Best electric city cars 2024

Electric SUVs may be all the rage at the moment, but there’s still a place for the humble electric city car. These small-scale machines offer appealing purchase prices, minimal running costs and plenty of the same tech that you’ll find in a far bigger model. The best news is that this is all wrapped up in a package that’s dead easy to drive and park.

If you need to conquer the urban streets on a regular basis (and avoid paying to enter low emission zones while you’re at it), read on to find the best electric city cars that you can buy right now. The electric city car market is a sparsely populated one at the moment but each of our selections offers a huge amount of bang for your buck.

Best electric city cars

1. MINI Cooper

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• Prices from £30,000
• Maximum WLTP combined range: 250 miles

Take a look at old footage of the UK’s city streets in the 1960s and you’re bound to see classic Minis by the dozen. The original cars dominated the urban landscape back then and now the modern MINI Cooper is doing exactly the same today, only this time you can choose fully-electric power, too.

It’s obviously a bit bigger than its ancestor, but the MINI Cooper is still compact enough to meander through the tightest of turns and densest of traffic. Step inside and it’s a surprisingly upmarket place to be thanks to some very flash tech and high-quality materials. There’s room for four passengers to sit comfortably, too, even if the boot is a bit snug at just 210 litres.

Opting for the fully-electric Cooper brings a choice between two batteries. The entry-level unit is a 36.6kWh battery offering up to 190 miles of range on the WLTP combined cycle, or you can upgrade to a larger 49.2kWh pack which claims up to 250 miles between charges. Both of these ranges mean the MINI Cooper is suitable for longer journeys, and you’ll enjoy these because it’s a lot of fun to drive, too.

2. Dacia Spring

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• Prices from £15,000
• Maximum WLTP combined range: 140 miles

No, we haven’t made a mistake, the fully-electric Dacia Spring really is on sale from only £15,000. This is the UK’s cheapest fully-sized electric car at the time of writing, and it’s also one of the best electric city cars that you can currently buy.

In order to drive the price down, the Spring does feel a bit low-rent when it comes to materials, and it’s certainly not about to set the performance car world on fire with a maximum of 64bhp on tap. Dacia is happy to call this a budget car and it still comes with a decent amount of the kit. 

There’s a generous amount of standard driver assistance and safety tech, including lane-keeping assist, emergency braking assist, traffic sign recognition, rear parking sensors and hill-start assist.

There are two variants of Dacia Spring to choose from, and both are powered by a 26.8kWh battery that claims up to 140 miles of range. This figure may be rather small compared to most modern EVs, but it should still prove more than enough for darting around on shorter urban journeys. 

3. Fiat 500e

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• Prices from £25,000
• Maximum WLTP combined range: 199 miles

Just like the Mini, the Fiat 500 is another 20th-century people’s car that’s been reimagined for the EV age. The modern Fiat 500e still has plenty of retro charm, but it also features its fair share of up-to-date technology including a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Take one look at the Fiat 500e and you’ll immediately notice its compact size, however it does offer four seats and a 185-litre boot, so there is just about enough space to carry passengers on occasion. You’ll be able to take them on pretty long trips, too, if you opt for the Fiat’s larger 42kWh battery pack, as this returns up to 199 miles on the WLTP combined cycle. If you’re not too fussed about long-distance driving, the cheaper 24kWh pack claims up to 118 miles.

There are more options than just the battery packs to choose from here, too as those who enjoy the fresh air can opt for the 500e convertible with its retracting fabric roof. Those with a need for speed also have the option of the zesty Abarth 500e.

4. Citroen Ami

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• Prices from £7,700
• Maximum WLTP combined range: 46 miles

Technically speaking, the Citroen Ami is a quadricycle rather than a fully-fledged car, but inner city driving is exactly what this funky little EV is designed for. If you only have a short commute, this could be the perfect low-cost and zero-emission option.

Due to its legal designation as a quadricycle, the Citroen Ami is limited to a top speed of 28mph which means motorways are truly out of the question. There’s very little in the way of creature comforts, either. 

However, as a low-cost, no-nonsense option the Ami does make a case for itself. It’s ridiculously easy to park due to its tiny stature, it’ll keep the rain off you when the weather takes a turn for the worse, and it’s incredibly cheap to run. 

Best electric city cars to buy in 2024

1. MINI Cooper
2. Dacia Spring
3. Fiat 500e
4. Citroen Ami