Despite the levels of uncertainty that still surround the electric vehicle, global automotive manufacturers are bolstering their line-ups with new electrified models at an unprecedented rate.
Strong sales in China and increasing adoption in Europe has been fueled (or should that be charged?) by the launch of numerous more affordable options, suddenly making electrified transport more attainable for the masses.
Even in the US, where there is major uncertainty for the future of battery electric vehicles thanks to Trump’s imposed tariffs and general anti-EV sentiment within The White House, sales are predicted to grow by 16% in the US in 2025, according to research firm Rho Motion (via Reuters).
Perhaps more importantly, the world’s biggest automakers are releasing some fantastic cars at the moment, despite ditching the internal combustion engine in favor of electric motors and battery packs.
The much-lauded Renault 5 E-Tech, for example, has already bagged numerous awards and accolades in Europe, while Kia’s massive EV9 electric SUV secured World Car of the Year at the tail end of 2024, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N snared World Performance Car and the World Urban Car title was taken by the all-electric Volvo EX30.
Far from being slightly weird outsiders, today’s crop of electric vehicles are genuinely some of the best cars on sale – period. Having driven plenty in the last year, these are the eight that have impressed me the most.
8. Mini Cooper Electric
Let’s just say Mini’s second stab at electrifying its classic hatchback has been a lot more successful than its first.
Gone are the tiny battery packs, eye-watering price tags and unusable range, as we usher in 250 miles of electric motoring, faster charging speeds and revised exterior and interior styling. In fact, the inside of Mini’s latest electric model is a real highlight.
As a nod to Sir Alec Issigonis’ original 1959 Mini, the BMW Group has added a massive circular touchscreen display that takes care of all the vehicle’s functionality and brings a little character to proceedings.
It’s called the Mini Interaction Unit (MIU for short) and it can be used to flick between the various Mini ‘Experiences’, which essentially transform the display and interior ambience from a racy Go-Kart to a retro, almost analogue set-up at the flick of a brilliantly tactile toggle switch.
It’s all running the BMW Group’s latest OS 9 system, which itself is based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) software stack. This means it is quick to react and offers a bunch of neat tricks up its sleeve, like the ability to display a live feed from the cameras at junctions and overlay directions or lane information from the sat-nav in a neat digital format.
Owners can also play a variety of games on the display thanks to AirConsole compatibility, so you can enjoy a spot of Angry Birds while the vehicle charges, which takes around an hour and 20 minutes from faster public outlets.
But more importantly, this handles and drives like a proper Mini, with rapid acceleration and precise steering that makes it a hoot to manhandle when the roads start to get twisty.
7. Polestar 4
Like Kia, Polestar is another automaker that has rapidly expanded its EV lineup over the past 12 months, jumping from a one-car company to a three-strong range, with the Polestar 3 and 4 picking up where the Polestar 2 saloon left off.
Both SUV crossovers, the Polestar 4 is arguably the model that got the most folk talking, predominantly because it was the first mass-produced car to do away with the rear window and rely solely on rear-view cameras and screens instead.
There are some questions marks over the user-friendliness of the design, as pets won’t want to ride in the gloomy trunk and drivers will have to adjust to using a screen to judge what is in the rear-view mirror, but it looks good and is like very little else on sale right now.
There’s a monster 100kW battery pack and the option of either 272hp thanks to a 200kW motor or double that with a dual-motor 400kW variant.
The more powerful option is blisteringly quick on the road and rides beautifully thanks to adaptive damping, but even the 200kW version feels potent enough and it is good for 385 miles of range before it needs recharging.
Top-ups take 30 minutes to hit 80% from a 10% state of charge via DC rapid chargers and the Android Automotive operating system features native Google Maps that’s linked to the vehicle’s systems, so intelligent routing takes in charge status and the most efficient places to stop.
Oh, and because this is a Polestar – the epitome of Swedish cool – it also features things like a guided breath-work app on the infotainment system and a massive electrochromic panoramic glass roof that either blocks out the sun’s harmful rays or lets in the light for a bright, airy Scandi driving experience.
It doesn’t come cheap though, at $56,000 / £59,990 / AU$$81,500, which means it’s a direct rival to the recently updated Tesla Model Y.
6. Dacia Spring
The one recurring accusation that is leveled at electric vehicles is that they are often reserved for the wealthiest in society. Even those “more affordable” models once tickled the $50,000 / £50,000 / AU$80,000 mark.
Then, along came the Dacia Spring, a working-class hero that offered all-electric motoring for just £14,995 (around $19,000 / AU$30,000). If you can handle things being simple, the Spring ticks many boxes.
