Full-size, daily-use electric cars have taken a long time to gain popularity, but they’ve now here, with more alternatives accessible to purchasers than ever before. Many are SUVs since the battery pack is normally concealed in the floor, but there are also hatchbacks, saloons, and crossovers to select from.
Battery technology has gone a long way in our country, lowering the cost of new EVs and making range anxiety far less of an issue than it used to be. Although charging infrastructure is still lacking, if you can charge at home and don’t drive long distances regularly, you may never need to use a public charger.
Add to that the fact that EVs allow you to drive in quiet while emitting zero emissions, are free from road tax and the London Congestion Charge and qualify for reduced benefit-in-kind taxes as fleet choices, and they become a really feasible family transportation option.
While we have yet to see many real driver’s vehicles powered by electricity, the quick, quiet punch provided by even the most basic EVs will surprise and excite many drivers used to traditional powertrains.
This is a list of our top five electric vehicles for families, based on variables like as range, usability, driving dynamics, and price. Some EVs are still very expensive as compared to combustion-engined vehicles, but their premiums may be mitigated by reduced operating expenses.
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Number 1. Hyundai Ioniq 5
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Image Source – Twitter.
It would have been odd to see a list like this dominated by Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia twenty years ago, but the pair have not only built a variety of great mainstream automobiles, but they were also early out of the gate with electric versions of normal cars.
The Ioniq 5 marks the beginning of one of them taking EVs seriously, and it’s based on a unique EV model platform with 800-volt architecture. Only the Porsche Taycan and Audi E-Tron GT, as well as the nearly comparable Kia vehicles, have an 800v system, which allows for substantially quicker charging. That’s some nice company.
It is not only a technical exercise. The Ioniq 5 stands out because of its striking retro-futuristic style and contemporary, high-quality interior.
Despite its size and weight, the Hyundai is a surprising pleasure to drive, with excellent performance, good traction, and just enough flexibility to keep things interesting. It’s also a beautiful peaceful cruiser, with superb noise suppression, a comfy ride, and a very believable luxury atmosphere that’s ideal for an electric vehicle. Because of the good packing, there is plenty of room in the rear, as well as a usable boot.
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Number 2. Kia EV6
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Image Source – Twitter.
Kia has come the closest to delivering genuine driver appeal to the market for useable, reasonably priced, ‘regular’ electric automobiles. It has taken a state-of-the-art electric-specific model platform, clothed it in a handsome body, thrown in a good-sized cabin, and finished the package with keen-feeling ride and handling delivered by a natively rear-wheel drive chassis that feels significantly more interesting and involving to drive than so many EVs have thus far.
The automobile is available in three trim levels and with either a single-motor rear drive or a twin-motor four-wheel drive system. Power outputs vary from 226bhp to 321bhp, with a GT variant with 577bhp on the way shortly (imagine that). Public quick charging at up to 239kW is feasible in the vehicle (where available), at which rate the car’s 77.4kWh battery can be filled up in approximately the time it takes to get a cup of tea and devour an iced bun; while range on the WLTP lab test standard extends up to 328 miles.
The bundle of the EV6 has a few restrictions, one of which is pricing (this isn’t the most economical electric choice among its competitors). Because it’s a touch sporty, it’s not the smoothest-riding, most refined EV on the market; interior quality isn’t quite as rich or welcoming as that of the car’s Hyundai cousin; and lifeless, numb steering takes a little of the edge of the car’s dynamic appeal.
Nonetheless, the EV6 is astonishingly nimble in handling, its performance is energetic (even in single-motor variants), and it provides plenty of heart to eager drivers who had believed that zero-emissions driving just won’t nourish their excitement in the same way that they used to.
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Number 3. Ford Mustang Mach E
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Image Source – Twitter.
Ford was a bit late to the full-sized electric vehicle market, but it still created an impression by adopting its beloved Mustang sub-brand for its first battery-electric production model. The Mustang Mach-E, on the other hand, is a legitimate five-seater with an attractive crossover body style, as well as great real-world range potential and a lower price than some of the vehicles included here.
It starts at slightly over £40,000 in the UK, making it more expensive than several important competitors. The WLTP-accredited 379-mile Extended Range variant will set you back over £50,000. However, it’s a true, useable family vehicle that outperforms expensive competitors in terms of stated range and value by up to 30%.
