The opinions contained in this blog are those of the writer and not necessarily those of Wight Community Energy Ltd, there is also some AI content that is marked accordingly.
Recently I was asked for suggestions of electric cars that can be bought with a budget of up to £12,000, that could comfortably manage the occasional trip of around 200 miles. I thought that would be a fairly straightforward matter and mistakenly assumed I could write a quick post about Nissan Leafs, Renault Zoes and the odd high milage Kia, it turns out that the market is getting busier and busier with a surprising number of cars at that price point, so the post is a little longer than anticipated but hopefully some will find it helpful.
‘The brief’ I imagine is fairly typical for islanders wanting to buy a second-hand car, that is spending between £10 and £12k, to live mostly on the island but comfortable enough to make occasional trips of several hundred miles on the mainland and to be in the small family category, so something about the size of a VW Golf.
Before getting into the cars themselves there is a need to quickly go into the long grass about ranges: So-called range anxiety has been the bugbear of electric cars since the outset, however, these fears are largely – but not wholly – overblown.
So, why shouldn’t you worry about range? Well, all the cars listed here will go from Newport to London and back without needing a charge, and even if you do need a charge ‘out in the wild’ there is now a very good (though not faultless) network and provided you don’t run your range down to the limit before looking for a top up there should never be a need to worry.
So, why should you worry about range? Well, it’s no secret that stated ranges for all cars are dependent on driving conditions, for example a typical EV running along gently on a warm day might exceed the manufacturer's stated range by about 10%, whereas the very same car driven at motorway speed in winter, through rain at night could see its range drop by 30% or so.
What does that mean in practice?
A car with a 300-mile claimed range, might do 330 miles in the most ideal conditions, but only 210 miles in the worst.
Here, on the island that isn’t such a consideration, but if you want to get from one side of the country to the other in a hurry in December then it suddenly does matter.
The best advice is as above: “don’t run your range down to the limit before looking for a top up”.
For the purposes of this post I am using the AutoTrader website which is the biggest used car marketplace.
In the price bracket £10 - £12k there are currently 1,178 electric cars for sale around the UK.
There are many cars in this category that have lower range and I will list them at the bottom.
Vauxhall Corsa Electric
This is the only car in the small category that claims to have a range in excess of 200 miles, and there is no doubt that it could achieve that, but not on the motorway on a chilly day!
The briefest summary of available reviews is: A practical, affordable EV for urban commuters, but not the most spacious or premium option.
So, great for the island but no grand tourer.
Having the compact size and the lower specification means that these can be bought with around 20,000 miles on the clock and just two or three years old. Almost new!
Vauxhall Mokka Electric / Citroen e-C4 / DS 3 Crossback /Peugeot E-208
All these cars share the same platform and battery as they come from the Stellantis group.
That battery is the same as the previously mentioned Vauxhall Corsa but being larger cars, they will struggle even more to achieve the stated 200 miles, even here on the island.
It is beyond the scope of this blog to make reviews of each car but in brief here are a summary of reviews with help from AI.
Vauxhall Mokka Electric earns praise for its stylish design, comfortable ride, and practical size, ideal for city driving. Critics note its real-world range (~150–180 miles) is modest, and rapid charging(100kW) is slower than rivals. Interior quality is decent, but some find the infotainment fiddly. Overall, a solid, affordable EV for urban use.
The Citroën e-C4 impresses with its smooth ride, bold design, and spacious interior. Praised for comfort and practicality, its217-mile range is decent, but rapid charging (100kW) is average. Some criticise the plasticky cabin and sluggish acceleration. A comfortable, stylish family EV at a reasonable price.
The DS 3 Crossback stands out for its premium design, refined interior, and quiet ride. However, its real-world range (~150–170miles) and slow 50kW rapid charging disappoint. Critics note tight rear space and high price for its size. A stylish, upscale city EV, but not the most practical.
The Peugeot e-208 wins praise for its sharp styling, agile handling, and 217-mile range. The i-Cockpit dashboard divides opinion and rear space is tight. Rapid charging at 100kW is decent. A fun, efficient city EV, but practicality lags behind some rivals. Great for style-conscious urban drivers.
Renault Zoe
One of the classics in the market, and alongside the Leaf probably the best value for money. The Zoe exterior has changed little since launch back in 2012, it’s that dated feel that means the prices are exceptional, with 2-year-old Zoes on the market with as little as 10,000 miles in this price range.
With regards to range, the Zoe comes with a 52kwh battery meaning that like the above cars this one will scrape its way to 200 miles on a good day.
Customer satisfaction is high, and the long production run means that issues should have been ironed out.
Hyundai Kona & Kia Niro,
These cars share the same parent company and are marked by high having a higher-than-average quality.
