A crude play on words maybe; but the only truly ‘Current’ cars are EV’s (Electric Vehicles) – get it? Because they have an electric current? Nevermind…
Talking seriously for a minute though, EV’s are hot-topic these days. Gone are the days when the only widely available electric models were like the original Nissan Leaf; a car that was far too expensive to really consider as a realistic option for many, and was fraught with issues from a low range to a slow charge time. In 2020, owning an EV is actually not only something you would want to do, but you can do – the options are there no matter what class of car you are looking at. So here follows Carsnip’s recommendations per class of vehicle, to help steer you in the right direction if you feel an EV is right for you!
Hatchback – Honda E
To kick off we are going with the hatchbacks; and none of the options available present quite such a spectacle to behold as the Honda E. This little city car really has broken the mould – and why shouldn’t it, EV’s are an entirely new generation of car after all! The (admittedly left-field) styling may not appeal to everyone, but the fact that it stands out so much from its competitors definitely earns it points in our book.
It may not keep pace with some of its competitors in power output or range; but the thing to remember in the EV space is that (as with all new technology) there isn’t really a minimum standard yet. You should be looking for what attracts you, and as long as the range and power levels are enough for you then go with whatever you feel most kinship with. And that is exactly what drew me to the Honda E; a buzzing 152bhp rear mounted electric motor with a claimed WLTP range of 137 miles per charge – but all wrapped up in that fantastic looking shell.
Prices for almost new models on our search engine start at around £27,000; (a far cry from the prices we were seeing just a few years ago)!
Other options to consider:
Saloon – Tesla Model S
Lets face it, Tesla is ‘the Daddy’ of the EV world. They may not always hit the nail on the head so to speak (we’ve all seen the concerningly abstract Cybertruck announced in 2019); but when Tesla released the model S way back in 2012, no one really believed that an electric car was available to buy that could actually be an alternative the standard ‘businessman’s choice’ – 5 Series, C Class or A6. But Tesla showed the world that it could be (despite the higher price point that plagues all EV’s – unfortunately this is inescapable due the extra costs of R&D associated with the burgeoning technology).
The Model S looks great; holding itself with poise and class. There also various spec & battery options to suit a range of budgets out there – particularly now considering the amount on the used market in the 7 years since first deliveries began. Despite is outward nature of being respectable though, the range topping models include a ‘Ludicrous Mode’ which can rocket them from 0-62mph in just 3.2 seconds! All that speed, plus high levels of comfort and luxury (see the giant iPad-like screen inside) makes for one hell of a package. Oh, and did I mention that the latest ‘Longe Range’ Model S has a claimed EPA range of 402 miles per charge – the longest range of any EV currently on sale!
Prices on Carsnip start around £30,000 for moderately used models; a bargain for everything you get in our opinion!
Other options to consider:
SUV – Mercedes-Benz EQC
Mercedes came out swinging into the SUV EV market with the EQC in 2019; a big, good looking beast of a car in which you can drown in luxury and leather – whilst still doing your bit for old mother nature. The EQC’s range topping ‘400’ model boasts twin electric motors (one for each axle meaning a more intelligent version of 4 wheel drive), a 402bhp output (peak) and a WLTP range of 259 miles per charge. All in not only the silence expected from an EV, but something even more so. The Mercedes is so well insulated that driving along is close to eerily quiet; something more akin to hovering along rather than driving!
Now lets be clear, there are cheaper SUV EV (should we merge all the acronyms at this point and just call it a SUVEV?) options out there, but none feel more rounded and more ‘finished’ than the EQC. Of course there are options that come close, but they are around double the price – we are looking at you Tesla Model X!
Prices on our search engine start at £60,000 (remember this a new vehicle, and as such there are not many used models out there just yet).
Other options to consider:
Sports – Tesla Roadster
There are actually no all-electric sports cars out there on the market today being sold new. Tesla opened the market with its Tesla Roadster back in 2008, and there have been precious few options since.
The issue with all electric sports cars are that generally, sports cars are the last to receive new technology, since they tend to appeal a small target market and are ‘relatively’ cheap. This means low-ish profit margins; and so new technology tends to appear in high-turnover models like hatchbacks, or expensive models like supercars first.
However, if an electric sports car is what you want then we have just one available on Carsnip (despite having total of over 700,000 cars)! A stunning lime green example of the Roadster with just 35000 miles on the clock, waiting to bury you in the back of the drivers seat by slingshotting you from 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds!
Other options to consider:
- Nope – Absolutely no competitors to consider in this category – watch this space!
Supercar – Lotus Evija
We will finish off with something you won’t find on our search engine (despite the 700,000 options)! The Lotus Evija is the British standing up and shouting to the world that we can still compete in the technology races raging in todays society.
The Evija has limited production figures (SHOCK right?), circa 2000bhp and will have 6 zeroes on whatever price tag Lotus give it when they settle on a sale price. EV’s like this may not be accessible to the public in the same way that the others (above) are; but what they represent is something much more important. These vehicles are proof that the supercar will survive the jump from fossil fuel to sustainable energy, proof that the basic human need to go faster and faster hasn’t died in the face of the (admittedly unavoidable) climate crisis. In fact what they are is proof that this new technology can actually leave the petrol far behind, both in sustainability and in outright performance!
One day when the petrol V12 is little more than a faint memory, cars like the Evija will be remembered as the heralds of the new age of the performance vehicle. And just look at it. What a way to save the world…
Other options to consider:
About Carsnip
Carsnip is the UK’s largest used car search engine, with over 500,000 dealer sold used cars across the UK. We operate a natural language search engine, to help you find your perfect used car, and narrow down the choice by what’s most important to you.
About the Author
Sam Wardega is Carsnip.com’s very own in house car guru and journalist.
A lifetime Petrolhead who started with Hot Wheels aged 2, and now just spends his life savings on owning his dream cars. As they say, boys don’t stop playing with toys; they just get bigger and more expensive!