Slowly but surely, it appears that electric cars are becoming less expensive, as an increasing number of much more affordable EVs start to arrive on Irish shores. Here are some of the best new electric models arriving in 2024 which should cost less than €30,000.
BYD Dolphin
Range: 420km
Actually, you won’t have to wait until 2024 for the BYD Dolphin as it’s arriving at Irish dealers as we type these words. Made by one of China’s (even the world’s) biggest car makers, the Dolphin uses the same ‘Blade’ battery as the Atto 3 crossover and the Seal saloon. With 60kWh available it’ll do 420km on a charge and has a very roomy and well-made cabin. Better yet, there’s a smaller-battery, 300km range model coming soon that will be even more affordable.
> Search BYD Dolphins For Sale
Citroen eC3
Range: 320km
We’ve already seen the new eC3, but it won’t arrive in Ireland until the back end of 2024. It should be worth the wait, though. Citroen is leveraging the manufacturing strength of the wider Stellantis Group - of which it’s a member - to create a cut-price EV that doesn’t feel all that cut-price. Clever design means that the cabin is both spacious and looks smart, and while 320km isn’t lots of range, it will be plenty for many.
Dacia Spring
Range: 240km
The compact, all-electric Dacia has been on sale in Europe for a while now, but it’s finally going to come with right-hand drive and a tempting price that should make it the most affordable EV you can buy. There’s a choice of 45hp or 65hp versions, with a maximum range of 250km, which doesn’t sound like much, but then Dacia points out that the average Spring owner in Europe only covers about 20km a day, so it ought to be enough. It’ll arrive towards the second half of the year, meaning we’ll potentially get Spring in the summer…
Fiat Panda Electric
Range: 320km
The next-generation Fiat Panda will use many of the same parts as the Citroen eC3, and should have similar range and performance, but expect it to be slightly more stylish — or at least a little more interesting to look at than the plain Citroen - with some influence from the dramatic Centoventi concept car creeping in. The big question is will Fiat be able to offer the battery expansion packs — where you rent a bigger battery for the car for longer journeys — that it was originally designing for the Panda? We will have to wait and see.
GWM Ora 03
Range: 310-420km
Technically, this isn’t a new car but a major rebrand for the Ora Funky Cat. Great Wall Motors, the massive Chinese car maker, has decided on a global reinvention that will see its GWM brand become the make, and the Ora bit become the model, with 03 giving you an idea of the size. The 03 — as the current Funky Cat will become in January — comes in just under the €30,000 barrier if you go for the small-battery, 310km range model.
Kia EV3
Range: 450km
Kia’s new EV3 has only been shown as a concept car so far, but it looks terrific — like someone put the big EV9 SUV on a boil wash and then tumble-dried it. It’s set to replace the old Soul EV in Kia’s lineup, but by leveraging technology shared with other Kia EV models, it should be much more affordable too. It won’t arrive until late 2024, and might even be an early-2025 car really, but expect two different battery sizes and the option of four-wheel drive.
Renault 5 EV
Range: 400km
We don’t know for certain that the new Renault 5 EV, based on the utterly gorgeous concept car, will be priced under €30,000 but it should be pretty close. Either way, it’s set to be one of the coolest cars — electric or otherwise — of 2024, with retro 1980s styling, a 400km range and a new platform underneath that’s said to be some 30 per cent cheaper to build than the Zoe that it’s replacing (hence our hope for the sub-€30k price tag).
> Search Electric Cars For Sale in Ireland
Carzone - 04-Dec-2023