You don’t have a lot of options if you want to pick up an electric car. Electric cars are more expensive than gas-powered cars, and to make matters worse, the auto industry tends to work from the top down. They focus on premium and luxury vehicles first.
It is great to be able to afford an electric car, though it is dependent on you being able to. Buying a used electric car can expand your options, but it’s important to know which ones were the cheapest before you buy. Here are the cheapest electric cars you can buy right now.
Chevy Bolt — from $25,600
The Chevy Bolt is currently the cheapest electric car on the market. Chevrolet is still behind the Nissan Leaf. When the sales cap is lifted on January 1, the Bolt may be able to earn that discount.
At its current price, the Bolt has a pretty good value. It’s all thanks to 258 miles of EPA-rated range, a 6.5 second 0-60 time and 57 square feet of cargo space when folded down. As far as cheap electric cars go, Chevy is offering a lot for a good price.
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Of course there are drawbacks. The Bolt doesn’t have SuperCruise, and the rapid charging isn’t the best. 100 miles in 30 minutes and 160 miles in an hour is how long it takes for it to come back. It shows some of the differences between a cheaper EV and a more expensive one.
That shouldn’t stop you from doing something. The price point of the Chevy Bolt makes it more than acceptable, even though it won’t compete with theTeslas of the world.
Chevy Bolt EUV — from $27,200
The Bolt EUV is more expensive than the Bolt, but it still has plenty of bang for your buck. When the tax credit sales cap is lifted in January, drivers will have the chance to save thousands of dollars. This is an electric car with plenty of tech, solid performance and a pretty good range for its price.
The Bolt EUV is less powerful than the standard Bolt, but there is more to it. It’s like the fact that this electric car has more interior space for passengers and cargo space when the seats are folded down.
The Bolt EV has flaws that can be found in the Bolt EUV. The charging speed is not as fast as it could be, with the time coming in at 6.8 seconds. 95 miles in 30 minutes is not very strong, when the likes of the Model 3 can get almost twice that. The Bolt EUV suffered as a result of last year’s battery recall, but things seem to be all right now.
The Chevy Bolt EUV is a great commuter car that is fun to drive. The Bolt EUV is capable of handling any kind of road. It should hold up nicely against high-speed highway driving.
The Nissan Leaf is worth your attention due to its low price and tax credit eligibility. If you can’t afford some mediocre range estimates, you should. The cheapest model is rated for only 149 miles.
You need to part with at least $35,800 if you want to increase that figure to more than 200 miles. Again, not very impressive, and in both instances you have to contend with the fact that the car doesn’t use the CCS used by other cars. The Leaf doesn’t sell itself very well these days.
The Nissan Leaf has a lot to offer if you stick to local journeys. In our Nissan Leaf review, we noted that it was feature-rich for an entry-level electric car, and that it was one of the few cheap cars that had always been eligible for the federal EV tax credit. On top of that, it has a lot of cargo space and some models have Level 2 autopilot.
The Nissan Leaf’s short range isn’t ideal, but there’s still plenty to like.
Mini SE — from $29,990
If you like the design of the Mini but want to drive on electricity, this could be the EV for you. The car’s range estimate is 114 miles, so it’s not all that great.
It’s the price you pay for something cheap. The MiniSE has a lot going for it. It was called the “king of compliance cars” in our review.
The Mini SE is limited to urban travel and not long distance road trips. It is fun to drive, which is one of the reasons why Mini is a Mini. The car has a go-kart feel to it, which is perfect for winding back roads with a lot of corners. It is easier to park with the small stature.
The Mini SE is an excellent addition to your garage if you have a short commute or don’t plan on driving very far. Should those long-distance journeys become necessary, you need to have a back-up plan.
Mazda MX-30 — from $33,470
There are usually reasons why the price is what it is. It is all obvious in the case of the Mazda MX-30, it is mostly down to the car’s 100 mile range. The car has a top speed of more than 100 mph and a time of more than nine seconds.
The design of the MX 30 is the only benefit it has to offer. A high driving position and a safety bonus are some of the benefits that a high driving position and a safety bonus can provide.
Despite being pillarless, the MX-30 still lacks a roomy interior with little space for passengers and cargo. The Nissan Leaf is a little larger than that.
The MX 30 can be fun to drive if you can get beyond the poor range. If you want to make an electric car the second car in the house, this Mazda is worth a look.
Hyundai Kona Electric — from $34,000
The mid-rangeHyundai Kona is one of the few cars that can be had in gasoline, plug-in hybrid and electric. The electric model has 258 miles of range and other cool things.
The Kona doesn’t look like much, and it can’t charge as fast as the flagship IONIQ 5 (10- 80% charge in 47 minutes at 100kW speeds), and it lacks some of the features that are found in the IONIQ 5. It is cheap and its dollar-to-range ratio is better than the cheapest IONIQ 5 model on the market.
You have all the things you need to travel. The Kona has a large interior with a reversing camera, a large cargo space with the seats down, and optional extras such as heated seats. If you want an electric car on the cheap, this is a good option.
Hyundai IONIQ 5 — $39,950
The IONIQ 5 is an electric car that costs under $40,000. The more expensive models have a few more perks than the less expensive ones.
The cheapest model of the IONIQ offers only 220 miles of EPA-rated range. It is comparable to the Nissan Leaf, but still miles below Chevy’s low cost offerings. There is plenty to see and do here, including a super fast 250 kilowatt charging (10- 80% in 18 minutes) and a spacious interior for drivers and passengers.
Safety features include adaptive cruise control and lane centering tech. There are certain things that are exclusive to more expensive models. In our review of the IONIQ 5, we pointed out that all that tech is one of the car’s major selling points.
The IONIQ 5 is worth a look if you want a more luxurious electric car without spending a lot of money.
2022 Kia Niro EV — from $39,990
If you’re looking for a car that’s a little too expensive for your tastes, the Kia Niro EV might be a good choice.
The very best of what the segment has to offer is offered by the SUV design, which has a 10.25-inch touchscreen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support, and a premium surround sound system. There is plenty of room for passengers with the seats folding down. At least not in the current model.
The Niro EV is similar to the IONIQ 5 in many ways. It’s a basic car that lacks a lot of the hi-tech luxuries you will get in the newer model, but still has all the basics you need to drive around.
The Niro EV is going to have a lot of changes soon. It isn’t clear when we’ll find out more about the car, but it’s rumored to cost around $40k in the U.S. The 2022. model is still available to order.
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