Power To The People (Carrier): the best 7-seater electric cars

Seven-seat electric cars used to be a real rarity. The difficulties of packaging batteries and the sheer size and weight of a vehicle capable of carrying half a rugby team meant that, for a long time, only Tesla even bothered.

But that's changed and there's an ever-growing list of electric models capable of carrying seven or more passengers, ranging from SUVs to vans and old-school MPVs.

So here's our round-up of the best seven-seat electric cars on sale or on the way. 

​Kia EV9 ​

Not that long ago, the idea of a £70,000 Kia would have been ridiculous, so it’s a sign of how far the brand has come that we’d seriously recommend it in the same breath as something from Mercedes or Volkswagen. Does that make the EV9 a game changer? Probably not, but it is a brilliant example of how to make a practical seven-seat electric SUV. 

It’s a massive car in every way, taking up a lot of real estate on the road and offering plenty of room inside. There’s good space for passengers in all seven seats, plus a decent-sized boot even when the car’s fully laden. Use it in five-seat mode and you’ve got more luggage room than two Ford Focuses (800 litres) and with all the seats folded that almost doubles again.There’s also a six-seat option with super-comfy swivelling seats in the middle row, and every version gets all the charging points, vents and cupholders a large family could need. 

Like the rest of the car, the battery is massive - at 99.8kWh. That should be good for up to 349 miles of range in the two-wheel-drive version and 313 if you go for the all-wheel-drive variant. And like the EV6, there’s 350kW charging to get you topped up and moving again quickly. Kia claims you can add 60 miles of range in just six minutes.

The EV9 is a sign of how far Kia has come

​Peugeot E-5008​

The previous Peugeot 5008 earned something of a cult following among family motorists for offering MPV-like seating flexibility in a smart, SUV body and at a reasonable price. This all-new, electric E-5008 aims to keep that family-friendly attitude, but brings the benefits of pure electric power and a long driving range. 

The E-5008 isn't cheap, but it is smart, well equipped, long range and one of the most practical electric cars out there thanks to its versatile seven-seat layout. It sits on an extended version of the STLA platform that also lurks beneath the 3008. 

At 4.8m long, 1.9m wide and 1.7m tall it's a bit bigger than a Mercedes EQB but smaller than the Kia EV9. The second row of seats slides in a 60/40 split, has seat backs that recline or fold flat in a 40/20/40 split, and there are two pairs of Isofix on the outer seats as well as a centre armrest, climate control and - on higher spec cars - a couple of charging ports. 

There's also loads of head- and legroom, so there's plenty of space to lean in and faff about with writhing toddlers and unfathomable car seats.The third row of seats pops up out of the boot floor, and has really good access thanks to a one-touch slide-and-tilt function on the middle row's outer seats. 

It's not as roomy back there as it is in the Kia EV9, but this is a usefully cheaper car and there's still a good amount of room by the standards of most comparable seven-seaters - electric or otherwise.

Will the new E-5008 get a cult following?

Mercedes EQB

The other, less van-like Mercedes with seven seats and a battery is the estate-like EQB. It's a neatly packaged car which is officially called an SUV, so it has the raised ride height and chunky looks everyone seems to demand these days. There are also all the usual Mercedes refinements, but the rear pair of seats aren't huge. Anyone bigger than a pre-teen will struggle to get comfortable in there. 

The range is a decent 314 miles, but the rapid charging is a little on the slow side at only 100kW. 

 The other problem is the price - the EQB starts at more than £52,000 - it's premium quality but with a premium price tag.

​VW ID. Buzz​

We love the retro style and the family-friendly practicality of the regular ID Buzz model but there’s no denying that, given the van’s huge dimensions it seems a little silly to only offer it as a five-seater.  

Thankfully, there’s a seven-seat version on the way in 2024 that’ll address that and offer those with large families and deep pockets a funky alternative to the other cars on our list. 

 VW isn’t just trying to cram two more seats into the same space either. Instead, the whole van has been stretched by 25cm to give the option of five, six or seven-seat configurations. Even with seven seats in place, it offers 306 litres of boot space. Drop the third row and there’s a staggering 1,340 litres. And with all the seats folded there’s almost 2,500 litres - that’s a lot.

The ID Buzz LWB also brings the option of a larger battery and a more powerful motor, packing 85kWh and 282bhp. Of course, it also brings a bigger price. There’s nothing official yet but we’d guess it’ll start in the region of £65,000.

​Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV​

Mercedes is really dominating the electric seven-seater market right now. 

The EQS SUV is the brand’s flagship SUV and comes as standard with seven seats, meaning you and lots of your friends can waft around in the ultimate in high-tech luxury. 

Like any SUV, those in the very rearmost seats don’t enjoy the same amount of space as the rest of the car, but there’s enough room for a couple of teenagers to get comfortable while everyone else enjoys limousine levels of space and comfort. Fold the rearmost seats down and you’ll get more than 500 litres of luggage space, or 2,000 litres in two-seat mode. 

As befits the pinnacle of Mercedes SUVs, there’s all the very latest in driver aids and in-car entertainment, including the ludicrous Hyperscreen that gives you three digital displays spread across the dashboard. 

