Two years ago, finding an electric car in Europe for less than €30,000 was genuinely difficult. A handful of options existed, but they were either very small, very basic, or both. The story today is completely different. Falling battery costs, scaled-up production and fierce competition between Chinese brands and established European manufacturers have pushed a growing number of EVs below the €25,000 mark, and more are arriving every few months.
The cars covered here are a strong starting point if you’re looking for an affordable EV as a second car for school runs, commuting and weekend shopping, or as a primary vehicle if a compact city car suits your lifestyle. They won’t all be under €25,000 in every European market, and prices can vary by country, trim level and which incentives apply locally. It’s always worth checking what government grants or tax benefits are available in your market, because in several countries these can bring the effective price down considerably further. The EAFO European Alternative Fuels Observatory keeps an updated list of incentives by country.
One note before we start: a low price isn’t the only thing worth checking. Euro NCAP safety ratings matter, especially for a first or family car. Not every affordable EV on the market has been crash-tested, and some results are disappointing. Our guide to EVs we wouldn’t recommend due to poor Euro NCAP scores is worth reading alongside this one. Euro NCAP has also just introduced a new and considerably stricter testing protocol for 2026, so results under that framework will give a more accurate picture of real-world safety than before.
Dacia Spring
The Spring is the cheapest new electric car on sale in Europe, starting from €16,900 in France. That price is remarkable, and it brings a real EV with a genuine WLTP range of 225 km, a 308-litre boot, V2L charging and an LFP battery that can be charged to 100% daily without concern. It’s a city car in the most honest sense: ideal for short daily trips and occasional longer runs. What it isn’t is a safety standout. The Spring holds just one star Euro NCAP rating, which is worth knowing before you decide. If you’re buying it as a lightweight urban runaround and you understand the trade-off, there’s nothing else at this price. If safety is a priority, read on.
| Battery | WLTP range | Seats | Boot space |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24.3 kWh (LFP) | 225 km | 4 | 308 L |
Renault Twingo
Renault has built over a million EVs in France, and the Twingo E-Tech is the brand’s most affordable offering, starting from €19,490. It’s a proper five-door hatchback with sliding rear seats, a 360-litre boot with an additional 50-litre underfloor compartment, and a ride quality that surprises reviewers who expect a budget feel. The 29 kWh LFP battery delivers 263 km WLTP, which is realistic for a city car of this size. The base 6.6 kW AC charger is slow, but an optional upgrade to 11 kW also unlocks DC fast charging and V2L. Euro NCAP testing hadn’t been published at time of writing. I covered the Twingo in detail in our head-to-head with the BYD Dolphin Surf.
| Battery | WLTP range | Seats | Boot space |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 kWh (LFP) | 263 km | 4 | 360 L |
BYD Dolphin Surf
The Dolphin Surf starts at just under €20,000, making it one of the most complete city EVs in this price range. It earned a five-star Euro NCAP rating, which BYD itself didn’t anticipate when they submitted it for testing. The 43.2 kWh Boost trim delivers 322 km WLTP and comes with a 360-degree parking camera, 11 kW AC charging, 85 kW DC charging and V2L as standard on every trim. The boot is a compact 308 litres. For buyers comparing it directly with the Hyundai Inster, my dedicated comparison covers the two in detail. It’s also worth knowing that a next-generation Dolphin Surf is already in development, significantly larger than the current car.
| Battery | WLTP range | Seats | Boot space |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 kWh or 43.2 kWh (LFP) | 220 km / 322 km | 4 | 308 L |
Fiat Grande Panda
The Grande Panda is a five-door hatchback built on Stellantis’s STLA Small platform, available from under €25,000 in Italy, France, Belgium and the UK. It shares its platform and 44 kWh LFP battery with the Citroen e-C3, delivering up to around 320 km WLTP. The boot is a practical 361 litres, and the Panda carries the name recognition and Italian character that has always made the original popular across Europe. It seats five. Euro NCAP testing was not available at time of writing, which is worth bearing in mind given the platform it shares with the e-C3, which also hasn’t been tested.
| Battery | WLTP range | Seats | Boot space |
|---|---|---|---|
| 44 kWh (LFP) | 320 km | 5 | 361 L |
Fiat 500e
The 500e is a slightly different proposition from everything else on this list. It’s small, it’s characterful, and it’s unashamedly a lifestyle car. Available under €25,000 in Italy, France, Belgium and the UK, it comes with a 42 kWh battery for around 320 km WLTP, a 185-litre boot and a cabin that feels unlike anything else at this price. It’s not the most practical choice, but if you want something with personality and you’re using it mainly in the city, the 500e is hard to ignore. It earned a four-star Euro NCAP rating.
| Battery | WLTP range | Seats | Boot space |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42 kWh | 320 km | 4 | 185 L |
Hyundai Inster
The Inster is one of the more interesting entries in this segment. It’s available below €25,000 in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, and it punches well above its price in terms of interior space. The sliding rear bench and reclining front seats give it a flexibility you wouldn’t expect in a car this small. The 49 kWh Long Range variant delivers up to 370 km WLTP with 100 kW DC charging, while the base 42 kWh model covers around 300 km. The boot holds 280 litres standard, growing to 351 litres with the rear seats slid forward. Four-star Euro NCAP. My Dolphin Surf vs Inster comparison covers these two head to head.
