What cheap electric cars are on the market? It is a question that we frequently receive in the editorial office, even from close friends and family, from people interested in electric mobility but with a tight budget. It is well known that manufacturers are focusing on higher segments, as they are more profitable, and it is difficult to find affordable electric cars. But it is not impossible, as the three models we have selected demonstrate.
Before going into details, it should be noted that we have selected three real cars, conventional passenger cars for which a B driving license is required, leaving aside light electric quadricycles and similar vehicles.
Although it is increasingly common to talk about Chinese electric cars and relate them to an affordable price, the truth is that none of those present here come from the Asian giant. Two are French and one is Romanian, although belonging to a French group and derived from a car that was designed for the Chinese market.
Peugeot e-208
Peugeot’s most affordable electric car has recently been updated, with improvements at all levels. It is not a new generation but a restyling whose most important novelty is the incorporation of a new version with more power and also more range (400 kilometers), but it is not the version that interests us here. Subtle changes have also been made at an aesthetic and equipment level.
With the arrival of the new model, you can find quite a few new units in stock of the old e-208 with a price starting from 29,600 euros, according to the brand’s website. In this case, we are looking at a car with 136 HP of power and 362 kilometers of approved range in mixed-use (WLTP) thanks to its 50 kWh battery.
It should be noted that stock vehicles can receive aid from the MOVES III Plan, even if they are registered, as long as they have been registered up to nine months before April 10, 2020. Thus, with MOVES aid (up to 7,000 euros ) it is easy to find units from 22,000 or 23,000 euros.
Renault Twingo E-Tech electric
The Renault Twingo E-Tech is a veteran electric car on the market, but it is still an interesting option for getting around the city. Its small dimensions and very small turning radius, thanks to the large angle achieved by the front wheels (it has the engine behind), make it an agile and very practical car in urban areas.
It measures just 3.61 meters in length and, even so, it can carry four passengers and still has room for a small trunk. It has 81 HP of power and a range of 190 kilometers in combined use, which goes up to 270 kilometers in urban use (according to WLTP approval).
It is available with two equipment levels: techno and Urban Night Limited Series. The only differences are in the equipment, since mechanically they are identical. The access version of the electric Twingo costs 24,501 euros before aid. If we put the MOVES aid into the equation, the starting price remains at 17,501 euros. To this, you can add the personal income tax deduction for the purchase of an electric vehicle, of up to 3,000 euros.
Dacia Spring
The cheapest electric car you can buy in 2023 is the Dacia Spring. A battery car that, after the increases in previous years, has once again lowered its price to below 20,000 euros before including aid. More specifically, 19,990 euros for the Spring Essential 45.
It is a very simple car, without any type of luxury beyond air conditioning or electric rear-view mirrors, and it is not the safest car on the market either, although it has emergency braking assistance, LED daytime running lights, or start assistant as standard. sloping. However, it is a very interesting option for moving around the city and surrounding areas thanks to its low consumption which allows you to get good range from a relatively small battery.
With the aid from the MOVES Plan without scrapping, the Spring can stay at 15,490 euros. If an old vehicle is delivered to be scrapped, the Dacia electric one costs 12,990 euros. In addition, we must take into account the deduction of 15% of the acquisition value of the vehicle, valid until December 31, 2024, which can reduce the final price of the Spring a little more.
Bonus track: MG4
It is not the cheapest, but it is a book bonus track that we must include because if we only take into account new models, the MG4 should be on this list instead of the Peugeot e-208.
The Chinese model starts at 30,690 euros in the MG4 Standard version, from which 2,210 euros must be deducted from brand campaigns at the time of writing this article, leaving it at 28,480 euros. It is a C-segment car, superior to all those listed above, with more space and a larger trunk (363 liters). It has 170 HP of power and a 51 kWh battery with LFP cells that allow it to certify 350 kilometers of range.
With the minimum aid from the MOVES III Plan, the MG4 remains at 23,980 euros. By handing over a car for scrapping, it can cost 21,480 euros. This figure leaves the Chinese model with a practically unbeatable performance-equipment-price ratio, and it can still improve further if we take into account the deduction in personal income tax.
