For a long time if a customer wanted an EV they didn’t have many options. Tesla has become the dominant player in the market but many find their cheaper offerings to still be too expensive. The Model 3 has only recently started shipping the cheaper base models and the Model Y's base model is still far from affordable. There are alternatives like Nissan’s second-generation Leaf which has made massive improvements since its first attempt but on the whole, there are very few compelling options for affordable EVs.
The good news is that the major car manufacturers have taken notice of Tesla’s success and want their share. Years of R&D have led to an explosion of EVs and 2021 promises to be one of the best years for EV car shoppers. Here are some of the most highly anticipated affordable EVs coming in 2021.
10 Nissan Ariya
Nissan was one of the earliest major car manufacturers to push EVs. The Leaf was nothing to write home about but was simply the only option for an affordable EV and found success as a fleet car. Nissan can no longer rely on being the only player in the affordable EV space and so they have created the Ariya.
Right off the bat, the Ariya beats the Leaf in range with a 300-mile range compared to the Leaf’s 226-mile range. Nissan also appears to have gone for a much sleeker and more minimal interior, not quite as minimal as the Tesla Model 3 but minimalist for a mainstream car. Plenty of tech makes the base $40,000 price an attractive option and customers can get AWD and even a bigger battery for just a few thousand more.
9 Vauxhall Mokka-e
Many Americans may not be familiar with Vauxhall as the car brand is not sold in the US but is quite popular in Europe and parts of Asia. The Mokka-e carries the Mokka name but is nothing like the older gasoline-powered Mokka x. The new EV crossover is fresh-looking, clearly styled for the younger buyer in mind, and quite practical. The Mokka-e is wider and longer than the Mokka x but makes environmentalists happy with a 201-mile range. That may not sound like a lot of range but it only costs a touch over £30,000.
Like most other EVs, the Mokka-e has tons of advanced tech. The driver’s seat might as well be a plane’s cockpit as all the screens and instruments are driver-centric as if the passenger was simply an afterthought. The Mokka-e is an extremely important car in Europe and other markets where import fees can easily double the cost of a Tesla making this one of the most compelling affordable EVs outside the US.
8 Renault Twingo Z.E.
Like Vauxhall, Renault is not sold in the US but is actually the biggest car manufacturer by volume in the world. The titan of the auto industry is one of the most common cars outside the US so it would make sense they want affordable commuter EVs. The Twingo Z.E. is a tiny car by American standards but perfect for tight European cities similar in size to a Fiat 500.
In terms of range, the Twingo Z.E. can go 112 miles on a single charge but drops to 68 miles in the winter. City driving does improve the range thanks to regenerative braking and brings the range up to 155 miles. While that might not sound like a lot it only costs €20,831.94 and which can vary depending on VAT and subsidies provided by whatever country the buyer is in. In countries like Germany, the subsidies can be as high as €9,000 making the Twingo Z.E. a steal!
7 Fiat 500 EV
The all-new Fiat 500 EV is not the same thing as the 500e which is the current all-electric version of the Fiat 500. If that sounds a little confusing you’re not alone. The two cars even look similar but that is due to Fiat’s distinctive and timeless design. Under the hood, the two cars are very different.
The 500 EV offers a 199-mile range almost double the range from the 500e but that’s not the only upgrade. The 500 EV also has level 2 autonomous driving and while that doesn’t compete with Tesla’s level 4 autonomous driving it is still the most advanced that Fiat offers. The interior is a typical Italian interior, beautiful and restrained. All that Italian flare can be had for around £20,000 making it one of the best values on this list. It is currently unclear whether or not the 500 EV will come to the US but many speculate that it will.
6 Lexus UX 300e
The luxury Lexus is known for may not seem like an obvious choice for this list of cheap EVs but cheap in the world of EVs is relative. One of the cheapest EVs on the market is the Tesla Model 3 which starts at $35,000 and the average cost is easily over $40,000. By that benchmark, the Lexus UX 300e is a fantastic value at £43,900 not counting government subsidies and grants.
An all-electric version of the wildly popular Lexus UX is a no brainer. With plenty of space for a bigger battery, the UX 300e can go almost 250 miles on a single charge. The interior is just as luxurious as one expects from a Lexus and the reliability is second to none. The only downside is that the UX 300e doesn’t appear to be coming to the US. They could fear competition from Tesla, something they don’t have to worry about in Europe but whatever the reason many are hopeful they can change their mind and bring it to the states one day.
