Lowest Price Electric Vehicles

Having a reasonable transportation vehicle and being environmentally friendly should not be mutually exclusive. Lo and behold! the eco –enthusiasts can now breathe a sigh of relief, electric cars are here. And with some available at rock bottom prices; they are a steal for the green urban commuter.

This article looks at the low priced all- electric cars that are available in the European and the UK market. It does not cover hybrids. Note that in Britain, some of the cars listed do not qualify for the government’s electric (plug-in) car grant as they do not meet the required specs (min top speed 60 mph and min range 70 miles). However even without grants, the prices are reasonable and are expected to decrease with a growing EV market through economy of scales. The data was collated in April 2015 and prices are subject to change.

For micro cars the crumple zone ( The frontal area designed that absorbs impact energy) is small. The low priced electric vehicles fall mainly in the micro car category. They are by design made to have low top speeds, so that they remain safe in case of a collision.

 Lowest Price Electric Vehicles:

Mentioned below  are the details of  lowest priced electric vehicles with the most expensive listed first. Note that “synergy files” will endeavour to renew this detail every 6 months. Electric cars are being produced by established as well as new car companies. It is therefore common to see emblems on Electric cars that are unheard of.

Micro-Vett Ydea

Micro-Vett Ydea

Although not a global household name, but Micro-Vett is an established car manufacturer in Europe that specializes in small electric and hybrid vehicles. Because of Ydea’s low top-speed, it can be driven without a license in Europe. This car was initially aimed at tourists, who could hire it without the need for a valid European license. When it was launched in the UK, it was one of the first electric cars to have a 100 miles range.

Smart Fortwo Electric Drive

Smart ED Image courtesy: R A Boe

Smart motors have been instrumental in popularizing microcars around the world. The German based motor company launched their first electric drive in 2007. Smart Fortwo Electric Drive or in short “Smart ED” has been a popular choice in congested cities where it enjoy not only free parking bays but also benefits from charging points.  Smart ED is extremely popular among delivery services. It benefits from solid engineering and its batteries are provided by Tesla motor company. It also ticks all boxes for the plug in grant in the UK.

Aixam eCity

Aixam eCity

Aixam-Mega is again a motor company that specializes in microcars.  In Aixam eCity, the motor power is minimal and therefore the micro car  is not very good at accelerating. Compared to Smart ED, it is also poor in handling. It has more room than similar priced cars and can seat up to four people in the upgraded version. Range is also an issue as its one of the lowest. It uses AGM lead acid batteries. Aixam-Mega other vehicles that have similar car body but with different drivetrains. This makes spare parts slightly easy to acquire.

Renault Twizy

Renault Twizy

The Renault Twizy is categorized as a heavy qaudricycle and not as a microcar. With its low curb weight and similar power compared to eCity, it feels very nippy and responsive in driving. It has a lithium ion battery pack, that reduces its weight and even in worst conditions, it can manage 31 miles per charge. It has been a huge success since its launch. The Twizy was the top-selling plug-in electric vehicle in Europe during 2012. Although its base price is low but that does not include the batteries, which are leased for a monthly fee.

Reva GWiz

Reva GWiz

The Reva Gwiz is a common sight in big cities. With its peculiar shape it is hard to miss. Like Renault Twizy,  its low weight and slower speed  qualify it as a  “heavy quadricycle”, rather than a car.  Not having the label of an established motor company, it comes with the lowest price tag. Initial models were sold with a DC motor that struggled on incline. Newer models had the option of AC drive that addresses the torque issue on hills and at high speeds.  It also features regenerative braking. By providing high value for money, it was no wonder that Gwiz was the most popular electric vehicle in the UK for several years. Its production ended in 2012 and has been replaced by Mahindra e2o.

Also worth mentioning here is the MyCar CV.2, which is a similar car to Gwiz. It was priced at £9995 and has a 3.73 KW DC motor.

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Also worth reading: Top selling electric cars in the UK