The best EVs arriving in 2024: Ten electric cars we think will be standouts this year

As we get closer to the planned 2035 ban on sales of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars, electric vehicles (EVs) are expected to become increasingly mainstream. 

With the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate – demanding car makers sell an increasing share of EVs each year – now in effect, manufacturers are being forced to launch new, more affordable, models for us to consider.

And some will be here in the coming weeks and months.

So, which are the best EVs arriving in the UK this year? We’ve rounded up our top 10 EVs to keep your eye out for.

1. Kia EV3 

Kia unveiled two new electric SUVs at the same time, but the smaller and more affordable EV3 is the concept that’s got our interest, with it set to take over from the now discontinued Soul EV

The interior of the new Kia EV3 is one of the biggest talking points. It follows Kia’s sustainable ethos of using recycled materials wherever possible, and this car will even have materials grown from mushrooms too

Kia has become a major player in the electric market with models such as the award-winning EV6. 

Now it’s targeting the smaller – and hopefully cheaper – end of the EV market in 2024 by bringing a baby SUV to showrooms – the Kia EV3. One of three concepts debuted in 2023, the EV3 will be the first to go into production this year.

Priced from around £28,500, it will likely replace the discontinued – and dated – Kia Soul EV. 

There are styling links to the Soul and obvious similarities with the forthcoming and bigger electric cars, the EV5 and EV9. The boxy shape has sharp lines and smooth body lines, and it hits the modern rugged look.

A lot of focus is on the sustainable interior with materials grown from mushrooms and natural fibre weaves.

Range and power output are yet to be released but considering the EV3 will be built on Hyundai-Kia electric car platform – E-GMP – you can probably expect 58kWh and 77kWh batteries with the most powerful offering around 300 miles of range.

2. Dacia Spring 

Britain’s cheapest electric car… and by some margin: Dacia has confirmed its new Spring EV (pictured) will start from £14,995 in the UK. That’s almost half the price of the next most affordable battery-powered car in UK showrooms today

Sticking with the affordable EV theme, the Dacia Spring is set to become the cheapest EV sold in Britain. And by quite some margin, too.

Confirmed to be starting from £14,995, the Spring will be almost half the price of the UK’s current cheapest EV, the MG4.

The brand is known for its budget-friendly motors but the Spring is so inexpensive it’s going to be the sixth cheapest motor in the UK taking into account all fuel types.

The 26.8kWh battery will produce two power outputs – 45 or 65hp, and range will be about 137 miles. 

This little car – it’s essentially supermini size – will be suited for city driving, with a 308-litre boot and handy bi-directional charging.

It’s set to shake up the EV arena drastically, forcing other EV manufacturers to reduce the prices they’re charging. 

3. Fiat Topolino 

This has to be the cutest new car arriving in 2024. While it’s not technically a ‘car’ – it’s a quadricycle – Fiat’s Topolino will come as two variants, one of which has no doors ad an attachment for a mobile shower hose

Fiat’s urban-friendly electric quadricycle will be the cheapest new battery model in our list – but also claim the title of cutest new car to hit the road in 2024. 

Called Topolino, the dinky EV will be sold in two different variants in the UK next year – a standard Topolino and an ‘open’ Topolino Dolce Vita with a sunroof… and no doors.

The adorable little machine – which is the sister model to the Citroen Ami – features retro looks including oval headlamps, dish-style wheel trims and even a suitcase rack at the rear, harking back to the iconic Cinquecento classic that was first launched in 1957. 

And for those of us looking to rinse off after a hard day, it even has its own portable shower attachment!

Prices are yet to be confirmed but should start at a little over £8,500. But don’t expect to travel far – or fast – in the delightfully-petite electric Fiat as it will have a range of just 47 miles and top speed of 28mph.

4.Mini Cooper E

‘Charismatic simplicity’: The new electric Mini Cooper is the fifth-generation version of the car

Back to the origins: The EV Mini has the world’s first circular digital dashboard touch-screen

As the British brand – in history, at least, with the marque owned by Germany’s BMW and this car being manufactured entirely in China – pushes to be an electric-only manufacturer, the arrival of its new Mini Cooper E is a big moment.

Unlike the old Mini Electric it’s replacing, this new three-door electric hatchback will sit on a bespoke EV platform. 

Prices will start from £31,945 in the UK, with three specifications available – Classic, Exclusive and Sport – and two powertrain choices. 

Range is improved, with this small hatchback managing up to 250 miles on a single charge, up from the mediocre 143 miles of the old electric Mini. 

Inside, the new 9.4-inch infotainment touchscreen is the talking point, with Mini claiming it’s the first – and therefore biggest – circular OLED display fitted to a production car. 

First deliveries land this spring. 

5. Alpine A290 

The electric car that will get even the most devoted petrol heads excited: Alpine has unveiled its A290 concept – a battery-powered hot hatchback that goes on sale next year and could cost around £40k

Like the Mini, Alpine’s first EV effort will be a hatchback – but one that’s focussed performance.

Founded in 1955 by Jean Rédélé, all Alpine cars  are aligned to three brand pillars: agility, elegance and a competitive spirit. 

