Love them or loathe them, it's pretty clear by now that the cars of the future are electric. It seems like every week at the moment that a manufacturer debuts a new electric model or talks about their plans to get rid of fossil fuel engines. While that idea is great in theory, there's one huge obstacle facing electric cars right now: affordability. Even the cheapest new electric cars cost thousands more than an equivalent gasoline model, which means there's a large section of the market that's excluded from buying them.
However, for buyers searching for a used electric car, things are starting to look a little more promising. It was only a matter of time before the early generations of EV depreciated enough to be genuinely affordable, and although they're still not dirt cheap, they're getting there. They do come with caveats: most will have less range than they left the factory with, and there's always the issue of maintaining an older EV. But, that doesn't change the fact that buying an electric car is now cheaper than it's ever been. Let's take a look at the ten cheapest models on the market.
10 BMW i3
It might seem unusual to have a BMW featuring in a list of cheap used cars, but the i3 isn't like other Beemers. It's been on sale since 2013, largely unchanged apart from a few small tweaks. That's good news for used buyers as the lowest priced i3s can now be found for around $11,500.
For comparison, a brand new one will cost $44,450, a hefty price tag for such a small car. One of the main downsides to the i3 is its divisive styling, which has seen it called one of the ugliest EVs ever produced. But, for those who don't mind the car's unique looks, it's the most affordable way into the premium EV market.
9 VW e-Golf
On the other end of the "obviously electric" spectrum to the i3 is the VW e-Golf, which looks almost identical to its fossil-fueled sibling. It's an altogether more subtle approach to making an electric car, and it keeps nearly all of the practicality of the gasoline Golf too.
Like many early EVs, e-Golfs sold in low numbers and so buyers might have to widen their search radius to find one for sale. The cheapest models currently sit at around $11,500, although that number will vary considerably even just between dealerships.
8 Kia Soul EV
South Korea's auto industry has gone from strength to strength in recent years, with new cars from the likes of Kia and Hyundai being among the best in their segments. Their used cars also offer excellent value for money, with the Kia Soul EV being the cheapest Korean electric offering.
The Soul was originally released in the US in 2014 and continued to be available up until 2020, where the EV version was killed off. The car's design has aged well as a quirky, affordable alternative to the usual electric car options. Expect to pay around $10.5k for a cheap example.
7 Chevrolet Spark EV
It might not look like it, but the Chevy Spark EV marks an important milestone in General Motors' history. Debuting in 2013, it was the first all-electric passenger vehicle made by the company since the failure of the 1999 EV1. The car itself is based on a long-running city car by South Korean automaker Daewoo, which was bought out by General Motors and absorbed into the company.
It's too small to be much use for families, but for lone drivers, it's a good cheap runaround. One thing to beware of however is the Spark's limited range, with an 82-mile official figure for the 2014 model. Taking into account battery degradation and real-world usage, the actual range is likely to be half of that. That's not a lot of distance for a car that'll still cost $7,500 to buy used.
6 Fiat 500e
Americans don't buy many small cars, which is why it's both admirable and confusing that Fiat tried to market their Euro-centric 500 Stateside. It's long since been axed, but it leaves behind an inventory of used cars, including the electric 500e.
There's a certain unique charm about the 500 with its cutesy face that can't be found with any other modern car. It may not be for everyone, but for as little as $7,000 it's hard to fault it as a quirky city commuter. Even better, the electric powertrain was developed by German manufacturer Bosch and not the Italians. Considering the reputation for Italian electrics, that's a huge relief.
5 Ford Transit Connect Electric
It wasn't just GM and Fiat-Chrysler making their electric vehicle debuts at the start of the 2010s, fellow industry giants Ford was also at it. One of their first attempts was the Transit Connect Electric, which they partnered with tech company Azure Dynamics to create. Produced between 2010 and 2012, the main issue with the electric Transit was its lack of range, with a frankly terrible 56 miles when new.
That explains both its low sales when new and it's low used price, as today these EVs can be bought for as little as $7,000, despite retailing for a whopping $57,400. To top things off, most minivans sold were configured for cargo rather than passengers and so they only come with two seats anyway.
4 Ford Focus Electric
Similarly low priced to the Transit Connect is the electric Ford Focus, which can be found starting at $6,500 or thereabouts. It's not as impractical as the Transit, with a more manageable 76 miles of range for early models, rising to 115 miles for newer models. That's still low for most drivers, but then buying a cheap EV will always mean compromising in that aspect.
With a 143 hp motor, the Focus is more than capable of keeping up with highway traffic, and it's one of the biggest cars on this list too. It's just about big enough for a small family, although it's probably still best used as a city commuter. It's also the cheapest American EV on the market, for those buyers who prefer to buy domestic.
3 Mitsubishi i-MiEV
The Mitsubishi i-MiEV is cheap but, well, it's cheap for a reason. Not only did it suffer from a disappointing official range of just 62 miles, but it took a full 15.9 seconds to get to 60 mph and came with a top speed of 80 mph. That made it all but useless for anything apart from city driving, and even then, drivers would have to constantly watch their range.
Today, that paltry range will be even further diminished, so it's hard to recommend ever buying one, even if it does start at just $6k used. It also looks terrible, even for an early EV, with blobby headlights and a narrow, pod-like shape.
2 Smart Fortwo E
Many traditional car enthusiasts like to mock the Smart car, but at the very least, it was a good idea with questionable execution. The earliest Smarts might have been awful to drive, but by the time the electric Fortwo was introduced to the US in 2013, it had been much improved.
With the wide, open city streets of America, the Smart is more a fashion statement than it is a practical choice. In narrow European cities, however, it's a genuinely useful niche car that's perfectly suited to being electric. After all, most drivers in those cities will only need to cover short distances and will live well within the car's official range of 63 miles. Electric Smarts is also the second cheapest EV on the market, starting at just $6,000.
1 Nissan Leaf
Probably the most famous of all non-Tesla EVs is the Nissan Leaf, the one early electric car that managed to sell in respectable numbers. It's not a good-looking car, nor is it quick. But, for no-nonsense, silent transportation across cities and towns, it's been the go-to EV for anyone on a budget for years.
The relatively strong sales numbers mean a bigger inventory of used cars, which has helped drive prices down and keep their rock bottom. The cheapest Leafs can be found for a fraction under $5,000, although it's worth bearing in mind that they won't have much range left anymore. Still, for an ultra-low priced EV, the Leaf remains the car to get.