Top 20 most affordable EVs on sale now

Electric vehicles are gradually becoming more affordable and accessible Down Under, where more and more of them are trickling onto Aussie roads.

That’s in part due to the various EV subsidies that are now being offered in most Australian states and territories.

At the same time, more EV charging stations are popping up around cities, towns and on the roads that link us all together, while longer EV driving ranges are also helping to reduce range anxiety.

There’s an avalanche of exciting new EVs coming in 2022, but here are 20 of the most affordable pure-electric vehicle options available in Australia today – from cheapest to, well, not so much.

Touching down in late 2020, the MG ZS EV is the Chinese car-maker’s first and (so far) only fully electric model on sale in Oz.

Delivering 105kW of power and a driving range of around 320km, the small battery-powered SUV is officially the most affordable electric car in Australia, at $45K on the road.

Price: From $44,990 drive-away
Vehicle type: Small SUV

Hyundai’s first EV to land in Oz, the IONIQ fastback, is available with three powertrain options: hybrid (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and pure electric (EV).

For a tad under $50K before on-road costs, the IONIQ Electric delivers a driving range of around 373km on a single charge and is available in two grades: Elite or Premium.

Price: From $49,970 plus ORCs
Vehicle type: Small hatchback

Once upon a time, Nissan’s small electric hatch was the cheapest EV available Down Under. Now undercut by Chinese and South Korean EVs, the LEAF is available today in entry-level 110kW and top-spec 160kW (LEAF e+) forms.

Price: From $49,990 plus ORCs
Vehicle type: Small hatchback

Hyundai recently announced the addition of a more affordable Standard Range version of its Kona Electric, reducing the admission price of its small electric SUV to less than $55,000.

Based on the recently facelifted Hyundai Kona, which we named Best Small SUV for 2021, the Kona Electric comes with a range of 305km or 557km range, depending on the grade.

Price: From $54,500 plus ORCs
Vehicle type: Small SUV

The confusingly named MINI Cooper SE Electric arrived in 2020, marking the arrival of pure battery-electric power for the famous BMW-owned British compact-car brand.

The small electric hatch delivers 135kW of power and comes with a driving range of 222km.

Price: From $55,650 plus ORCs
Vehicle type: Small hatchback

Due to arrive in early 2022, the Polestar 2 is the first of four all-new models set to come from the new Swedish EV brand.

Best news is the Polestar 2 matches the entry price of its most direct competitor and Australia’s top-selling EV, the Tesla Model 3.

Price: From $59,900 plus ORCs
Vehicle type: Fastback crossover

It might not be the most affordable EV on the list, but the Model 3 does match or undercut many of its established conventional rivals on price.

Priced from under $60K, the mid-size electric sports luxury sedan is the US car-maker’s most affordable EV in Oz and carsales’ Best Electric Car for 2021.

Price: From $59,900 plus ORCs
Vehicle type: Sedan

As with the Hyundai IONIQ hatch, Kia offers its only EV (until the EV6 arrives) with hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains, too.

For this exercise, the Niro EV is available in two grades – S and Sport – each with a 64kWh battery that delivers a range of around 455km.

Price: From $62,590 plus ORCs
Vehicle type: Small SUV

The Mazda MX-30 Electric is one of the newer offerings in this list, having touched down in mid-2021.

Also available in mid-hybrid form, Mazda’s first EV in Australia is highly exclusive, with only 100 examples coming Down Under in its first year on sale.

Price: From $65,490 plus ORCs
Vehicle type: Small SUV

Larger, more upmarket and more futuristic EV than the circa-$50K IONIQ hatch, the IONIQ 5 mid-size SUV sold out within two hours of going on sale earlier this month – despite being a lot more expensive.

The Hyundai IONIQ 5 is initially available in two grades – 160kW rear-drive or 225kW all-wheel drive – but a more affordable variant will join the line-up in 2022.

