Best EVs 2026: putting this year’s top electric cars to the test (original) (raw)
The electric car market in 2026 is bigger than ever, with a huge range of vehicles available from almost every manufacturer. Everyone from Audi and BMW, to Mercedes, Kia, Mini, Porsche and Volvo – and many more besides – produce a range of electric cars to suit almost every budget and every lifestyle.
Prices are falling and range is increasing, with some EVs starting under £25,000 and others driving for more than 400 or even 500 miles between charges. There are EVs from established, century-old brands, as well as models from upstarts less than a decade old – and all are quickly proving how enticing the EV lifestyle can be.
In 2026 the market includes small city EVs like the Mini Cooper E and Renault 5, all manner of SUVs, a budget estate in the form of the MG5, battery-powered sports cars like the Porsche Taycan, 2,000-horsepower hypercars like the Rimac Nevera, and ultra-luxury offerings like the Rolls-Royce Spectre. Prices run from under £20,000 to over £2m and quoted range estimates span from a little over 100 miles to 500.
With such a broad range of electric options to pick from, there’s also a lot to understand before you make your purchase. Battery size and range are only one part of the EV equation, as charging speed is equally important. Cars with 400-volt architectures can’t charge as quickly as those running 800 volts, for example. And while your local high-speed charger might advertise itself as 350kW, only a tiny handful of EVs sold in the UK can currently charge that fast.
Once you have your head around battery capacity (some cars have the option of a small or large battery), range and charge speed, it’s time to look at performance – a more powerful EV generally has less range than a slower one – and optional extras, like additional driver assistance systems and upgraded infotainment.
With all that in mind, it’s time to run through our favourite electric cars for sale right now. And if you need a home charger for your electric vehicle, take a look at our best EV Charger guide too.
T3's Top 3
Best Electric Car
From £58,755
Best electric seven-seater
From £66,645
Best Luxury EV
Rolls-Royce Black Badge Spectre
From £350,000
Best Electric Car 2026
(Image credit: BMW)
The best electric car
Specifications
Battery size: 108.7 kWh
Range: 500 miles
Power: 345 kW (469 hp)
0-62 mph: 4.9 seconds
Price: £58,755
Reasons to buy
Huge range
Rapid charging
Excellent infotainment
Well calibrated ADAS
Reasons to avoid
-
Some interior cost-cutting
-
Fiddly steering wheel buttons
-
Base trim looks a little bland
The iX3 represents the start of an entirely new era for BMW. It boasts a massive 500 miles of range – in fact, I saw an indicated 520 miles from 100% after a day of driving – a 400 kW charge rate, and an all-new design inside and out.
There’s also a powerful new computer called the Heart of Joy, which helps speed up processing time across all of the car’s major systems, plus a new 800-volt electrical architecture, new motors and a new infotainment system featuring the new Panoramic iDrive, a display that sits below the windscreen and spreads across the entire width of the cabin.
It’s a bold step from BMW, and one that absolutely delivers. The iX3 is a joy to drive, thanks to being plenty potent while also being comfortable and with a relaxed driving manner. Its active safety systems are nicely calibrated to prevent unnecessary beeping, the infotainment works well, and there’s really very little to fault.
BMW has built a car that delivers on its promise, makes up for some of the missteps made by earlier models, and sets a new EV benchmark for others to meet – and with prices starting at £58,000, it even delivers acceptable value too.
Best Electric 7-Seater
(Image credit: Future)
2. Kia EV9
An affordable 7-seater SUV
Specifications
Battery size: 99.8kWh
Range: 313-349 miles
Power: 200-378 hp
0-62 mph: 9.4-5.3 seconds
Price: from £66,645
Reasons to buy
Well priced
Impressive design inside and out
Superfast charging
Reasons to avoid
-
The size of a truck
-
Not as premium as some
Kia's flagship EV is a full size SUV with room for seven people, and this thing really does have plenty of room. It's a giant car by UK standards – on par with the Land Rover Defender 130 – and is available with swiveling middle row seats to create a lounge-like space in the back.
Up front there's plenty of space too, as well as some impressive tech. An ultra wide display is made up of two 12.3-inch screens with a 5.3-inch screen for the climate control in the centre. There's fingerprint recognition for access to the controls, a digital key option for entry and a full range of active safety features, including Lane Follow Assist for level 2 autonomy and a digital rearview mirror for a clear view past all your passengers and luggage.
