency, translating into more miles for every unit of electricity you put in. Ask your leasing consultant what the ‘miles per kWh’ rating is for the car you are considering. Miles per kWh is the new MPG! A higher miles per kWh rate means you will save more on electricity each month.
Nearly all EVs have similar home charging characteristics. However, at the more affordable end of the spectrum, electric cars vary considerably when it comes to rapid DC charging – what you need when you are on a trip and want to get miles back into your battery quickly. Check your car has a relatively future-proof DC charging rate. Anything around 100 kW and above is fine.
Another factor to bear in mind is number of seats. Several of the cheapest electric cars are 4-seaters. If you need a convenient city run-around 4 seats might be fine, but otherwise look to the flexibility of the 5-seat vehicles.
Although the less expensive EVs to lease often have smaller electric motors, because they are so light, they are usually very nimble and fun to drive. You’ll never get Tesla-like acceleration, but for nipping around town you’ll have plenty of punch to enjoy.
We hope you've enjoyed this quick look at the cheapest electric cars available to lease today. Our deals and special offers vary from week to week, so why not bookmark this page if you've not made your mind up yet. In the meantime, some essentail take-aways include:
Click on one of the Lease Deal 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.