Price: From $71,900 plus ORCs
Vehicle type: Mid-size SUV

The three-pointed star brand’s smallest and most affordable EV landed in Oz earlier this year and the single EQA 250 variant is offered with a 140kW electric motor and a big lithium-ion battery.

Together, they serve up a healthy pure electric driving range of 480km for the small GLA-based premium SUV.

Price: From $76,800 plus ORCs
Vehicle type: Small SUV

Volvo’s first all-electric model to launch Down Under and the first of five Volvo-badged EVs due to arrive here over the next five years, the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric comes with a pair of electric motors that deliver a range of up to 400km.

The small Scandinavian SUV will also bring performance that should see it conquer triple digits in 4.9 seconds.

Price: From $76,990 plus ORCs
Vehicle type: Small SUV

With the BMW i3 no longer on sale, the upcoming i4 Gran Coupe will become the Bavarian brand’s cheapest EV when it arrives in early 2022.

The coupe-styled medium sedan, which will be a direct rival for the Tesla Model 3, will offer a range of up to 590km and a dual-motor all-wheel drive M version delivering up to 400kW.

Price: From $99,900 plus ORCs
Vehicle type: Four-door coupe

The first all-electric version of BMW’s popular X3 medium SUV, the iX3, will beat the i4 Gran Coupe to market here when it arrives in November.

The BMW iX3 will also undercut its major rivals on price, with a single variant priced under $115K and fitted with a 210kW rear-mounted electric motor.

Price: from $114,900
Vehicle type: Mid-size SUV

Long before the smaller EQA arrived, the GLC-based EQC was Mercedes-Benz’s first EV and its first direct rival for the Jaguar I-PACE and Audi e-tron.

Two variants of the battery-powered mid-size premium SUV are on offer – both with a 300kW twin-motor powertrain – and Benz’s original electric SUV delivers around 430km of range on a full charge.

Price: From $124,300 plus ORCs
Vehicle type: Mid-size SUV

Bigger and older than the Model 3, the Tesla Model S electric sedan is available in Long Range, Performance and flagship Plaid versions – or it will be when Australian deliveries of updated MY22 versions commence in 2022.

The latter recently set a new EV lap record at Germany’s Nurburgring, but with up to 652km of range and a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.2 seconds, even the most affordable Model S brings impressive specs.

Price: From $134,700 plus ORCs
Vehicle type: Large sedan

Yet to touch down in Australia – but due any day now – the BMW iX is Bimmer’s largest EV.

Pricing spans all the way up to $170K for the range-topping xDrive50 Sport and BMW is set to introduce an even more potent iX M60 in time.

Price: From $135,900 plus ORCs
Vehicle type: Large SUV

Audi’s pure-electric e-tron family is ever-growing, with the original SUV and now Sportback, soon to be joined by sportier GT and RS derivatives.

But, it’s the Audi e-tron 50 quattro SUV we’re looking at here, as it’s the most affordable of the pack with a starting price of just under $140K for the 230kW dual-motor all-wheel drive version. The pricier and more powerful 265kW e-tron 55 quattro is also available (from $146K).

Price: From $137,100 plus ORCs
Vehicle type: Large SUV

The low-slung, futuristic Jaguar I-PACE was one of the first EVs to arrive in Australia from a prestige brand when it launched in 2018.

Available in just two grades, the ptioneering large electric SUV is so far the British marque’s only EV.

Price: From $137,832 plus ORCs
Vehicle type: Large SUV

Unsurprisingly, the most expensive EV here is also the most powerful, with the ground-breaking Porsche Taycan pumping out an eye-watering 460kW from its dual-motor set-up in range-topping Turbo S form.

Porsche’s first EV will soon be joined by a crossover wagon derivative called the Taycan Cross Turismo, which for an extra $20K or so adds all-wheel drive and other off-road goodies as standard.

Price: From $156,300 plus ORCs
Vehicle type: Large sedan