It doesn’t seem too long ago that electric cars were the future but in a short space of time, electric cars and plug-in vehicles have become an everyday sighting.
You can’t walk for five minutes in a major city centre without the gentle hum of an electric motor whirring into your subconsciousness – and that’s a good thing.
Plug-in vehicles are generally cheaper to run and better for the environment, compared to a regular petrol or diesel car.
But if you want to go electric, which cars are worth checking out?
Nissan Leaf
This is the car that started the electric vehicle (EV) revolution, emerging as the world’s first mass-produced EV back in 2011.
Before the Leaf, pure battery-powered cars were a bit of a joke. They were regularly likened to milk carts and mocked for their poor build quality, as well as their limited range and drab driving experience.
Nissan took it upon themselves to make EVs relevant and the Leaf essentially set the standard. Here was a family-sized hatchback that you could actually go places in and was actually fun to drive. Its outlandish futuristic styling may have been toned down for the second-gen model but its extended range and improved practicality make it a fair trade-off.
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Renault Zoe
This may be one of the cheapest electric cars but don’t associate that with a lack of quality because the Zoe is packed with it.
Its dinky size makes it one of the most enjoyable EVs to drive, while its supermini proportions make it an ideal tool for inner-city scooting. Other EVs may be better kitted out but the Zoe doesn’t offer you anything you don’t need.
It’s no-nonsense electric motoring and for anyone keen to join the EV club, the Renault Zoe is the perfect first rung.
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BMW i3
BMW’s entry into the world of electric cars confirmed that EVs were definitely here to stay and the i3 was the brand’s first shot at a production battery car.
It still looks and feels like absolutely nothing else in the BMW range and if you covered up the famous roundel badge, only the kidney grills would hint at its identity.
Available as a pure electric or plug-in petrol-electric hybrid, the i3 introduced a kinetic energy recuperation system that captured any energy that would be otherwise wasted. This gives it an ‘on-off’ sensation – as soon as you lift off the accelerator, it feels like the car automatically eases on the brakes.
With a fully charged battery, it can cover up to 124 miles and it can be recharged to 80 per cent at a quick-charging station in just 39 minutes.
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Hyundai Ioniq
Before the Ioniq was revealed in 2016, a battery had never featured in a Hyundai. So the South Korean car maker made up for lost time by unveiling the Ioniq with three different electric powertrains: conventional hybrid, plug-in hybrid and obviously, all-electric.
Powered by a 28kWH lithium-ion battery, it can cover up to 174 miles on a single charge and packs all the style and practicality you’d expect from any regular mid-size saloon.
With a 0-62mph sprint of just under ten seconds, it may not be lightning quick but it makes up for it with a quiet and comfortable ride.
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Tesla Model X
No ‘best electric car’ list is complete without a Tesla and we’ve gone for the Model X because it is remarkable in every aspect.
From its gullwing doors to the fact it can blast off to 62mph in 4.8 seconds whilst covering 300 miles on a single charge, the electric SUV constantly impresses.
Chuck in the self-driving Autopilot automated driving function, and it’s hard to deny that the Model X is the next step for electric cars.
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