Electric cars are more popular than ever in Britain, but which models are actually worth buying? I test drove seven electric vehicles in one day at Millbrook Proving Ground to find out.
Britain's roads are now home to more electric vehicles than ever before, with virtually every major car manufacturer producing at least one model, if not several. These vehicles span the full spectrum - SUVs, estates, hatchbacks, city cars, and even sports cars.
A range of electric vehicles were made available for me to test when I attended SMMT's Test Day at Millbrook Proving Ground earlier this year. Throughout the day I got behind the wheel of seven different models, keeping them in whatever settings they were already in when I started driving and taking them around Millbrook's alpine handling or city circuits. Below, I've ranked them out of 10, starting with my favourite.
7th: Aion V - £36,450
It proved difficult to properly assess the Aion V at the SMMT Test Day as it was the sole vehicle on this list that lacked the sticker permitting it onto the Alpine handling circuit. This came as somewhat of a shock given it's a medium-sized SUV rather than a city car, reports the Express.
Nevertheless, I managed to drive it on the city circuit and it certainly demonstrated grip at urban speeds, along with remarkably light steering. It carried an on-the-road price of £35,450, though I'd require more time with the vehicle on different road types to form a fuller opinion - suffice to say I came away with more questions than answers.
Rating: 4/10*.*Unable to take it on the alpine handling course unlike the others.
6th: Smart #1 - £29,960
The Smart #1 doesn't present itself as a particularly objectionable option. It's a compact electric vehicle boasting generous boot space and a respectable claimed range spanning roughly 190 to slightly over 273 miles.
Behind the wheel, it behaves much like any other EV, offering fairly balanced handling and a cabin dominated by an enormous touchscreen. Inside, the minimalist design features various storage compartments for odds and ends, though most functions are controlled via the central touchscreen - an approach that feels somewhat outdated as car makers increasingly recognise punters actually preferred physical buttons.
Where matters become intriguing, though not favourably, is out on the road - while it's perfectly composed around town, things turn peculiar when the route becomes more winding. The vehicle features intelligent regenerative braking with adjustable settings. I kept it on the configuration it arrived in, which proved handy for deceleration alongside the conventional brakes.
That said, it had an annoying tendency to occasionally cut out mid-bend - a concern I flagged with a Smart representative upon returning the vehicle. Coming off the brakes, the regen would continue retarding the car's speed, but halfway through a corner it would suddenly disengage, prompting slight acceleration. This quirk, coupled with the apparent impossibility of attaching the key to a keyring, left a rather disappointing aftertaste.
Rating: 5/10
5th: Jaecoo E5 - £27,505
The last time I got behind the wheel of a Jaecoo E5 at Goodwood's Media Day, it failed to impress. Granted, it was affordable, but it came across as harsh, rigid and shoddily constructed. I found myself questioning why anyone would shell out £27k for it when a nearly new BMW estate could be had for similar money or less.
The version I sampled at SMMT's test day, however, felt considerably better - more polished, smoother, more balanced. It's hardly unforgettable, but compared to the model I tested earlier this year, a marked improvement. Perhaps it was the slightly chunkier tyres or a different specification, but it felt more akin to other Chinese SUVs I've experienced - low speed understeer, feather-light steering, yet controllable at normal speeds.
Rating: 6/10
4th: MG Cyberster - £55,245
The Cyberster is a fascinating creature. It's a two-door electric Anglo-Chinese convertible fitted with scissor doors that spring open at the touch of a button - hardly ten a penny. It's almost like a retro-futuristic nod to convertible MGs of yesteryear. The question is whether it conjures up that same enchantment of open-air motoring?
Modern convertible sportscars are fairly scarce these days. While I found the doors, and the requirement to open and close them via buttons, somewhat gimmicky, the car's mechanical performance was superior, pulling well despite feeling somewhat spongy. The MG is evidently configured with bumpy British B roads in mind rather than racing at Silverstone - you can sense the suspension working as weight transfers to the outside tyres. It's not especially disagreeable, but those anticipating European firmness will be disappointed. This isn't automatically a drawback, as it also delivers a supple ride and would likely prove more comfortable and inspiring greater confidence on potholed roads than rivals with firmer suspension configurations.
Rating: 7/10
3rd: Nissan Micra - £21,495
The newest iteration of the Nissan Micra shares its underpinnings with the Renault 5, a vehicle that secured top spot among the finest cars I tested at the Goodwood Media Day. You might assume that, given the Micra utilises the same platform as the Renault, the handling would be identical. Thankfully it isn't - one of the principal pitfalls of platform sharing is that numerous different vehicles could behave identically. I appreciated how, while the Micra possessed the same attributes as the 5 - precise steering, excellent poise - it had its own distinct character too. It was marginally softer, exhibited slightly more body roll, yet remained equally capable.
Rating: 7.5/10
2nd: Hyundai Ioniq 5 N - £65,800
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N may not have been the most potent car I sampled at the SMMT Test Day - that honour belongs to the Maserati Gran Turismo - but it certainly felt the fastest. It's a phenomenal bit of machinery, this one, and can best be summed up in one word: 'Grip'. The bends on Millbrook's handling circuit have a tendency to tighten halfway through, meaning you need a motor that'll react well when you're forced to add extra steering mid-corner. The 5 N handled it effortlessly, clinging on and clinging on and clinging on and clinging on. Its ability to attack the corners was commanding - like tackling bends on easy mode. Stable, flat, utterly composed - no drama, no understeer, no oversteer. Just grip.
Rating: 8/10
1st: Kia PV5 - £32,995
The Kia PV5 tops this list. Aye, the PV5 might be a people carrier, but it's no run-of-the-mill family hauler - a type of vehicle staging something of a resurgence, with rivals from VW also battling in this space. I appreciated the cabin, I appreciated the versatility, and I appreciated the fact that, much like its considerably quicker rival above, it stayed planted and honest through the corners. No, it's hardly a sports car, but it felt assured, and it's arguably one of the most striking civilian motors you can buy today. Were I purchasing one, perhaps I'd opt for larger alloys, but I'm keen to see how this model develops. It's a wee bit different, and different isn't a bad thing.
Rating: 8.1/10