Both cars share the same 64kwhbattery giving a minimum range of 200 miles and a maximum of just over 300. This particular battery is also reported to have industry leading levels of durability, so have no concerns on that front.
Given the good quality and battery size these cars do retain their value very well, therefore expect slightly older models with higher mileage in this price range. Typically closer to 5 years old with mileages hovering between 40 and 60,000.
Nissan Leaf
The classic EV and almost certainly the best value for money out there, these cars have extraordinary reliability, and a sturdy fanbase to match, the most recent versions with the 62kWh battery command the highest prices but offer the most versatility. That battery pack will get the car 250 miles on the island and a comfortable 200 on the motorway. So why is such a reliable car at the cheap end? Two main reasons – perception that it is old technology (with some truth in that) and partly as it uses the now being phased out CHAdeMO charging standard (think VHS vs Betamax), that will not present a problem with home charging, but on the public network it might. But don’t despair, adaptors are available (for around £600) opening up the more widespread public CCS fast charging network.
Volkswagen ID.3
Once again, I have asked AI for a summary of reviews for this car and helpfully it has put this together from 5 sources.
‘The Volkswagen ID.3 is praised as a practical, comfortable, and efficient electric family hatchback, with a refreshed 2024 model addressing earlier criticisms. Reviews highlight its spacious interior, improved build quality and smooth driving experience, though some note its cabin materials and infotainment system still lag behind rivals. The ID.3 offers good real-world range, especially in Pro S trim, and remains a strong contender in the competitive EV market, balancing usability and value for money.’
In the £12k bracket most of the cars are 3 to 4 years old(therefore excluding the “refreshed 2024 model addressing earlier criticisms” mentioned in the reviews) and have upwards of 60,000 miles on the clock, a big contrast to the offerings above in that regard which reflects the slightly higher prestige of the VW badge.
The ID.3 comes equipped with a 58kWh battery, which will roughly get the car 240 miles on the island and a comfortable 180 on the motorway.
MG 4 / MG ZS
For some years MGs have been made in China by Chinese state owned company SAIC motors, that has certainly helped to keep their costs competitive with other manufacturers.
There are two models to mention here.
Firstly, their SUV the MG ZS. Thanks to their relatively low new cost these are in our price bracket with quite low milage on the clock and are mostly from 2021.
It is bordering on being a large car with a spacious cabin, large boot and high position on the road, key words here are affordability and practicality.
In terms of batteries, the 2021 models come with three battery sizes, with capacities of 44, 51 and 72kWh, in the crudest terms that translates to: local car, occasional holiday maker and motorway regular.
The other offering is the MG4, when released in 2022and thanks to their combination of good looks, good price, high performance these took the market by storm, setting the standard for others to follow. Currently in our price bracket there are only 8 available around the country, of those 8 they mostly have around 40,000 miles on the clock, so a long way from new, but certainly not old!
Batteries come in two sizes, 51 and 64kW, so again ‘occasional holiday maker or motorway regular’.
So, in answer to the question posed “can you recommend a medium sized electric car for £10 to £12,000 capable of the odd cross country trip?” the short version is yes, there are lots out there.
For bargains look for the well proven but slightly aged Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe, or the newer (but smaller) Vauxhall Corsa.
Also representing good value for money are the MGs, with the practical - but somewhat uninspiring MG ZS or stand out with the sporty MG4.
For a spot more prestige (but coming with higher mileage and a few more years) grab a Volkswagen ID.3.
Also in the slightly nicer category – and with excellent range consider either the KIA Niro, or sister car the Hyundai Kona.
Lastly the shared platform cars from Stellantis, they are: the incredibly comfy – but not terribly exciting Citroën e-C4, the flashier DS 3 Crossback (beware not the best reviews), the Peugeot-208 which seems to curry more favour with reviewers than the DS and the affordable and practical Vauxhall Mokka. But remember all these cars share the 50kWh battery, so you won’t be dazzled by the range.
Larger cars that just about squeak into the £12k bracket are listed below with the tiniest review I can manage, typically all these cars will have higher mileage and be a bit older than those listed above (apart from the good value MG5)
MG MG5 – affordable estate.
Volkswagen ID.4 – when the ID.3 isn’t quite big enough.
Jaguar i-Pace – prestige and performance.
Tesla Model 3 – high tech high performance.
Tesla Model S – a classic with a huge performance and presence.
Small cars – these cars all fall into the price bracket, but due to smaller batteries none of them have the true convenience for semi-regular long trips as per the request for a reccomendation, hence being here at the end.
BMW i3 – a compact futuristic classic in waiting.
Fiat 500 – lots of charm and lots of fun.
Mini Electric – just like the Fiat but with a British flavour
Dacia Spring – exceptional for local trips, and can almost be bought new for £12k!
We hope you have enjoyed this blog, please get in touch if you would like any further pointers about Going Electric on the road or around the home!