Not only does this beast of a car offer an impressive range of up to 349 miles, but it can charge at up to 350kW, meaning that you can fill up at a fast charger (10-80%) in as little as 24 mins.
Best Luxury EV
(Image credit: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars)
3. Rolls-Royce Black Badge Spectre
Quite simply, the Rolls-Royce of electric cars
Specifications
Battery size: 102 kWh
Range: 308 miles
Power: 485 kW (650 hp)
0-62 mph: 4.1 seconds
Price: From around £350,000
Reasons to buy
Supremely smooth and comfortable
Total isolation from the outside world
Surprising turn of pace
Reasons to avoid
-
Huge dimensions
-
Personalisation can get enormously expensive
-
Cabin becoming dated
Not much to say here, is there? The Black Badge Spectre is, literally and figuratively, the Rolls-Royce of electric cars. Hugely capable, massively comfortable, endlessly powerful and a total pleasure to spend time with.
The controls will be immediately familiar to owners of Rolls-Royces from the past decade or so, which is actually to the car’s credit since it means you can immediately settle in and enjoy the ride without worrying about how a Rolls EV might differ to one powered by a V12.
The Black Badge version featured here has more power and toque over the original Spectre, and is even equipped with launch control - only Rolls-Royce would rather you call it Spirited Mode. There’s also a button for engaging Infinity Mode, which unlocks the full 650 hp to make overtaking a breeze (as if it wasn’t already…).
You might struggle to meet the claimed 308 miles of range, given all that power and the huge weight of the thing. But handily the Spectre charges at up to 195 kW, so you won’t be waiting at the charge station for long.
Best Mid-Size Electric SUV
(Image credit: Porsche)
4. Porsche Macan Electric
Fully electric, but fully Porsche too
Specifications
Battery size: 95 kWh
Range: Up to 398 miles
Power: From 265 kW (355 hp)
0-62 mph: From 5.7 seconds
Price: From £68,600
Reasons to buy
Drives like a Porsche
Good use of physical switchgear
Great efficiency, or…
…seriously quick in Turbo guise
Reasons to avoid
-
Optional extras quickly get expensive
-
Turbo rides rather firmly
-
Rear seat space is limited
Following a similar recipe to Porsche’s first electric car, the Taycan, the new Macan manages to retain plenty of Porsche’s DNA despite ditching internal combustion for electrification.
The electric Macan also ushers in a design overhaul for the mid-size SUV, with a fresh new exterior and interior that bring the car bang up to date. There are currently five models in the Macan EV range, stretching from the entry-level car at £68,600 to the hugely powerful Macan Turbo, which starts at £97,500.
While the power of the Turbo (over 600 horsepower and a 3.3-second 0-62mph time), I was hugely impressed by the base model. It may only have 360 horsepower and hits 62 mph in 5.7 seconds, but it’s also the most efficient, since it only has one motor instead of two.
Whichever you choose – or maybe you fancy the mid-range Macan 4 or sportier Macan GTS – you’ll be impressed by how enjoyable Porsche’s first electric SUV is to drive, and how easy it is to live with. The interior is impressive, the infotainment is among the best of any car company, and every touchpoint reminds you you’re in a premium car.
Best City EV
(Image credit: Future)
5. Renault 5 E-Tech
The revival of a classic
Specifications
Battery size: 40 or 52 kWh
Range: 193 or 250 miles
Power: 120 to 150 hp
0-62 mph: 9.0 to 7.0 seconds
Price: From £21,495
Reasons to buy
Fantastic styling inside and out
Comfortable
Excellent Google infotainment
Strong value for money
Reasons to avoid
-
Not as exciting to drive as it looks
-
Reno voice assistant isn’t great
-
Limited rear leg room
What’s not to love about the reborn Renault 5? It’s the perfect example of how retro-inspired styling can be mixed with modern tech to produce a thoroughly likeable EV – and one that carries a seriously competitive price tag, too.
The 5 E-Tech is more comfortable than you might think – more refined too, even at motorway speeds – and the cabin is a joy to be in. Full of interesting fabrics and nice styling details, the interior is as good as the exterior. There’s also integrated Google Maps, Google Assistant and the Play store, plus apps like Spotify available natively too.