It weighs just 951kg (2,096lbs), for a start, and features a tiny 26.8kWh battery pack that is good for around 140 miles of range on a single charge in slightly more powerful 48kW motor models. But even those run out of puff at 78mph.
Prior to testing the Spring, Dacia’s PR department felt that they had to remind me of how the car should be viewed – ultimately a very cheap EV for hacking around town and little else.
But I ignored all of that and immediately took it on a lengthy 140-mile round trip without even thinking. And guess what? It was absolutely fine.
Sure, you have to get used to the Spring being among the slowest vehicles on the road, but it can still keep up with highway traffic and it’s relatively comfortable. Noisy, yes, but it has heaters, electric windows and electrically-adjustable door mirrors. What more could you want?
Spend slightly more and the provided infotainment system isn’t bad at all, offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a reversing camera and parking sensors. But you don’t really need them, seeing as the Spring isn’t much bigger than an eBike.
Above all else, charging from a 7kW wallbox at home takes just four hours (although a 30kW max charging speed makes public charging long and boring) and it’s an absolute blast to drive. Small, nippy and reminiscent of the basic hatchbacks of the 1980s.
Fun, cheap cars are essential for keeping large swathes of the population moving and, so long as you don’t mind going back to basics, the Dacia Spring nails its brief and then some.
5. Hyundai Ioniq 9
If you are in the market for a giant, people-moving electric vehicle, there are now a number to choose from. Kia’s EV9 is excellent, the Volvo EX90 is stylish, if a little unfinished in places, and the VW ID Buzz remains one of the funkiest ways to travel without fossil fuels.
That said, the Hyundai Ioniq 9, which I drove in Korea recently, is arguably the best of the bunch, fusing interesting design with clever, practical touches and an electric range that positively encourages road trips.
It can be specified in either a six or seven-seat internal configuration, with the former feeling more like traveling business class on Emirates Airlines than it does slumming it in a typically cramped passenger car.
Currently, we only know the official price in Korean Wan (67 million), as local markets are busy working out how much it will cost. But even at the £65,000 (around $84,000/AU$133,200) ballpark I have been given by those in the know, it feels like a lot of car for the money.
The top spec Calligraphy model I hustled from Seoul to Busan featured high definition screens in the rear, seven seriously comfortable seats and an interior that was festooned with premium touches, such as brushed aluminum surfaces and leather-like fabrics that are hard-wearing but plush.
Not exactly a performance monster (you need a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N if you want that), the Ioniq 9 can still shift, with a range-topping Performance AWD model packing twin 160kW motors that deliver 430bhp to all four wheels.
But this is a more a gentle giant, which is happier effortlessly cruising the highways, offering up to 335 miles before the enormous 110.3kWh battery pack requires brimming. But even that takes just 24 minutes to go from 10-80% via a 350kW charger.
4. Tesla Model 3
Admittedly, now is not exactly the time to be singing the praises of anything Elon Musk is involved with, but the updated Model 3 is not only the best Tesla I have ever driven, it is also one of the best EVs out there.
But before I get jumped on by an angry mob, I feel I must admit that firstly, I understand why so many existing Tesla owners want to sell their vehicles and secondly, agree with anyone who still believes the Model 3 has ‘dynamic’ flaws.
If you can get over the fact that a Tesla still isn’t a true ‘driver’s car’, it’s difficult not to be impressed by its performance as an EV – seemingly dealing with all those things that make daily life with an electric vehicle a pain in the behind.
The infotainment offering is unrivaled (even if a little bit too much is committed to touchscreen), the charging experience is a joy and, thanks to massive leaps in overall refinement and build quality, the latest Model 3 feels altogether more comfortable and more premium inside.
Tesla’s app is, unsurprisingly, one of the best in the business, making it easy to locate charge points, check on charge status and remotely fiddle with car settings.
On top of this, rear-seat passengers benefit from entertainment that is typically found only in more luxurious models that cost a lot more. In fact, the overall interior ambience is airy and welcoming, making it a keen choice for families, or those with young ones.
Thankfully, all of these updates have also been applied to the Model Y, which benefits from a similar aesthetic overhaul. But is that going to be enough to drag Tesla out of its current predicament?
I certainly hope so, because the company almost single-handedly kick-started the EV revolution and its products are now the most accomplished they have ever been. It would be a shame not to see the same thinking applied to new Model S, Model X and, dare we say it, that new Roadster we have long been promised.
