Top 10 best electric cars 2024

Autocar's verdict comprise months of testing with huge, cross-class comparison tests Close News 1 min read 27 March 2024 Follow @TheDarkStormy1 Electric cars have come a long way over the past few years, with improvements made across the board meaning they’re a more viable ownership option than ever before. But which are the best electric cars you can buy today? Well, some are better at certain things than others, so we’ve organised the cars in this list to highlight exactly what they’re best at. For example, some electric cars are better for their long range, while others are best for practicality, driver appeal, or value for money. Related articles But don’t panic: whether you’re looking for the most practical EV or one loaded with enough tech to fill a branch of Currys, we’ve got you covered. Each car on this list has been selected by a committee of our journalists for its prowess in a specific area. We will explain what makes a good showing in each class and why each EV we’ve picked is deserving of its place. And if you’re still not convinced by anything on our list, check out our comprehensive guide to all the new cars coming in 2024. It’s an especially big year for new electric cars, so you’ll no doubt find something you’re interested in.  So without further ado, here are the best electric cars on sale right now. 1. Cupra Born9Pros Well set-up chassis with good ride-and-handling balanceRear-drive dynamicsClassy interior Cons Stability control puts a premature stop to slidesPoor infotainmentExpensive Best for: fun factorFor a couple of years now, Autocar has conducted an annual test of the best-handling, most fun electric cars on sale, and the Cupra Born is the reining champion, beating rivals such as the MG 4 XPower and Abarth 500e. The Born sits at a compelling nexus of size and usability, weight and power, real-world range and price and affordability.It has enough power to keep you interested but doesn't seem excessive for the road or to compromise its efficiency in quicker motoring. It has an engaging, balanced, rear-driven chassis and some precision and purpose to its body control, but it doesn’t forget to include four usable seats and a decent boot.The Cupra Born will also cover 220 real-world miles on a charge, which should be enough to get you to and from your favourite road, but it also has the personality and poise to make the trip worthwhile.There’s a completeness to the Born as a package that makes it the ideal affordable EV for interested drivers to take their first steps into zero-emissions motoring. Perhaps not by chance, it feels more like a Volkswagen Golf GTI for the electric age than anything that Volkswagen itself is making right now.Read our Cupra Born review Latest Reviews View all car reviews Read our review Car reviewCupra BornCupra’s first EV looks rather like a Volkswagen ID 3. Is the difference in the driving?Read our review Back to top 2. Fisker Ocean9Pros Huge range relative to costComfortableHigh-tech interior Cons Fisker's future is uncertainBig battery compromises its ride and handling Best for: rangeAston Martin designer turned car company founder Henrik Fisker takes a no-nonsense view when it comes to EVs and range: for the time being, you can’t offer too much of it. That’s why his new mid-sized SUV, the Fisker Ocean, has a nickel-manganese-cobalt drive battery with 106kWh of usable capacity. That’s almost as much as either Mercedes or BMW provides in their flagship EVs, only Fisker is putting it on the market for half of their cost.The Ocean’s WLTP claimed lab test range is as much as 440 miles, making it one of the longest-range electric cars on the market.We’ve tested the Ocean abroad and found that a 400-mile range is achievable in reality on a mixed test route taking in plenty of motorway. That’s the kind of range that might help to change the way we think about EVs and might also open up ownership for those who can’t charge at home.Some super-expensive EVs may go slightly further, but nothing offers a better combination of usable range and value for money right now than this.Read our Fisker Ocean review3. Hyundai Ioniq 58Pros Futuristic styling conceals SUV bulkGood passenger spaceSolid performance Cons Charging speed slower than expectedAverage rangeCompromised ride Best for: design appealDesigning good-looking EVs is difficult. That’s the lesson that many electric cars seem to teach, with their necessarily long wheelbases, short overhangs and high-rising bodies so typically displaced upwards by underfloor battery packs.So really great-looking EVs demand recognition - particularly when they’re more affordable ones. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has shown us better than any rival that EVs can be desirable, stylish and still affordable.Its maker reached for some retro design cool with its look, referencing the Giugiaro-designed 1974 Hyundai P