Best small electric cars 2026: Top 10 compact EVs for value and range

1. Renault 5 E-Tech: the best small electric car full stop

Why buy it

• The best small EV ever made... So far, anyway

Why avoid it

• Rear seat space isn't great

Hopefully, the Renault 5 E-Tech won’t go the same way as the GWM Ora 03. It almost certainly won’t. The R5 seems to be flying off the showroom floor based on how many we’re already seeing on the roads. No surprise, really. It’s a lesson in how to do a retro-future small car: big battery range, big personality, big driving fun…small package. 

Prices kick off at a shade below £23,000 and never exceed £30k, which makes it one of the best value EVs on sale. At the lower end of the scale you're looking at a 40kWh battery with a 190-mile claimed range.

Stretch to the 53kWh version if you can, which bumps the range up to 250 miles (near enough). Specification is good even in a basic car, with every Renault 5 getting a heat pump (for maximum battery efficiency even during winter months), a twin-screen display and Google-powered infotainment. Winner winner, poulet dinner.

Renault 5 E-Tech Real EV Range

When we tested the Renault 5 E-Tech with the larger battery during spring, it comfortably managed a 200-mile journey, two-thirds of which were on motorways and dual-carriageways.

Read our Renault 5 E-Tech review.

2. BYD Dolphin Surf: best small EV for exceeding expectations

Why buy it

• Loads of kit and decent space despite its smallness

Why avoid it

• Entry-level Active version feels dismally underpowered

The BYD Dolphin Surf is one of those cars that’s just… canny. Nothing to get excited about, but very easy to justify because it doesn’t do anything wrong. Comfy-ish to ride in. Fun-ish to drive. Good-ish to look at. Cheap-ish to buy. It’s annoying that it costs, like, a third of the price in China, though. Try not to think about that and just enjoy how cheap it is to get to the Co-op every day.

That price, then: £18,500. We're assured that this is a superior car to the £6k Chinese model, though, because it has a bit more safety kit and... erm... It is well-specified in fairness and still one of the lowest-cost EVs in the UK.

Bottom-rung cars get a 137-mile claimed range, making it a town runabout, really, but there is a 43kWh model with a 200-mile claimed range. Get that one if you're willing to finance £20k-plus. All Dolphin Surfs come with adaptive cruise control, keyless entry, BYD's fancy spinning touchscreen, a 308-litre boot space (massive for a city car) and a six-year, 94,000-mile warranty. 

BYD Dolphin Surf Real EV Range

Stick to urban driving and the BYD Dolphin Surf should outperform those official driving range claims, but if you tend to drive on motorways a fair bit the Active model may struggle to manage 100 miles.

Read our BYD Dolphin Surf review.

3. Hyundai Inster: best small EV for clever practicality

Why buy it

• Unbelievable flexiblily and practicality in a small EV...

Why avoid it

• ...Providing you buy it in the right specification

The Hyundai Inster is flexible. Flexible like a Play-Doh credit card. It has masses of interior space, all the seats fold fully flay and slide and yet the body is small, so it’s easy to park. The battery range is mint for a little car, at up to 229 miles and it doesn’t scrimp on tech either. It has twin digital displays, blind spot cameras and even the three-pin socket that the (much more expensive) Ioniq EVs get. So you can plug another EV into it, if you like.

That level of space, flexibility and equipment makes it feel like a heck of a lot of car for £23,000. Albeit, and quite vexingly, only the top spec car of two (creatively titled 01 and 02) gets the flexible seating. If that's not a deal breaker, then an 01 should be all the Inster you need, coming with cruise control, air con, wireless smartphone mirroring, and either of the two battery options.

There's not much between them to be fair, with a 42kWh unit providing "up to 203 miles" of range and a 49kWh Long Range model adding just 26 miles to that. It's a similar story with the power, as it happens: the choice of either 97PS or 115PS is hardly enough difference to notice.

Hyundai Inster Real EV Range

Stick to driving the Hyundai Inster around town and you'll easily see a driving range of over 250 miles from the larger battery. Conversely, if your commute involves plenty of motorway plying, that will drop to around 160 miles.

Read our Hyundai Inster review.

