THE age of the affordable EV is nearly upon us.
2025 is already shaping up to be a great year for the electric car, with some fantastic examples set to be released.
Petrolheads are already feeling the buzz for the Alpine A290 – essentially a souped up version of the Renault 5 (more on that later) – while we already know plenty about Jaguar’s upcoming GT; whether you like it or not.
But it’s also set to be a great 12 months for budget-friendly EVs, with some game-changing cars coming to showrooms near you.
Currently, the UK’s cheapest new EV, the Dacia Spring, starts at just £14,495.
And while this price won’t be beaten for some time (as far as we can tell), the revamped all-electric Renault Twingo will certainly be close behind.
Although yet to be confirmed, pricing for the Twingo EV is expected to be under £17,000 when it goes on sale – probably from early 2026.
The little motor, with its funky, retro styling, will likely be a big hit in the UK and could become the nation’s go-to option for a cute city car – much like the Fiat 500 before it.
Not only is the Twingo great for penny pinchers, it’s also efficient and practical – set to combine its 185 miles of range with a spacious, five-door setup.
Coming sooner than 2026 is the very cool Cupra Raval.
While the little EV isn’t quite as cheap as the Twingo – with a price tag thought to be around £25,000 – it’s still far more affordable than many EVs on the market at the moment.
With the Raval, drivers will get around 270 miles of range and 234 bhp, while parts will be shared with the VW ID.2all – with Cupra living under the same umbrella as the mighty German firm.
Speaking of which… the upcoming ID.2all will slightly undercut its Cupra-powered brother, with a starting price of around £21,000.
Set to be a little shorter than the VW Polo but with more space inside, the ID.2all will feature a 490-litre boot and will be the first model built on VW’s long-awaited MEB entry platform.
Power wise, it’ll come with 223bhp and a range of 280 miles.
Naturally, a GTI variant will follow, too.
It’s not just the Twingo that’s being brought back to life with an electric flavour.
Renault is also set to revamp two other glorious motors from its past.
Already spotted is the R4 E-Tech, another car that’s getting the ‘retro-futuristic’ treatment with subtle nods to its 1960s counterpart.
£28,000 might be a little steep, but it packs 250 miles of range and a maximum amount of practicality.
Priced slightly below the R4 is the 5, and although its price tag hasn’t quite been confirmed just yet it’s expected to start from £23,000.
The very cool-looking EV will come with a 255-mile range and 148 bhp – with Sun Motors chief Rob Gill already comparing it to the relaunch of the Fiat 500 and Mini Cooper.
We like throwbacks, do we?
Fiat is another brand that’s playing the nostalgia card with the relaunch of the Panda in EV form.
This fourth-generation release of the Panda will be a darling little hatchback with 199 miles of range and a starting price of under £22,000 – similar to its Stellantis label-mate Citroen e-C3.
However, fans will still be able to get hold of the current version, with stocks reportedly set to last until the arrival of the replacement in 2025.
It will also be available in Europe for some time as sales remain strong, despite falling below 5,000 in the UK since 2020.