Although not especially quick – you can try the spicier Alpine A290 for that – the 5 E-Tech is fun to drive while remaining perfectly civilised. Perfectly suited to everyday driving chores, but also capable of longer runs, the Renault 5 E-Tech is a fabulous city EV that’ll put a smile on your face every time you drive it.
Best Electric Hot Hatch
(Image credit: MINI)
6. Mini John Cooper Works Electric
JCW treatment turns the already sporty Cooper into a riotous EV hot hatch
Specifications
Battery size: 49.2 kWh
Range: 250 miles
Power: 190 kW (258 hp)
0-62 mph: 5.9 seconds
Price: £34,905
Reasons to buy
Smarter styling than previous gen
Feels properly sporty on road
Nice interior with clever tech integration
Reasons to avoid
-
Very firm suspension
-
Feels expensive for a Mini hatch
-
Can feel a bit too hectic during normal driving
EV hot hatchbacks were thin on the ground until recently. But with Alpine, Abarth, Renault and Volkswagen all starting to up the ante, our current pick of the bunch – the Mini John Cooper Works Electric – is about to have some serious competition.
For now though, it’s our favourite. We’re big fans of the current Mini design language, which to our eyes is more cohesive and less fussy than the previous generation. The interior is a revelation too, with a circular OLED touchscreen sat above a set of lovely physical switches.
We’re even fans of the range of synthetic noises the Mini JCW can make (or you can switch them off if you prefer), and if you’re after a riotous hot hatch, this is in. There’s masses of torque – probably too much for a front-wheel-drive car, if we’re being honest – and enough power to deliver a whole heap of fun. It’s a proper giggle to drive on a country road, but can start to tire a little if you just want to get from A to B.
Best EV Estate
(Image credit: Future)
7. Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake
Big range and a big boot makes the CLA a practicality king
Specifications
Battery size: 58 or 90 kWh
Range: 321 or 483 miles
Power: 165 kW (224 hp) to 260 kW (349 hp)
0-62 mph: 7.5 to 4.9 seconds
Price: From £39,150
Reasons to buy
Practicality
Good range
Estate styling improves design
Smooth and composed drive
Reasons to avoid
-
Estate form lowers range slightly
-
Mirrors smaller than ideal
-
Display-dominated dashboard not for everyone
As the first model to feature the new modular architecture, the Mercedes-Benz CLA set the bar for what is to come. Despite being at the more budget end of Mercedes’ offerings, it offered class-leading range, state-of-the-art technology and stunning looks.
Now, though, there’s a new version. The CLA Shooting Brake boosts that rear luggage space with an estate-like rear-end, giving the car a more refined and grown-up feel. One that is likely to appeal to families needing a bit more space, as much as that age-old travelling salesman.
That higher back obviously means more space for luggage, so instead of 405 litres, you get 455 litres up to the parcel shelf, and more if you fully pack it, and up to 1,290 litres if you put down the rear seats. You also get a front boot, or frunk, with an extra 101 litres, as you do on the coupé. There’s even fittings on the roof for bars, to carry up to 75kg of roof load, so you could place a roof box or roof tent on here.
The new CLA is one of the best mid-priced EVs on the market, and in many ways, the CLA Shooting Brake is even better. Yes, you get a little less range, but it’s still huge by comparison to other models, and you get all that extra space. I also find the design is more attractive, though maybe you need to have a love for Mercedes estates like me to think so.
Best Affordable Electric SUV
(Image credit: Kia)
8. Kia EV3
Excellent value and great packaging make the EV3 a winner
Specifications
Battery size: 58.3 or 81.4 kWh
Range: 270 or 375 miles
Power: 150 kw (200 hp)
0-62 mph: 7.7 seconds
Price: From £31,555
Reasons to buy
Excellent range
Fast, 200kW charging
Impressive 'Hyperscreen' display
Reasons to avoid
-
Hyperscreen is an expensive extra
-
Not particularly quick
Kia is on a roll at the moment, and its small new EV was one of the most exciting cars of 2025. Called the EV3, it sits below the larger EV6 and frankly enormous (but also very good) EV9 seven-seater.