4. Citroen e-C3 Aircross: best small EV for interior space

Why buy it

• It's budget-friendly but doesn't feel bargain basement inside

Why avoid it

• Modest driving range for a family-focused EV

The Citroen e-C3 Aircross offers tonnes of space and excellent quality – all for just a grand more than the regular Citroen e-C3 hatchback. Looks are a matter of taste, obviously, but we think the chunky styling is mega and as per all modern Citroens, the ride comfort is exquisite.

All versions get Citroen's so-called 'Advanced Comfort' suspension while the seats are among the most relaxing you'll ever sit on. The infotainment is fathomable to. If you’ve had much experience with a last-generation Citroen touchscreen, you’ll know that “fathomable” is a gargantuan improvement.

Priced from around £25,000, it's not the cheapest EV in the UK, but because of all the space and kit, it's probably the best value. A 44 kWh battery paired with a (not very quick) 113 PS motor gives you up to 188 miles of range, claimed. And while its 100 kW max charging rate isn't cutting-edge, it's good for a 20-80% rapid charge in less than half an hour. We only wish it had sliding seats, in which case it would be the most flexible small EV on the market, hands down. 

Citroen e-C3 Aircross Real EV Range

While the Citroen e-C3 Aircross's official driving range with the Extended Range battery is 249 miles, we reckon the real-world winter potential will be sub-200 miles. 

Read our Citroen e-C3 Aircross review.

5. Fiat 500e: best small electric car for adorable charm

Why buy it

• Familiar retro styling, but this time the car's actually good

Why avoid it

• Rear seats are best reserved for contortionists

The now-departed Fiat 500 was always a bit ropey underneath its layers of cute retro styling – styling that's always been enough to make it fly off the shelves. Well, that and being really cheap to run. Plus being 'customisable' in the same way a MINI is.

The electric Fiat 500e, though... is MUCH better, in every way. Quality is in a different league, the driving position is fit for humans taller than 5ft, the refinement is infinitely better... and it does all this with no loss of personality. It’s a brilliant city car.

As is becoming more common, even in small EVs, you get a couple of battery sizes to choose from: a 24kWh unit with a claimed 115 miles (making this more suited to being a local pizzeria billboard than anything else), and a 42kWh model with a 199-mile range. That's the one to get, not just for the obvious advantage of the additional mileage between charges, but it will be MUCH easier to sell on. 

Fiat 500e Real EV Range

It's difficult to recommend the Fiat 500e with the smaller battery as its real-world range is always likely to be sub-100 miles, even during the mildest times of the year, but the larger one should reliably yield a 150-mile potential.

Read our Fiat 500e review.

6. GWM Ora 03: best small electric car for upmarket vibes

Why buy it

• Masses of interior space and feel surprisingly upmarket

Why avoid it

• Pitifully small boot limits its practicality

For a little while, the CFKATFC (“Car Formerly Known As The Funky Cat”) felt like it would make a real impact. Cute looks, loads of cabin space, reasonably priced and decent to drive. But then GWM (that's Great Wall Motors to you and me) went and gave it a sensible name. And it just sort of… went off the radar. And that was despite Ora basically selling them at a loss for a while to get them on the road. Yet it’s a really cool little EV and well worth a look.

It's not perfect, mainly because its infotainment already feels last generation, with its tiny icons, baffling menus and loads of wasted screen space. But you'll get used to it. More difficult to get used to is an attention alert system that's less patient than the mardy army dudes on SAS: Who Dares Wins. The merest glance away from the road will have the car bonging at you like a nuclear meltdown is imminent.

Still, if you remember to turn the Ora 03 off every time you get into the car, you'll enjoy a runabout that's rare, cheap, and (if you get the bigger 63kWh battery option) can do up to 260 miles on a single charge according to official figures.

GWM Ora 03 Real EV Range

If your budget stretches to it, the larger-batteried GWM Ora 03 is the one to go for – we found it would typically return 200-220 miles on a full charge during testing, while the smaller alternative struggled to best 150 miles.

Read our GWM Ora 03 review.

