If you’re looking to make the switch from fossil fuels to electric power when it comes to your everyday transport, then take a look at 6 of our favourite electric vehicles (EVs) right now. Whether you’re after something racy or something a little more sedate, there’s an EV out there to match your personality – and what better time to make the change, as we celebrate World EV Day 2022?
Genesis GV60: The Fashionista
Electric Range: 289-321 miles | Max Charging Rate: 350kW |Charging Time At Max Rate (To 80%): 18mins | Battery Size: 77.4kWh | Power And Drive: 168-360kW/228-490hp, Rear Or 4-Wheel Drive | 0-62mph: 7.8-4.0secs
With its swoopy, attractive coupe-SUV shape and a fresh badge on its nose – Genesis only started selling cars in the UK in 2021 – there are few more cutting-edge and a la mode EVs than the GV60. It represents Genesis’ first-ever EV and it’s a cracker, using the underpinnings of the related Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 to good effect. Where the Genesis has the jump on its Korean relations, though, is that there’s already a super-rapid one – the range-topping GV60 has 490hp, all-wheel drive and the ability to hit 62mph from rest in 4 seconds exactly. That said, any model of GV60 can do around 300 miles on a charge, while if you want the most eye-catching look you can for this Genesis EV then there’s a searing Sao Paulo Lime colour to fully capitalise on its sleek design lines.
Renault Zoe: The Shy Type
Electric Range: 239 miles | Max Charging Rate: 50kW | Charging Time At Max Rate (To 80%): 1hr 10mins | Battery Size: 52kWh | Power And Drive: 100kW/136hp, Front-Wheel Drive | 0-62mph: 9.5secs
Lots of EVs have outlandish design to help them stand out from the crowd, but if you want a zero-emissions runaround that doesn’t shout about its planet-saving credentials, the Renault Zoe is for you. The simplicity of the idea is the main appeal of the Zoe: this is an affordable, practical and daily-usable supermini… it’s just that it happens to be powered by electricity, rather than petrol or diesel. With a 52kWh battery, 50kW DC charging capabilities and a sub-10-second 0-62mph time, the Zoe is a strong all-rounder – one that goes quietly and discreetly about its business, rather than laying on any razzmatazz behaviour. And for many, that makes the Renault Zoe the ideal EV companion.
Kia Niro: The Valuist
Electric Range: 285 miles | Max Charging Rate: 72kW | Charging Time At Max Rate (To 80%): 43mins | Battery Size: 64.8kWh | Power And Drive: 150kW/204hp, Front-Wheel Drive | 0-62mph: 7.8secs
There’s a difference between ‘budget’ and ‘value’, and nothing epitomises this better than the new Kia Niro EV. Now into its second generation, the electric Niro has all the usual Kia attributes – such as loads of standard equipment across the board and a generous 7-year manufacturer warranty to back it up – but it also looks terrific on the outside and within. That means it’s a great experience to own it, rather than it simply being a ‘lot of car for not much money’, and then – to seal the deal – it also has a 285-mile driving range and enough power to hit 62mph from rest in just 7.8 seconds.
Hyundai Ioniq 5: The Retro Fan
Electric Range: 240-300 miles | Max Charging Rate: 350kW | Charging Time At Max Rate (To 80%): 18mins | Battery Size: 58-73kWh | Power And Drive: 125-224kW/170-305hp, Rear- Or 4-Wheel Drive | 0-62mph: 8.5-5.2secs
The Hyundai Ioniq 5, and its related Kia EV6, are picking up awards left, right and centre at the moment, and rightly so – these are truly brilliant EVs that would both slot effortlessly into any family’s busy life. However, while the EV6 goes for a smooth, slippery futuristic look, it’s the angular Ioniq 5 which has the more dramatic (and some would say appealing) styling. Its exterior is a riot of retro touches, thanks to squared-off pixel light details and beautiful turbine-like alloys. If you’ve always wanted a DeLorean time machine but thought it was an unrealistic dream, the Ioniq 5 is easily the next best thing.
Ford Mustang Mach-E: The Speed Freak
Electric Range: 248-379 miles | Max Charging Rate: 150kW | Charging Time At Max Rate (To 80%): 38mins | Battery Size: 75.7-98.7kWh | Power And Drive: 198-358kW/269-487hp, Rear- Or 4-Wheel Drive | 0-62mph: 7.0-3.7secs
Anything that uses the legendary ‘Mustang’ nameplate is bound to be fast, and Ford certainly lives up to that promise with its first-ever mainstream EV, the Mach-E SUV. Every model in the range has at least 269hp, although most develop in excess of 300hp – with the flagship GT model being every inch the high-performance darling, its 487hp twin motors propelling the Ford from 0-62mph in just 3.7 seconds. Yet the Mach-E makes even more sense as a quality family conveyance, as it has a roomy and superb cabin, a big boot and the sort of battery range that most other EVs can only dream of; spec the Mustang EV right and you’ll get up to 379 miles from a single charge of its power pack.
Tesla Model Y: The Technophile
Electric Range: 283-331 miles | Max Charging Rate: 250kW | Charging Time At Max Rate (To 80%): 20mins | Battery Size: 75kWh | Power And Drive: 324-366kW/440-490hp, Rear- Or 4-Wheel Drive | 0-62mph: 6.8-3.7secs
