The Best New Electric Cars of 2021 in the UK

Key 2021 UK electric car market statistics (Source: SSMT) 

• Pure-electric vehicle (BEVs) sales were up 88.9% 

• Petrol hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) sales were up 36%  
• Plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) sales are up 83.1% 
• Pure-electric vehicles make up 10.6% of new cars sold  
• 17.5% of new car registrations were BEVs or PHEVs, meaning 1 in 6 new cars is capable of being plugged in. When combined with hybrid electric vehicles (9.0% share), (26.5%) of the new car market was electric 

Despite the overall market share that BEVs and PHEVs occupy still being relatively small, it’s predicted that we will continue to see dramatic change over the next few years, with battery supply and semiconductor shortage issues expected to resolve themselves, and a run of new more affordable models set to hit the market. However, on a global level there is no denying there is still a long way to go – with the UK only attracting a small fraction of global investment in electric car manufacturing, and the speed of UK EV charging infrastructure lagging.

Best-selling EVs 2021

Repeating its success from 2020, the Tesla Model 3 again takes the top spot in EV sales, with more than double the registrations of the next top selling Kia e-Niro.

10 best-selling electric cars in the UK 2021:

1. Tesla Model 3 (25,171)
2. Kia Niro (11,608)
3. VW ID.3 (10,232)
4. Nissan Leaf (7,474)
5. Audi E-Tron (6,857)
6. Hyundai Kona (6,494)
7. Renault Zoe (5,608)
8. MINI (5,441)
9. MG ZS (5,134)
10. Vauxhall Corsa (5,065)

Tesla Model 3

As of December 2021 the Tesla Model 3 was the UK’s best selling electric car, registering 25,171 sales – more than double that of the next best seller the Kia Niro.

It’s popularity is no doubt down to its speed, impressively long range, and fancy tech. The model is seen by many as revolutionary because of its impact on other carmakers – showing the possibility of success for EVs and forcing top manufacturers to accelerate their own EV production.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars by AutoExpress, the sleek, minimalist and silent Tesla Model 3 will set you back between £42,500 to £59,000, depending on your desired range and performance level.

Tesla Model 3’s real-world range is considerably better than the majority of similarly priced EVs on the market. Depending on your version choice, the cheapest Standard Range Plus Model 3 version lays claim to a 267 mile range, and the priciest Performance model boasts a 352 mile range.

The overall performance level is also top notch, with the Standard model giving a 0-60mph time of 5.3s, reaching a top speed of 140mph – rivaling its fossil fuel competitors. And the Performance Model 3 reaches 0-60mph in 3.1 seconds, going up to 162mph – making it faster than any other premium saloon on the market.

As well as lots of fun techy features, advanced optional hardware offers drivers autopilot features such as the ability to steer, accelerate and brake automatically within its lane.

Using one of Tesla’s 120kw public charging points will enable you to get a 10%-80% charge for the Model 3 in just 35 mins. Or 12 hours using a wall charger at home.

Kia e-Niro

The practical and family friendly Kia e-Niro was the second highest best selling EV in the UK in 2021 with 11,608 registrations.

The e-Niro comes in a variety of models, with cheaper lower range variations available from around £33k (or £30,000 with a government grant).

The headline 64kWh model is capable of travelling 282 miles before a charge, one of the longest ranges available on the market. And the cheaper models are capable of 180 miles – still more than suitable for most needs.

The technology available is also of note, with lots of functionality such as seat warmers/coolers, an integrated navigation system, reversing camera and lots of driver-assist features.

On top of that the e-Niro is cheap to run – it uses battery power sparingly and costs less to charge per mile than most EVs.

Using a 7.4kW home wallbox charger, drivers can reach a full charge in 10.5 hours, or an 80% charge in just 44 minutes with a public rapid charger.

Volkswagen ID.3

Starting from around £32,950, the third model grabbing the most attention was the Volkswagen ID.3, garnering 10,232 UK registrations.