The EV3 serves up a fantastic, concept car-like design that makes it look like a scaled-down EV9, and excellent value, with prices starting at £32,995. The car shares the same E-GMP electric platform as other EVs from Kia, Hyundai and Genesis, but misses out on the 800-volt wiring and powerful charging of those cars. Instead it makes do with 400 volts and a maximum charge rate of 130 kW (or just 102 kW for the smaller of two battery options). That’s enough to fill the battery from 10 to 80% in 31 minutes.
Range is a claimed 270 miles from the smaller 58.3 kWh battery, or 375 miles from the 81.4 kWh pack. Our reviewer found the Kia EV3 managed an average efficiency of 3.5 miles per kWh, which translates into about 285 miles of real-world range for the bigger battery.
We found the EV3 to be nippy and responsive to drive (power is 204 bhp and the 0-62 mph is 7.9 seconds), while being comfortable across mixed road surfaces, and practical too.
Best Electric SUV Coupe
(Image credit: Porsche)
9. Porsche Cayenne Electric Coupe
Huge power, long range and oozing quality, this plug-in Porsche has it all
Specifications
Battery size: 108 kWh
Range: 409 miles
Power: From 324 kW (436 hp)
0-62 mph: From 4.8 seconds
Price: From £86,265
Reasons to buy
Typical Porsche quality
Excellent interior tech
Outrageously powerful in Turbo guise
Reasons to avoid
-
Coupe roofline robs boot space
-
Turbo might even be too quick
-
Only one model is below £100k
The Porsche Cayenne Turbo is the most powerful car I’ve driven so far in 2026. It also accelerates as quickly to 60 mph as the Aston Martin Valhalla, but since the Porsche is electric, the way it surges forwards feels significantly more potent.
It’s almost nauseating – and since the Turbo starts at £131,000 (and the coupe is £133,365), I’m going to suggest you side-step that, save enough money to buy a lovely used Porsche Cayman, and go for either the base Cayenne Coupe or the spicier Cayenne S Coupe. Whichever you choose, they all drive exactly how a Porsche should, while feeling seriously premium too.
Unlike Porsche’s first electric SUV, the Macan, the Cayenne will live on as a car available with internal combustion, plug-in hybrid and all-electric options. The full EV manages around 400 miles of claimed range, and the sloping roof of the coupe actually gives it a few more miles of range than the flat-topped SUV variant (403 miles of the S vs 414 for the S Coupe).
Inside, the Cayenne Electric has an all-new dashboard with a curved OLED touchscreen that flows dramatically down the centre console like a waterfall. It’s a lovely bit of design and works well ergonomically too.
Best Family SUV
(Image credit: Future)
12. Volvo EX90
A family-sized premium electric
Specifications
Battery size: 111 kWh
Range: 374 miles
Power: 408 hp
0-62 mph: 5.9 seconds
Price: £96,255
Reasons to buy
Classy minimalist design
Great handling
Loaded with tech
Incredible audio system
Reasons to avoid
-
Some functions hidden in sub-menus
-
Large lidar bump on roof
-
Tiny wing mirrors
It was a long time coming, but when the Volvo EX90 finally arrived we knew it had been worth the wait. Essentially an electric equivalent to the much-loved XC90, the EX90 is a luxury seven-seat SUV with a classy minimalist design, loads of tech and an incredible 3D sound system by Bowers & Wilkins.
We liked the EX90 so much when we drove it in 2024 that we awarded it the full five stars. Our editor said: “The Volvo EX90 sets out to offer a truly premium electric SUV experience and it doesn’t disappoint. With a beautiful design inside and out, and a wealth of advanced tech and safety features, this shows just how serious Volvo is for its EV models.”
Sharing a platform with the Polestar 3, the EX90 sits in a class above its Swedish sibling, starting at £96,255 compared to £69,900 for the Polestar. For that significant outlay you get a true seven-seater with a large, 111 kWh battery and up to 374 miles of range. Charge speeds are up to 250 kW, and Volvo says the battery will fill from 10 to 80% in around 30 minutes.
Despite being a heavy car, at about 2,700 kg, we found the EX90 handles incredibly well, thanks in part to the adjustable, dual-chamber air suspension. Inside, the 25-speaker, 1,210-watt sound system will blow you away with its Dolby Atmos compatibility, plus there‘s even a mode that makes the cabin sound like you’re inside Abbey Road Studios.