A Lengthy List of Electric Vehicles Currently Available in the UK (2017)

Introduction

In the UK, petrol and diesel-powered cars have dominated the roadways for more than a century. Along the way, electric vehicles have popped up here and there, but none have stayed around for long, due mainly to lacking battery technology and charging infrastructure. That is, until the last few years. The necessary tech has now finally come into its own, and it seems that there is no stopping it. With more and more electric vehicles (EV) hitting the streets every month, EVs are here to stay.

There are two main categories of EVs, and it’s worth your time to know the difference, so you can decide which one best suits your life. The first is BEV, or “Battery Electric Vehicle.” This type is what most of us are familiar with (likely because of Tesla) when it comes to electric cars: Namely, large battery power an electric motor or motors, which then move the vehicle around. Vehicles of this type typically enjoy a decent range (the distance one can travel on a single charge). The second is known as a PHEV, or “Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle.” They operate much the same way as a full-electric car, however, they rely on a conventional internal combustion engine that kicks in once the battery is depleted. PHEVs often have a much shorter electric range.

Now that the market has a variety of options of both EVs and PHEVs, the consumer has more choices to make than ever during the buying process. You might be worried that with too many options, you’ll end up with a less-than-ideal new car out at the curb. But rest assured, almost all the cars on this list represent solid decisions. We’ve organized our list by brand. Let’s take a look at them now.

Electric Vehicle Options by Brand

Audi

Audi offers two electric vehicles in the UK, the A3 Sportback e-tron and the Q7 e-tron. The first is a smallish 4-door hatch that offers much of the luxury the German brand is known for, as well as an engaging driving experience. The Q7 is a full-sized SUV, offering enough space and versatility for even large families, as well as a longer 35-mile electric range. Both the electric variant of the popular A3 hatch, as well as the much larger SUV, carry 5-star Euro NCAP safety ratings.

BMW

The popular German brand offers a total of four partial- or all-electric models to the UK. Two PHEVs are based on conventional BMW cars: the 330e iPerformance, and the X5 225xe. Both offer charging times falling within 2-3 hours. Cars three and four comprise BMW’s more dedicated, i-series line. The i3 is a rather frumpy but supremely versatile hatch. The i8 is a low and wide sports car whose performance verges (in many ways) on supercar territory. All cars achieve stellar safety ratings.

BMW i3

Ford

The Blue Oval shows up with just one electric car in the UK, the Focus Electric. It’s certainly a solid offering but doesn’t really manage to stand out in the market. The Focus Electric’s range is impressive for the price. The car offers a 5-star safety rating.

Ford Focus Electric

Hyundai/Kia

Each of these Korean legends brings one full-electric model to the UK market. Hyundai offers a dedicated all-electric model, the IONIQ Electric. Kia brings us the Soul EV, another awkwardly-styled, yet versatile car. The Soul EV and IONIQ achieve 4- and 5-star Euro NCAP ratings, respectively.

Hyundai IONIQ Electric

Mercedes

The third German luxury brand on this list offers UK buyers something special in both its C350e and B-Class Electric Drive. Much like the BMWs, these electric vehicles are full of the tech and rich interior appointments expected from a luxury marque. The B-Class offers a more versatile hatch form factor, as well as a full-electric drivetrain with an 87-mile range. Expect immaculate safety scores for both models.

Mercedes B-Class

Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi had an early entry into the BEV arena with its i-MiEV. While that car is no longer available in the UK, it lives on through its badge-engineered French twin siblings, the Citroën C-Zero and Peugeot iOn (both of which are included in this section, as they are built by Mitsubishi). The cars aren’t very competitive, nor are they particularly safe, but they both offer a low starting price. The Japanese brand also brings a PHEV version of its popular Outlander SUV to the mix, whose 33-mile range is nothing to scoff at. The Outlander PHEV achieves a 5-star safety rating.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

Nissan

Nissan’s venerable Leaf is a decently-sized, livable and practical car that will travel 106 miles after just 4.5 hours of charging. This well-liked hatch is now entering its second generation and promises to offer even more range, comfort, and refinement. The new Leaf is expected to achieve perfect 5-star safety ratings all around and should start at or near the current model’s base price of £26,030.