7. Peugeot E-208: best small electric car for sportiness

Why buy it

• Still has one of the best interiors of any small car

Why avoid it

• Adults sat in the back won't applaud its lack of space

The not-so-good stuff first: the Peugeot E-208 is cramped (especially in the back), has a little boot and its tiny steering wheel means the driving position is problematic for anyone of average height or above. Also it’s due to be replaced quite soon.

But it’s here because the cabin has aged beautifully – it still feels modern – and it’s proper sharp to drive. Yet it's a quiet and comfy thing to get to work and back in, too... assuming you're on the shorter side, that is. 

Its age means there are some great deals to be had now (and plenty of used examples kicking about), so for that reason we'd look for the best-specified car you feel comfortable paying for. There's only one battery and motor choice (50kWh, 136PS, 248-mile claimed range), but top-spec GT trim feels like a lot of car. It's the only one that comes with heated seats, blind spot monitoring and Peugeot's fancy '3D-effect' instrument binnacle. The sporty styling really suits the car as well.

Peugeot E-208 Real EV Range

With the 50kWh battery, you will be very fortunate to achieve a real-world driving range figure of over 200 miles unless you only ever pootle around at urban speeds.

Read our Peugeot E-208 review.

8. Smart #1: best small electric car for high performance

Why buy it

• Even in its mildest guise the #1 is quick

Why avoid it

• Enormous prices for a not-so-enormous car

An upper-specification Smart #1 has a range of almost 280 miles, which shows just how advanced EVs have become over the last few years. Here's a small electric car with a battery range that surpasses what a standard Tesla Model 3 could do when it first landed.

The Smart #1 charges quickly (up to 150kW), rides with refinement, is quick even at the bottom of the range and looks funky too. Only the slightly shonky infotainment lets the side down.

None of this is cheap, however. You're looking at £36,000 for a base car and it's possible to add ten grand to that if yours has 'Brabus' written on it. Yikes. A 62 kWh battery is standard, and although the mileage varies depending on trim, all get a 22 kW onboard charger. That essentially means the car can juice up three times faster at a workplace AC charging point than it can at home – a bit of practical tech that's still quite rare in smaller EVs.

Smart #1 Real EV Range

As with all small electric cars, if you keep the Smart #1 confined to city driving, you will struggle not to significantly beat the official range figures, but regular, long schleps on motorways will see its potential drop by around a third.

Read our Smart #1 review.

9. Dacia Spring: best small electric car for short commutes

Why buy it

• If Primark made cars it wouldn't be far away from this

Why avoid it

• Other small EVs drive far better

To be perfectly honest, this probably shouldn’t be on any best EVs list. It’s just not that good. Uncultured to drive, not much space, not much battery range, not much standard kit and not much love from Euro NCAP. It infamously received a one-star score from the European safety body. Damn. However, the Dacia Spring is blindingly cheap, which might be enough to make you consider using one to get to work and back. 

The cheapest new EV in the UK, it's priced from a fiver below £15k, making its main rival a used Nissan Leaf. It's impossible to get near £20,000 for a Dacia Spring and the top spec model does actually look surprisingly well-equipped.

Called Extreme (not after the band that sang More Than Words, we're told), it has a 10-inch touchscreen, alloys, wireless smartphone mirroring and a three-pin socket, so you can whip out your air fryer at the campsite and cook up some potato waffles. The battery tech borders on archaic, though, with 26kWh capacity and a max charging rate of just 30kW. A straw to a standard EV's drainpipe. 

Dacia Spring Real EV Range

Whichever version of the Dacia Spring you go for, expect a typical real-world driving range of 100 miles.

Read our Dacia Spring review.

10. Leapmotor T03: best small electric car for value

Why buy it

• Cheap to buy and rammed with standard equipment

Why avoid it

• Tiny boot, even among this company

Yes you can here the sound of a barrel being scraped here. But bear with us. Like the Dacia Spring, the Leapmotor T03 is here less because it’s a good car and more because it offers something zero-emissions and very cost-effective.

It's much better-equipped than the Dacia Spring with a single trim level that comes with a ten-inch touchscreen as standard. As well as a reversing camera, panoramic glass roof, heated mirrors, alloy wheels and keyless start.