5 Ford Mustang Mach-E
Perhaps the closest on this list to toppling Tesla’s titanic hold on the EV market is the Mustang Mach-E. It was a bold move of Ford to give their first consumer EV the legendary Mustang name. Even the Mach-E is a homage to old performance Mustangs called Mach 1. Ford knows full well that EVs are the future and wanted to give their first EV the name recognition it needs to fight Tesla.
The name is well deserved as the top of the line Mach-E can rocket from 0-60 in under four seconds. The price is just right too with the lowest trim costing around $44,000 before government subsidies and grants. The range is also amazing with a 300-mile range with a bigger battery. In almost every metric including range, price, and speed the Mach-E is right in line with Tesla’s Model Y making it a serious contender. Ford even has an answer for Tesla’s tech which has traditionally given it an edge. Ford has a massive center screen and OTA updates just like Tesla. All that coupled with Ford’s superior build quality may help to topple Tesla from the EV throne.
4 Byton K-Byte
It’s no surprise that China has dozens if not hundreds of EV startups trying to gain dominance in the EV market. Byton with its massive funding and amazing engineers is one startup that is leading the charge. It’s obvious they used Tesla as the blueprint for their designs with sleek styling and a huge emphasis on tech. The K-Byte features an absolutely outrageous 48-inch screen that takes up the entire length of the dashboard and serves as both the dash gauges as well as the center screen similar to Tesla.
The sedan shaped EV will be priced at $45,000, similar to a fully-loaded Tesla Model 3. How Byton can justify the higher price is because with the larger battery the K-Byte can reach 325 miles of range, greater than any version of the Model 3. The K-Byte also claims to be able to charge much faster than the Tesla, quickly becoming a weakness for the manufacturer. The K-Byte even has 470HP compared to the Model 3’s 258HP. The small price bump seems much more attractive now.
3 Byton M-Byte
Byton knows the current market’s love of SUVs and isn’t just releasing the K-Byte sedan, the M-Byte SUV is also releasing at the same time. The most unbelievable thing about the M-Byte is the price, it will start at $45,000 just like the K-Byte but actually compares similarly with the likes of the Audi e-Tron, Jaguar I-Pace, and the Tesla Model X which all start in the $70,000 to $80,000 range.
For the money, the M-Byte is simply unbeatable as long as it can deliver its claimed range of 224 miles or 286 miles with the larger battery both batteries can be charged to 80% in just 35 minutes. The M-Byte also includes all the advanced tech goodies like the same insane 48-inch dashboard screen and a neat party trick which turns the front seats backward to enable chatting with the rear passengers a breeze. We’ll see if Byton can deliver on all the promises when it goes on sale in 2021.
2 Volkswagen ID.4
Back to established players, Volkswagen is another sleeping giant that has decided to crank up the EV production. The company owns other luxury brands like Audi and Porsche which has proven to have some amazing EV technology and Volkswagen finally will come out with an affordable car using all that tech.
The ID.4 is just one of a line of EVs that Volkswagen plans to release in the next couple of years and is expected to be the volume seller as it is a crossover. The ID.4 has a range of 250 miles comparable to a base Model 3 and even features quick charging which can net 60 miles with just 10 minutes of charging at a DC fast charger. The ID.4 starts at $40,000 but can be much cheaper with government grants and subsidies. Any customer that is a fan of the more recent Volkswagen cars will love the ID.4.
1 Mazda MX-30
Not long ago, Mazda claimed that hybrid and electric cars were not a priority for them as they poured millions of dollars of their small R&D budget into more efficient gasoline engines. The carmaker is known for making the liveliest driving experiences in the mass market but even Mazda acknowledges where the industry is headed.
The MX-30 is built on the CX-30 platform but has a few tricks up its sleeve. One of the most noticeable differences is the reversed hinged rear doors similar to the BMW i3 commonly referred to as “suicide doors” providing a large and open entryway for drivers and passengers alike. Many key specs are still unknown like range and acceleration figures but what we do know is that it will have a 35.5-kWh lithium-ion battery and a front-mounted electric motor as opposed to where the axles are in most modern EVs.
Similar EVs in size and spec yield range around 120-mile with moderate acceleration and buyers can expect the MX-30 to be similar. While that might sound underwhelming, the MX-30’s price will start around $35,000 making it one of the cheapest EVs Americans can buy. Mazda is known for beautiful styling and a surprisingly luxurious interior so the MX-30 is a perfect option for those that want a more affordable comfortable but subdued experience.