Learning to drive is the first step towards independence for many young people. Some will want to learn how to drive with a manual gearbox, others will stick to automatic. But the progressive ones (as young people usually are) may want to learn in an EV.
FInding an EV cheap starter car is difficult enough when you’ve only got petrol to worry about. So we put together a list to save new motorists some of the legwork when it comes to narrowing down a first car.
Remember, the cheapest car to insure for a 17- or 18-year-old may not be the cheapest for somebody aged over 25. So if that’s what you’re looking for, check out our article on the cheapest EVs to insure overall.
Leapmotor T03
Price: from £12,995
Insurance group: 10-18
Best for: value
The Leapmotor T03 is the thorn in the side of the Dacia Spring as the two have been trading the right to be called the cheapest EV on sale since the T03 launched. We’ve not mentioned the Spring on this list because it’s about to be superseded by its Twingo-based replacement.
Back to the T03 though. It was the first offering the Chinese carmaker brought to the UK back in 2025 but has been on sale in China since 2020. That doesn’t mean it’s outdated though, the T03 has a decent usable range of up to 165 miles and its light weight means it will happily achieve that range in nominal conditions.
It’s far from fancy or spacious but it offers everything a new driver could be looking for, plus enough room in the second row to fit some friends. It’s perfect for building those initial years of no claims bonus.
Fiat 500e
Price: from £20,995
Insurance group: 14-22
Best for: city driving
If you’re looking for something safe and compact but with a touch of Italian dolce vita, the Fiat 500e is a very popular choice. Since its launch, the Fiat 500 has become synonymous with young drivers and now it’s available with a variety of powertrains.
Despite its sophisticated feel, we definitely see the 500e as more of a city oriented car – the 199 miles of WLTP range are more like 160 in real world driving, which means that long journeys are best faced occasionally. It does feel more grownup on a fast road than the Leapmotor T03 above, though.
There also isn’t enough space in the back seats to fit adult passengers other than for extremely short journeys and the 185-litre boot isn’t particularly spacious.
However, it’s undeniable that the 500e oozes style and fashionable young drivers tend to gravitate towards it for that reason. Its cheap purchase price and low insurance groups can make it very attractive too.
Citroen e-C3
Price: from £18,495
Insurance group: 15-25
Best for: comfort
If you’re somebody who wants space for friends, room in the back for friends, and enough range for much more than trips around town, the Citroen e-C3 might be the right choice for you.
The standard range model may cost a bit more than the 132-mile urban range model at £22,715, but it gets you a solid range of up to 199 miles on the WLTP scale, enough to make it from London to Doncaster in one go, without having to worry.
It may not quite have the chic style of the Fiat 500e, nor the angular cool-ness of the Renault 5, but the e-C3 is a smart looking little crossover. The handsome aesthetics continue to the interior which, despite essentially being the same car as the Vauxhall Frontera or the Fiat Grande Panda underneath, still manages to feel unique.
You get a good helping of tech too, but some may be a little thrown off by the gauge cluster which requires you to peer over the top of the steering wheel instead of through it.
The catch is that the e-C3 is the most expensive car on this list so far. But with the improved range, more spacious interior and solid 310-litre boot, it’s definitely the most versatile pick we could think of.
Renault 5 E-Tech
Price: from £21,495
Insurance group: 15-28
Best for: style and personality
The Renault 5 is probably our personal favourite on this list. We were absolutely smitten when we first drove it and all this time later, the honeymoon period shows no signs of drawing to a close.
It’s got excellent looks, really solid efficiency from its 52kWh battery gets it up to 265 miles of WLTP range, and now with added steering wheel paddles, you can quickly easily flip between your different levels of regenerative braking or one-pedal driving.
Much like many of the cars on this list, it’s far from spacious on the inside, the boot measures in at only 326 litres and the back seat is only really good for adult passengers in a pinch. But it’s just so cool! And if you really need to, the Renault 5 can tow up to 500kg, that’s more than enough for a hitch-mounted double bike rack or a teeny tiny caravan.
Volkswagen ID.Polo
Price: from £23,945
Insurance group: 14-21
Best for: all-round performance
If you’re a lucky kid, or you’ve been mowing lawns every summer for years, your parents may just let you get your hands on the VW ID.Polo. It’s the most expensive car on this list by some margin, but it’s also far and away the most capable.
Its boot is simply massive when compared to the other cars on this list at 441 litres, there’s more than enough space inside for four to five fully grown adults, and if you’re gentle, you can get up to 281 miles of official range from its optional 52kWh battery. That car will cost you a comparatively high £28,830 before you apply the £1,500 electric car grant.
Regardless, in this case, you really do get what you pay for in the best way possible. If you’re lucky enough to be able to afford one, and the insurance to go for it as a new driver, it will not disappoint.