The feisty Alpine A290 electric hot hatch is set to have a race-inspired handling setup and serious performance. It’s the first of three upcoming EVs from the French manufacturer.

More than 220hp is possible on production models but stats will be confirmed when the car’s revealed fully this June.

A futuristic design, it’s an electric Renault 5 on steroids, with an F1-esque light on the bottom bumper and two faux exhausts. 

We don’t know prices yet but rumours say around £30k – which will be a mark-up on the cheaper Renault 5.

6. Ford Explorer 

Ford confirmed the new electric Explorer back in March 2023, but it still hasn’t gone on sale yet. It is due to arrive in showrooms by the middle of 2024

Ford’s new electric Explorer uses the same platform as Volkswagen’s ID.4 and ID.5 SUVs as part of the US brand’s cost-saving deal with the German car giant. 

The Explorer is expected to be available with two powertrains – a single motor rear-wheel drive ‘extended range’ 80kWh version offering up to 355 miles of range between charges, and all-wheel drive (55kWh) with a motor on each axle with a range of around 218 miles. 

Acceleration from rest to 62mph is expected in the range of 7 to 10 seconds with top speed likely limited to 99mph.

Order books are yet to open and prices still haven’t been finalised, but it should ring in at just under £40,000.

7. Audi A6 Avant e-tron 

The new A6 Avant e-tron is set to cost from around £60,000 to £70,000 when it goes on sale in 2024 and will closely follow the concept 

Riding on 22-inch wheels, the high performance ‘RS’ variants will sprint from rest to 62mph in under four seconds, with even entry level models achieving it in under seven seconds

Audi’s electric offerings are extensive at this point, but the most interesting new EV from the German marque in our minds is the new A6. 

It will be the first electric estate car from the brand with the four-ring logo, giving a premium spacious family electric alternative to the many EV SUVs.

The all-new version of the very popular A6 takes inspiration from the A6 Avant e-tron concept, with slim daytime running lights, sleek looks, and a large front grille. Cameras will replace rear-view mirrors too. 

As well as the new look for Audi, the A6 will sit on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE), which it shares with the new Porsche Macan EV. 

Performance specs aren’t yet known but likely to be similar to the new Q6 e-tron, which comes with 396hp and a 100kW battery. Range could be as high as 400-plus miles from a single charge.

The promised electric RS6 Avant should be here in due course, too – with some serious stats including 600hp. 

8. MG Cyberster 

Many have dubbed the Cyberster the MGB for an electric future. The two-seat EV roadster certainly has eye-catching looks – and we can’t wait to find out what it’s like to drive

The MG Cyberster has long been awaited and has been dubbed by many the MGB for an electric future.

The flagship model made a debut at the previous Goodwood Festival of Speed – though first customer orders are due this summer, which will finally provide the moment we’ll get to see it on UK roads.

It’s a two-seater sports car with 530hp and 0-to-60mph time of just three seconds. Its chiselled good looks could put Lotus on edge.

According to China’s official fuel economy tests, it can do 360 miles on a single charge. Though this hasn’t been confirmed by the cycle used for figures published in Europe. 

While MG Motor, under Chinese ownership, has generally brought to market affordable EVs, the Cyberster will be pricier. It will range from around £50,000 to £60,000, depending on the trim.

9. Porsche Macan

Porsche’s first electric SUV: The German sports car maker has unveiled its new Macan, which is exclusively battery powered, as part of its transition away from combustion engines

Incase you hadn’t heard, the very popular Porsche Macan SUV is going electric only.

Hitting roads very soon this year, the new 2024 Porsche Macan EV follows on from the massively successful Taycan, sharing the same 800-volt electrical system with it. The Macan also shares similarities with another EV – the Audi Q6, and is Porsche’s first electric SUV.

Priced from £68,900 for the Macan 4 and from £95,000 for the Turbo, it’s not cheap, but you can expect an updated interior full of tech, 0-to-60mph time of 5.2 seconds (3 seconds for the Turbo) and a range of up to 381 miles on a single charge.

And crucially, it can cover long family drives too with ultra-rapid charging speeds of 270kW. 

10. Range Rover Electric 

Bosses hope the ‘electrification’ of the British designed and built Range Rover off-roader will help banish forever its ‘gas-guzzler’ reputation

While there are many other EVs coming in 2024, we believe the last spot on the list should go to Range Rover’s first all-electric car.

There’s already a waiting list of more than 16,000 customers, according to the marque, so going electric is seemingly not going to hurt demand for a vehicle Britons just can’t seem to get enough of,

An official unveiling is expected to happen later this year, and Range Rover has promised similar performance to the current flagship V8-powered model. And its going to be the smoothest, quietest Range Rover yet, which should be a given considering its electric credentials.

Range Rover lovers are loyal, and so it seems a smart design by the brand to retain similar styling to the combustion versions. 

All-wheel drive and off-road potential should match the current model (not that anyone actually uses a Range Rover for that these days) as well as a 800V architecture that will enable ultra-rapid charging.