Ford’s first true EV doesn’t wow with warp-speed acceleration in Extended Range RWD guise. Instead, it’s the chassis that provides some driving pleasure, with its noticeable composure and even a hint of playfulness when the mood strikes. Is it just enjoyable? The Ford, like its competitors, is too heavy for that, and the steering is too synthetic, but it is unquestionably one of the most enjoyable driver’s vehicles of its kind. And, although the GT is speedy in a straight line and can be persuaded into some giggly muscle car angles on the exit of slower corners if you’re so inclined, it becomes scrappy when driven up to and beyond its limits.
Fears that the Mach-E would be all style over substance are allayed by what is a very roomy and airy cabin, even if the design of the place is fairly unimaginative and perceived quality is a rung or two below that of European competitors.
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Number 4. Nissan Ariya
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Image Source – Twitter.
Given that Nissan pioneered the popular EV with the Leaf, it’s surprising that the Japanese manufacturer has taken so long to bring a follow-up model to the lineup (assuming we ignore the van-based eNV200 people carrier). Unsurprisingly, the Japanese manufacturer has targeted the lucrative luxury family SUV segment for its newest all-electric offering, and in many ways, the Ariya is a welcome addition to this increasingly congested segment, not least since certain variants give a range of 329 miles.
For starters, it looks good in a contemporary and sleek SUV kind of way, and the inside is more than worthy of being described in the same language as premium-badged competitors on our list. It is not only visually appealing but it is also filled with high-quality materials that give it an agreeably fluffy touch. There’s also all the technology you’d expect, such as a pair of 12.3-inch displays positioned on top of the dash, one for the instrument cluster and one for infotainment. There’s also plenty of space in the front and rear, as well as thoughtful features like the sliding centre console between the front seats and a convenient drawer that folds out of the dashboard.
As expected, there are single motors with front-wheel drive and twin motor configurations with four-wheel drive. The former comes with an option of 63kWh or 87kWh batteries, which provide 215bhp and 239bhp, respectively. The latter configuration, branded e-4ORCE, is only available with the bigger battery and produces a useful 302bhp in ordinary form or 388bhp in the top Performance edition, suitable for 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds. Regardless of the battery and motor combination you choose, the Ariya is composed and competent to drive, but it is unlikely to set your heart beating. The steering is light and accurate, but the body control is soft and fidgety, and you feel as if you’re sitting high above the car’s roll axis as it turns, acutely aware of every degree of body lean.
So, although it’s not the game changer that the original Leaf was, there’s a lot to enjoy here.
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Number 5. Volkswagen ID 4
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Image Source – Twitter.
The ID 4 is Volkswagen’s second vehicle to be introduced on the group’s MEB platform, after the ID 3. It’s a larger, more expensive vehicle than the previous model, but it’ll be just as important in helping VW become a major player in the worldwide EV industry. After all, the world is passionate about SUVs, and Volkswagen believes that the ID 4’s design enables it to deliver Touareg-level utility in a Tiguan-sized vehicle. That seems to be a great combination.
In practice, it also works rather well. There’s enough more room in the front, and the trunk is 531 litres bigger than the Tiguan’s. Even better, since the battery is housed under the floor, the back area is comparable to that of a Mercedes E-Class. The one minor drawback is that the rear seat sits a little higher than you may want, limiting head space.
When it comes to batteries, there are two sizes available, and they match the output of the rear-mounted electric motor. The 146bhp and 168bhp variants have 52kWh batteries, while the 201bhp model has a 77kWh battery with a WLTP range of 324 miles. The range’s flagship model is a dual-motor, four-wheel-drive 295bhp GTX, which is more of a quick cruiser than a real GTI for the electric era.
The standard 201bhp version’s performance is also very quick, and it’s quite smooth, especially on huge wheels. But there’s enough personality to keep you interested: precisely calibrated control reactions, crisp initial performance, clever tiny design signals, and a feeling of maturity on the go.
The ID 4 provides a sleek, streamlined, and easy electric-car experience, while the interior ergonomics are too simplified. Despite a highly pleasing interior, the lack of most buttons means the ID 4 is not particularly user-friendly, which is a typical issue with new Volkswagens.