Nissan LEAF

Porsche

The performance-minded German luxury brand is also known for its beautiful designs. Porsche offers the UK its large sedan in a PHEV variant, known as the Panamera S E-Hybrid. As Porsche prioritizes driving performance above all else, don’t expect to be blown away by the electric range. But you can expect excellent safety scores from this premium brand.

Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid

Renault

Renault is the only French brand offering any in-house electric models to the UK, and it brings us three. These models range from the diminutive but perfectly park-able Twizy, up to the Kangoo Z.E. which, it typical Kangoo fashion, affords the owner impressive cargo-carrying capacity. The Zoe is comparatively much larger than the Twizy, but still small by passenger car standards. Euro NCAP performance ranges from poor for the Twizy to an excellent 5-star rating for the Zoe. The Kangoo performs modestly in safety testing.

Renault Twizy

Tesla

Finally, we’ve arrived at the brand most readers will surely recognise: Tesla—the big T. The brand’s two (soon to be three) models are the superstars of the EV world, and in many ways, for good reason. Their performance is tough to beat, and for those of you who don’t want to mess with petrol engines period, there are no PHEVs in sight. Tesla is a BEV-only company. Range is certainly the company’s strong suit, topping out at 256 miles for its versatile Model X SUV, and an incredible 270 miles for the now-classic Model S large sedan. Charging times are long but worth the effort. Safety scores are excellent.

As a bonus, keep your eyes peeled for the comparatively-affordable Model 3, which is just now arriving on the driveways of some lucky early owners in the US. Dubbed Tesla’s “people’s car,” this small sedan will offer much of the luxury and performance of its bigger siblings, at a much lower price—probably around £27,000 for a base model. This small, functional Tesla is likely to make some big waves in the EV market.

Tesla Model S

Toyota

The Japanese brand known best for its durability shows up in the UK with just one electric offering, the Prius PHV. Its electric-only range is rather unimpressive, and the battery takes longer than expected to charge. This might be one case in which it’s a better idea just to stick with the conventional hybrid version of the car. But it’s a decent showing nonetheless and earns excellent scores in safety tests.

Toyota Prius PHV

Volkswagen

Volkswagen e-Golf

This value-oriented German brand offers four options to people in the UK. Two are of the full-electric, BEV variety, and two are PHEVs. The e-Golf and e-Up! represent compelling choices for those who have no desire to burn fossil fuels. The GTE version of the Golf and larger Passat offer a more sporting proposition and share a short-but-still-practical electric-only range of 31 miles. All of Volkswagen’s electric offerings achieve 5-star ratings in Euro NCAP tests.

Volvo

Last on our list is Volvo, who tosses two PHEVs into the UK EV ring: the XC90 T8 Twin Engine PHEV, and the V60 PHEV. The first is a Plug-in variant of Volvo’s already excellent XC90 SUV, which was recently redesigned. The V60 PHEV is special because it’s offered with two different diesel engine options, which factors in how performs when not operating on battery power. While no vehicle on this list could be considered unsafe, Volvo brings its rich history of safety research and development into the mix, presenting what are arguably the two safest cars on this list.

Volvo V60

Conclusion

Based on the sheer length of our completed list, it’s clear that the age of limited options is over. It’s impressive to think that just a few short years ago, the category of full- and partial-electric vehicles was a tiny fraction of the size is its now. And this is great news for you, dear consumer. It means that you’ll be asked to make fewer compromises than ever, whether this is your first electric vehicle purchase, or you’re moving on to an upgraded model. Plus, now equipped with the wealth of information provided here, you’ll be able to take a sure-footed step into the EV world, ready to buy with confidence.