It charges at up to 48kW speed (about the same as an electric Vauxhall Corsa), does up to 165 miles between charge-ups and because it doesn't weigh much, its 95PS motor is... adequate. When you factor all that in, it actually makes much more sense than the Dacia Spring. Because you get all this for just £15,995. A mere grand above a basic Spring. Back of the net (zero)!

Leapmotor T03 Real EV Range

City cars such as the Leapmotor T03 are so called because that's the environment they perform best in. Do so and you'll likely beat the 165-mile official Combined cycle range easily. Planning to regularly brave motorways in one? Honestly, don't – buy a used Peugeot E-208 instead.

Read our Leapmotor T03 review.

Frequently asked questions about small electric cars

Which small electric car has the longest driving range?

The Renault 5 E-Tech is the current class leader for range, offering up to 250 miles from its larger 52kWh battery option. Other impressive performers in the small car segment include the Smart #1, which can cover up to 280 miles depending on the trim, and the GWM Ora 03, which reaches 260 miles with its 63kWh battery.

Are small electric cars practical enough for a family?

While traditional small hatchbacks can be cramped, many new small EVs use clever packaging to maximise space. The Hyundai Inster is a standout for practicality, featuring sliding and reclining rear seats and a cabin so flexible that all seats can fold flat. The Citroen e-C3 Aircross is also an excellent family choice, offering a 460-litre boot — which is larger than many cars in the class above.

What is the cheapest proper electric car on sale?

Excluding quadricycles like the Citroen Ami, the Dacia Spring is the UK’s cheapest electric car with a starting price of £14,995. However, it is a very basic vehicle with a limited top speed and a 140-mile range. For a more well-rounded experience, the Leapmotor T03 (£15,995) or the BYD Dolphin Surf (£18,500) provide much better equipment and performance for a relatively small price increase.

How long does it take to charge a small electric car?

Because small EVs generally have smaller batteries, they can often be charged quickly even without ultra-rapid chargers. Most will top up from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes using a standard 50kW public rapid charger. At home, using a 7kW wallbox, a full charge for a car like the Renault 5 or Fiat 500 typically takes between 6 and 8 hours, making them easy to charge up overnight.

Are small electric cars safe for motorway driving?

Yes, most small electric cars are fully M1 type-approved, meaning they meet the same rigorous safety and crash-test standards as larger petrol cars. Models like the Renault 5 E-Tech and Peugeot E-208 feel stable and refined at 70mph. However, be aware that driving at motorway speeds will deplete the battery faster than city driving, so your real-world range will likely be lower than the manufacturer's combined claim.

Is a used small electric car a good investment?

Buying a used small EV can be a great way to save money, especially with models like the Peugeot E-208 or Renault Zoe which have been on the market for several years. Since EVs have fewer moving parts than petrol cars, they generally suffer from fewer mechanical issues. It is always wise to check the battery health report (SOH) before buying to ensure the previous owner hasn't excessively degraded the capacity through constant rapid charging.

What is the cheapest small electric car on sale?

If you’re not too picky on the exact definition of ‘car’, the quirky Citroen Ami is the most affordable electric runabout on sale at £7695. But it is just that... a runabout. With a top speed of less than 30mph. Useless for most, then. The cheapest proper car that's electric is the Dacia Spring, but as you'll have read above, that's very compromised too. So for us, if you want something zero emissions that's cheap above all else, but still decent, your best bets are a BYD Dolphin Surf or a Citroen e-C3. 

What is the battery range for a small electric car?

Gone are the days when you could expect no more than 100 miles of range from a small electric car. The Fiat 500e offers up to 199 miles, for example and both the Peugeot E-208 and Vauxhall Corsa Electric have ranges of more than 220 miles. But the Renault 5 E-Tech beats them all, with a 250-mile claimed range. 

How spacious are small electric cars?

The best small cars are surprisingly spacious anyway. But take away the engine and even more room can be created for passengers. The best example of a spacious small car is the Hyundai Inster, which is so vast inside (well... "vast" is probably the wrong word) that there's a mattress option for it, so you can drop all the seats and sleep in it. The Citroen e-C3 Aircross is extremely spacious too.