3. Maserati GranCabrio Folgore
Like Porsche, Maserati is another company that has ICE-d its EV plans, owing to a lack of confidence from its parent company Stellantis.
It’s easy to understand why supercar fanatics don’t want to see the formidable MC20 lose its twin-turbocharged V6 ‘Nettuno’ engine, but where the altogether more relaxed GranCabrio is concerned, an electric powertrain isn’t such a baffling concept.
Far from it, as the 92.5kWh battery and three, 300kW motors make for breathtaking performance. With overboost functionality, the peak power is pegged at 818hp, which equates to a 0-62mph sprint time of 2.8 seconds. Frankly ridiculous.
But the long and luxurious Maserati isn’t just about straight-line speed or hammering switch-backs, as this car feels very much at home wafting around Lake Como – or the outskirts of Surrey in the UK, where I tested it.
Despite the power, it is a pussycat to drive and the folding fabric roof, which drops in just 15 seconds with a swipe of a finger on a neat secondary touch screen, adds an additional element of opulence.
But with the roof in place, the refinement is excellent, with the near-silence of the cabin only occasionally punctuated by the hum of the neck warmers blowing hot air onto your nape and futuristic performance noises when the right foot is buried.
Beautiful on the inside and out, Maserati’s first stab at an electric convertible (only MG can claim to be a true rival right now) is nothing short of sensational.
It’s just a shame that the range of around 260 miles falls short of a traditional Gran Tourer and only a select few will get to experience the car altogether, owing to its £185,610 ($206,995 /around AU$328,000) asking price.
2. Porsche Macan EV
Porsche has been hitting the headlines recently thanks, in part, to poor EV sales and the cooling of demand for its electrified models.
So much so, the German marque has gone on record to say that it is considering shoehorning combustion engines into models that it had originally slated to be pure electric only.
It feels like a backwards step, as the latest Macan EV is excellent, boasting Porsche’s latest in-car software, impressive range and Turbo variants that will embarrass most supercars in a drag race.
With 584hp on tap (extending to 639hp with Launch Control), the Macan Turbo is a formidable machine, but one that is comfortable and practical enough to use everyday. There’s space inside for five adults and the option of an additional touchscreen display for front passengers.
There are more affordable and more efficient versions, but even the range-topping Turbo manages up to 336 miles on a single charge, with a 270kW maximum charging power resulting rapid top-up times.
More impressive still is the infotainment ecosystem, which is based on an Android Automotive OS and is razor sharp to react. It’s ludicrously fast during start-up and planning even the most complex, continent-crossing routes (complete with recommended charging stops) takes seconds.
Porsche is also the first manufacturer to introduce greater levels of Apple CarPlay integration into its vehicles, meaning you don’t have to leave the ecosystem to change vehicle settings – or simply change the DAB radio station.
But even its own smartphone app is a triumph, with the ability to plan routes on a device and send them to the car, remotely adjust heating or cooling, set up charging schedules and pore over driving data.
Alas, the biggest hurdle for most will be the price, with the Copper Ruby Metallic Turbo I tested costing £118,761 (or around $153,500 / AU$243,200) with the options ticked. Ouch.
1. Kia EV3
Kia, alongside its sister company Hyundai, was among the first automakers outside of Tesla to fully commit to electrification, and its current line-up of cars reflects this fact.
The EV6 was, and still is, a trailblazer, while the EV9 beat Volvo and Range Rover to claim the title of the world’s first luxury seven-seat SUV to be driven by an all-electric powertrain.
A smaller EV2 is coming next year and some markets are already enjoying the mid-sized EV5 SUV – but it was the EV3 that took top marks from me this year, purely because I felt it would happily slot into the lives of the majority of drivers.
The chunky, Stormtrooper-inspired looks, the clever use of interior space and the tempting price tag (£32,995 in the UK or around $35,000 when it eventually goes in sale in the US in 2026) make it a solid everyday option that doesn’t break the bank.
Offered with either a 58.3kWh or the larger 81.4kWh battery pack, EV3 is good for either 267 or 372 miles.
Despite not packing the same fast-charging 800V electrical architecture as the EV6 and EV9, it still manages a 20-80 per cent charge in around 30 minutes from a rapid charging outlet
What’s more, Kia’s overall efficiency is solid and the estimated range read-outs are accurate, giving owners assurance that it will make it to the exotic final destination of those longer road trips.
Where the EV landscape was desperately missing an everyday vehicle that could garner the same reputation as Volkswagen’s Golf in Europe or Honda’s CR-V and Toyota’s Rav 4 in North America, Kia’s EV3 arguably answers that call.