| Battery | WLTP range | Seats | Boot space |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42 kWh or 49 kWh | 327 km / 370 km | 4-5 | 280-351 L |
Renault 5
The Renault 5 has become one of the defining cars of this generation of affordable EVs, and it’s available below €25,000 in France, the Netherlands, the UK and Spain. The 52 kWh variant delivers up to 410 km WLTP, which is impressive range for the class, and the retro styling has given it a cultural presence that most affordable EVs simply don’t have. The 326-litre boot is adequate rather than generous. Four-star Euro NCAP is the one caveat worth flagging clearly. It’s a very good car at the price, but if a five-star rating is a requirement, it doesn’t qualify.
| Battery | WLTP range | Seats | Boot space |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 kWh or 52 kWh | 310 km / 410 km | 5 | 326 L |
Leapmotor T03
The Leapmotor T03 is the most affordable Chinese EV you can buy in Europe, sitting on the cheapest EVs list by a clear margin. Built at Stellantis’s plant in Turin, it starts from around €16,000 in Italy, and for that you get a 37.3 kWh battery, 256 km WLTP range, a 10.1-inch touchscreen, AEB, lane-keeping and blind spot detection as standard. The boot holds 210 litres. Euro NCAP testing is not yet published. It’s not a car for long motorway trips, but for daily urban use and local errands, the T03 is genuinely hard to fault at this price.
| Battery | WLTP range | Seats | Boot space |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37.3 kWh (LFP) | 265 km | 4 | 210 L |
Leapmotor B03X
The B03X is Leapmotor’s newest European model, opened for orders in July this year from €23,400 in France and €24,900 in Germany and Italy. It’s built in Spain at the Stellantis plant, which keeps it outside EU tariffs on Chinese-imported vehicles. The 53 kWh variant delivers up to 382 km WLTP with 133 kW DC charging and a 10-80% time of around 21 minutes, which is a genuinely fast figure for this price. The boot is 510 litres including an underfloor GigaBox compartment. Euro NCAP testing not yet published. If the Renault 5 or Dolphin Surf feels too small, the B03X is worth serious consideration.
| Battery | WLTP range | Seats | Boot space |
|---|---|---|---|
| 39.8 kWh or 53 kWh (LFP) | 292 km / 382 km | 5 | 510 L (incl. underfloor) |
MG4 Urban
The MG4 Urban deserves more attention than it gets. At around €24,990, it’s a full-size C-segment hatchback with a huge 479-litre boot, a 53.9 kWh LFP battery, 416 km WLTP range and a five-star Euro NCAP rating. The base Comfort trim includes a reversing camera, blind spot detection, auto-hold, adaptive cruise and lane assist as standard. I looked at it in detail in my piece on why it makes a smart second family car. At this price, the amount of car you get is genuinely unusual. It also features strongly in my city EV range comparison.
| Battery | Max WLTP range | Seats | Boot space |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43 kWh or 53.9 kWh (LFP) | 325 km / 416 km | 5 | 479 L |
Volkswagen ID.Polo
The ID.Polo arrives as Volkswagen’s most affordable EV ever, starting from €24,995 with a 37 kWh LFP battery for 329 km WLTP. The larger 52 kWh NMC option extends range to 455 km. The boot holds 441 litres, and the familiar Volkswagen build quality gives it a solidity that most rivals at this price can’t quite match. It comes with the full MEB+ platform suite: efficient powertrain, bidirectional charging capability and a clean interior. Euro NCAP testing is scheduled but not yet published. For buyers who want the brand reassurance of a European name at this price point, the ID.Polo is the obvious place to start.
| Battery | WLTP range | Seats | Boot space |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37 kWh (LFP) or 52 kWh (NMC) | 329 km / 455 km | 5 | 441 L |
Coming Soon: Geely E2
One more model worth keeping an eye on is the Geely E2. It has already been confirmed for Europe, although its launch date and pricing have yet to be announced. UK pricing is already known, however, starting at £20,990, which translates to just under €25,000.
There are plenty of reasons to be interested. It was China’s best-selling car in 2025, comes with rear-wheel drive, a 70-litre frunk, up to 317 km of WLTP range for the European version, and an eight-year vehicle warranty. If Geely manages to price it competitively across Europe, the E2 could become one of the strongest additions to this list.
| Battery | WLTP range | Seats | Boot space |
|---|---|---|---|
| No official data | 345 km | 5 | 375 L |
A Note on Safety
Not every car on this list has been tested by Euro NCAP, and some that have received results that are worth scrutinising before you buy. Euro NCAP has introduced a new protocol for 2026 that is considerably more demanding than before. My article to EVs with poor Euro NCAP ratings covers the specifics, and if safety is your primary concern, both the best EVs for new drivers and best electric SUVs for child safety are worth reading before you decide.
If your budget stretches a little further and you want to see what’s available at the next level up, my guide to the best electric hatchbacks in Europe in 2026 covers the wider field.
FAQ
Which is the cheapest EV in Europe under €25,000?
The Dacia Spring and the Leapmotor T03 are the cheapest in most European markets. The BYD Dolphin Surf and Renault Twingo both start below €20,000 in France.
Do all these cars cost under €25,000 across all of Europe?
Not necessarily. Prices vary by country, trim level and local taxes. The models listed are under €25,000 in at least some major European markets. Always check local pricing and available incentives, which can significantly reduce the effective cost.
Which has the best Euro NCAP rating?
The BYD Dolphin Surf and MG4 Urban carry five-star Euro NCAP ratings. The Fiat 500e has four stars. Several others, including the Citroen e-C3, Twingo E-Tech, ID.Polo, Leapmotor T03 and B03X, haven’t yet been tested or results weren’t available at time of writing.
Is it worth waiting for more options?
If you can wait until late 2026 or early 2027, the landscape will look even more interesting. The Geely E2 is expected to arrive below the €25,000 mark.
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