Powering this all is the same platform as the EQS saloon, which means a 107.8kWh battery and the choice of one or two motors with various power options. Single-motor cars make do with 360PS while the 580 twin-motor gets 544PS. Mercedes says the more powerful car will still return 363 miles of range - one mile less than the single-motor version. 

Charging is taken care of via 200kW DC, allowing you to go from 10-80% in half an hour.

The only catch? The £130,000 starting price. 

​Skoda Vision 7S​

​Skoda has promised us a production version of this seven seat SUV concept, called the VISION 7S, but 2026. The all-electric VISION 7S will sit above the Enyaq in the brand’s range and will use the PPE large car platform first seen on the Audi Q6 e-tron. 

The 7S concept has a claimed range of 370 miles from an 89 kWh battery and peak charging rate of 200kW. The position of the child seat is also innovative and mounted in the safest place in the vehicle - the centre console. This extends to the second row of seats, and the seat faces opposite to the direction of travel. This means the passengers in the second row can keep an eye on the baby. An optional interior camera in the rear roof area can also transmit a video of the child to the central infotainment display.

The big Skoda will sit above the Enyaq from 2026

Tesla Model X

There’s good news and bad news around the multi-seat Tesla Model X. If you really want a new Model X now, you’ll have to put up with left-hand drive - or buy a second hand example.

A hulking 7-seat hatchback, with bat wing rear side doors, the Model X shares the Model S’s twin motor, four-wheel-drive underpinnings. It provides supercar performance and a 340-mile plus range. It’s so quiet that you’ll hear the odd rattle from the cabin, reminding you that Teslas aren’t quite as well screwed together as some conventional rivals.

Currently, the smaller, newer Model Y is only available in Europe with five seats, but in America seven seaters are sold. Tesla UK is coy about whether they will eventually come here.

​Citroen ë-SpaceTourer​

If you have lots of friends, tribes of children or need an airport taxi, this could be the vehicle for you. Its three rows of seats will accommodate eight, and there’s the option of a front bench seat insert that will take a ninth person who lacks inhibitions about personal space - as this is a cosy arrangement. You can also specify it in medium or XL wheelbase, to help accommodate all the associated luggage.

The second row of seats have child-friendly Isofix attachments, which we approve of, but the lack of standard curtain airbags is poor in a family-friendly vehicle. Heave up the massive tailgate then haul out the rear seats and you’ll have a van-tastic 3.968 litres of space.

Officially, the ë-SpaceTourer has a 137-mile range, but we reckon 115-120 is more realistic. An updated version with the option of a larger battery is on the way, promising up to 217 miles of range.

Charging time for the smaller battery is 30 minutes on a rapid DC unit, and 45 minutes for the inbound 68kWh one.

​Mercedes EQV​

The Mercedes EQV is the battery powered range mate to the Vito van, and owning one will set you back upwards of £80,000 for the entry level Sport version (the Sport Premium and Sport Premium Plus derivatives are costlier still). 

Dig into your pocket and you’ll get three rows of individual seats (two in the middle, three in the back) in what is effectively a poshed up minivan. It’s powered by a 90kWh battery, which is claimed to keep the EQV going for 213 miles. Charging takes between 45 minutes and 11 hours using a 7.4kWh home charger.

Standard kit includes a 360 degree reversing camera and voice-activated MBUX ‘infotainment’ system. Options include a rather natty table for people in the back.

The EQV takes a van and makes it very posh. And expensive.

Peugeot e-Rifter

It’s one of life’s smaller mysteries, but what does ‘Rifter’ actually mean? The ‘word’ doesn’t translate as ‘van with windows and sometimes three rows of seats,’ but that’s what it’s attached to. 

If you like the idea of a light commercial vehicle-based family car remember that the Citroen e-Berlingo is essentially the same thing, as is the Vauxhall Combo-e Life.In the Peugeot you can have seven seats in standard and long guises. With the third row of seats up you have up to 322 litres of space in the longer vehicle. Peugeot doesn’t bother to quote a short wheelbase, three seats up boot capacity, so the space is notional. Start folding rear seats and the e-Rifter will take a van-load of clobber, because, of course, it’s van with windows. 

Currently, the official range is a claimed 173 miles but spring 2024 will bring a larger battery with a 198-mile range. Re-energising times run from as little as 30 minutes for an 80 per cent rapid charge.

​Rivian R1S​

Rivian has big expansion plans, so this could mean we finally get to see the chunky R1S SUV in the UK. It is currently available only in Canada and the US where it starts at just under £63,000. It’s not the most affordable option, but it does deliver a premium experience with a beautiful interior, off-road capability, and room for the whole family - although the rearmost seats are only really suitable for small kids.

The R1S should be able to scare all those passengers too. The least powerful version of the RS delivers 600 horsepower with 600 lb-ft of torque. The performance dual-motor setup takes both those numbers up to 700 while going with the quad-motor jumps even higher to 835 horsepower and 908 lb-ft of torque. That’s ridiculous and brilliant at once.

No one needs that kind of power in an SUV, but it means the R1S is fun to drive instead of just being a boring family vehicle. It handles its power well, and it means the R1S has plenty of grunt for towing and off-roading too.

When it comes to range, there’s either a standard battery with 260 miles of range or a large battery with up to 321 miles of range. Either way, that’s range aplenty to cover an average day.

With 835hp, the R1S should be able to make your six passengers feel a bit queasy