Described on review sites as an ‘all-round’ package, with models to suit a variety of needs, the ID.3 is said to be one of the best vehicles to purchase for those new to the world of electric driving. It’s cheap to run, very fast, easy to drive and boasts a 260 mile range (mid-range model). For those wishing for higher range, the 77kWh ID.3 Tour model offers an impressive 340-mile range.

Said to be a great city car, and roughly the same size as a Golf, the First Edition spec offers spacious interiors, light steering and great manoeuvring – rear-view camera and parking sensors come as standard. Drivers can also make use of added cruise control features and lane assist when on the motorway, with the model said to be better-suited to longer journeys than smaller EVs.

The ID.3 can be charged to 80% in as little as 30-40 mins on a 150 public rapid charger, or a full charge in 7-12 hours on a 7kW home wall charger.

Nissan LEAF

Still comfortably in the top 5, after several years is the unassuming Nissan LEAF, starting from £26,995 new, with a range of up to 239 miles. The LEAF has been the world’s best selling EV for the last few years, recently winning awards for its wide range of advanced driver-assistance features and affordability. Why is it so popular in the UK? Drive Green gives a great summary here.

Remaining barriers to widespread EV adoption

A 2020 Deloitte study looked at consumer concerns around EVs in the UK and compared this to sentiment in 2018. The research revealed that concerns around driving range and vehicle price have now begun to reduce. Instead, lack of charging infrastructure has taken over as the number one concern among consumers in the UK. Which, as Deloitte points out, could actually show that consumers are seeing EV purchase as more realistic now and are turning their focus onto the practicalities of running one.

The UK Electric Car Market 2022

It’s expected that we will see the highest number of new electric car world premieres and market launches in 2022. Nearly 50 EVs are set to debut or launch this year, with most being SUVs.

Leading manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Tesla and Volkswagen all have new EV models set to hit the market. And new start-ups such as Fisker, Lucid and Rivian will attempt to challenge Tesla’s dominance in the UK.

With the cost of EV production and electric car batteries going down, we will see some more affordable models hit the market. Although many manufacturers will continue to target the mid-high market level to recoup high research and development costs.

However, the global shortage of semiconductors that has plagued the car manufacturing industry throughout 2021 will also likely continue to limit production for some of 2022 at least. Speaking on the shortage, Mike Hawes, SMMT’s chief executive stated that “Carmakers and their suppliers are battling to keep production lines rolling with constraints expected to continue well into 2022 and possibly beyond.”

The SMMT have also raised concerns around the UKs inadequate charging infrastructure, which isn’t currently keeping up with the fast growth of the EV market. In fact the SMMT’s analysis found that the situation had actually deteriorated since 2019, going from 11 to 16 BEVs and PHEVs per charger in 2020 – making it one of the worst amongst the top 10 global EV markets. And only one new charger was installed for every 52 new EVs registered in 2021. SMMT are therefore calling upon the government to take regulatory action to boost public charging point infrastructure, set delivery targets and commensurate with the targets for vehicle manufacturers to deliver products, to ensure installation rates rise.

As of early December 2021, ZapMap reported 17,626 UK locations with public charging points, 27,967 devices at those locations and 47,358 connections within those devices (11,457 were rapid). Charge point numbers are increasing, but the pace is not fast enough, and on top of that there is still a wide disparity in the number of charging devices between local authorities.

In our next blog we will be looking at The UK Electric Car Industry In 2022 & Beyond.

The UK as the home of electric vehicles?

In his first speech as Prime Minister July 2019, Boris Johnson declared “We will be the home of electric vehicles – cars, even planes, powered by British made battery technology being developed right here, right now.”

With Brexit aftermath and the coronavirus crisis still ongoing, whether or not Johnson’s vision will transpire is yet to be seen. But it’s clear that government support through long-term incentives and investment into infrastructure will be crucial if we are to obtain widespread adoption of EVs.