- Lower cost EVs are something of a rarity. That’s set to change, however, with the new budget EVs hitting the market, or being unveiled, in 2024.
- It’s not just Chinese OEMs offering low-cost EVs anymore, as manufacturers such as Stellantis, Volvo, and Kia are now getting involved.
- From cheap city runabouts, to larger EVs offering exceptional value for money, these are the lower cost EVs we’re most looking forward to seeing in 2024.
Fiat Panda EV
2024 could see the release of Stellantis’ answer to the Dacia Spring – a sub-£22k/$28k EV with design inspired by the outgoing petrol-powered Fiat Panda, a car renowned for its cheap costs of ownership and chic design – something the EV replacement should look to replicate. Considering this, the as-yet-unnamed budget EV is likely to fall under the conglomerate’s Fiat moniker. The company’s Centoventi concept car gives us a hint as to what the Panda EV could look like.
Renault 5
The retro-inspired all-electric Renault 5 is on track for a 2024 unveil, which means we’ll finally get to see this small electric car in its final form. Prices will reportedly start around the £20,000/$25,000 mark, which if true, could seriously give the Fiat 500e a run for its money. An even cheaper electric Renault will be on the way in the form of the new Twingo, but we’ll be waiting until 2026 for its release.
Citroen e-C3
Citroen is also getting into the budget EV game in 2024, with the electric replacement for its C3 supermini, the aptly-named ‘e-C3’. Once on sale you can expect a price around £20,000/$25,000, with a range of up to 200 miles between charges. As part of the Stellantis group, the e-C3 will share the same underpinnings as the Panda EV – which should also spawn further cheap electric cars from the Stellantis brands.
SsangYong Torres EVX
SsangYong’s second fully-electric car will arrive in 2024 in the form of the mid-sized Torres EVX SUV. You can expect a selling price around £40,000/$46,000, which may not sound that cheap, but when you consider rivals such as the Tesla Model Y start at £44,900/$57,000 – and SsangYong’s have historically come loaded with standard equipment – the Torres EVX could offer the best value for money in the mid-size electric SUV market.
Volvo EX30
With deliveries to customers beginning in 2024, the EX30 is the cheapest electric car Volvo produces. With a starting price of £33,795/$36,245, the EX30 seriously undercuts the price of the cheapest Tesla Model 3, a model on which it competes. Despite its low price the EX30 offers a premium feel, with its styling much like a shrunken down version of its much more expensive models.
Nissan Leaf
The outgoing Nissan Leaf models, and particularly the original, was a pioneer in the EV world – becoming the first mass-produced electric car, and proving that EVs did not have to come at a high cost. Rumoured to be unveiled in 2024, a new iteration of the Leaf will be revealed. Out goes the current hatchback body and in comes a crossover form – a shrunk-down Nissan Ariya, if you like. With the Ariya starting at around £39,000/$45,000, with the future Leaf, we could be looking at £30,000/$30,000 or less. Nissan’s ‘Chill-Out’ concept gives us a hint as to the design of the next Leaf.
Kia EV3
The Kia EV3 will go on sale in late 2024, with prices around the £28,500/$30,000 mark. This comes as the Kia Soul EV is discontinued, with the EV3 adopting a similar size but with much-updated battery technology. The EV3 will go head-to-head against similarly-priced rivals such as the Volvo EX30.
Dacia Spring
The Dacia Spring is already available in most of Europe, but those in the UK shopping for a new EV in 2024 can look forward to a budget surprise, as it’s set to hit British shores. It’s one of the cheapest fully-fledged EVs you can buy, offering up to 140 miles of range, a top speed of 77mph, and seating for four. With European prices starting around the €20,000 mark, we can expect a price tag of around £18,000 once it arrives – outshining many of the cheapest electric cars available.
2024 Mini Cooper Electric
The all-new version of the electric Mini Cooper is available to order in 2024, and despite its improvements, you’ll actually be saving money over the outgoing model – with the starting price dropping from £32,625 to £30,000/$30,000 for the ‘Cooper E’ trim. This cheapest model still offers up an impressive 190 miles of range, whilst the Cooper SE hikes that to 250 miles – though you’ll be paying around £35,000/$37,000 for the privilege.
BYD Dolphin
Deliveries of the Dolphin will commence in 2024, marking the third EV from the Chinese giant to reach Europe after the Atto 3 and the Seal. The entry level version of this Volkswagen ID.3 rival starts at only £26,195. Even on this trim level, you can get up to 211 miles of driving out of its 45kWh battery, whilst vegan leather, and modcons such as Apple Carplay and Android Auto come as standard.
