What is the cheapest electric car to lease?

Leasing an electric car makes a lot of sense right now. With fuel prices at an all-time high – petrol and diesel have reached £1.64 and £1.75 respectively (as of this article’s publish date) – switching to electric has never been more appealing. Electric cars come with a ton of benefits; low-running costs, zero-emissions, and the latest safety and tech features. However, electric cars still carry a stigma of hefty price tags. At Hippo Leasing we search for the most competitive deals. But what is the cheapest electric car to lease? Let’s take a look at some options…

Peugeot e-208

Cheapest electric car for good range

Approx. Range:	217 Miles
Battery:	50kWh
Top Speed:	93mph
Cost to Charge Per Mile:	4.15 pence

Lease from £320 per month

Peugeot has done a fantastic job with turning one of the UK’s most popular hatchbacks into an all-electric version. Depending on your driving habits, the e-208 offers an approximate range of 217 miles, taking just 45 minutes to charge 80% with a rapid charger.

The e-208 looks smart and feels superb on the road.

Helped by instant electric acceleration, the hatch has become an eye-catching pocket rocket. But it’s not all speed and no substance, the e-208 is practical to live with too. 

You can control the car remotely through the MyPeugeot App, checking the status of your vehicle and scheduling a charge if it’s plugged in at home to help you save on electricity costs. 

It’s also packed full of driver-friendly tech, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 3D head-up instrument panel and programmable cruise control.

Considering the 208 was once deemed a funny little French car, the e-208 is now up there with the best in its class, and rightly so. 

MG ZS

Cheapest electric car for families

Approximate Range:	273 miles
Battery:	72kWh
Top Speed:	109mph
Cost to Charge Per Mile:	4.9 pence

Lease from £318 per month

Not only does the Long-Range MG ZS EV come with one of the best ranges – 273 miles – in its segment, but its improved performance is also further highlighted with modernised design and more technology.

In styling terms, the MG ZS EV has a bold new face, set off by LED headlights and distinctive daytime running lights. It also gets a redesigned rear bumper and new wheels.

But what makes it the perfect cheap-to-lease family EV? With a substantial range, it’s perfect for road trips as little to no stops are needed for charging. Plus, with tons of space inside the cabin – it has a capacity of 470 litres which comes down to 448 litres with the rear seats in use – fitting the whole family in with all the luggage is a breeze.

The MG ZS EV is one of the roomiest in its class. Rear space means even six-footers can sit comfortably with a good amount of leg room.

With an 85% Euro NCAP Child Safety rating, you can rest assured that safety and driver assistance features are top notch too.

Vauxhall Corsa-e

Cheapest electric car for new drivers

Approx. Range:	175 miles
Battery:	45kWh
Top Speed:	93mph
Cost to Charge Per Mile:	4.3 pence

Lease from £312 per month

Whether you’re new to driving or simply new to electric, the battery-powered Vauxhall Corsa-e is a great-value car for new drivers; blending practicality with inexpensive running costs.

Covering 175 miles on a single charge, the all-electric Vauxhall hatch has one of the biggest ranges in its class. Plus, when you’re out of juice, you won’t be waiting around for too long as it takes just 30 minutes to get to 80% using a 100kw charging point. 

As it’s essentially a Peugeot e208 underneath, the Corsa is well-equipped and well made. With a whole host of handy tech inside, including a touchscreen infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as several helpful driver aids, it has everything you need to enjoy driving an EV. 

It also looks great and is priced from just £245 a month for a new model, making it one of the cheapest EVs in terms of value-for-money.

Volkswagen e-Up!

Cheapest mid-range electric car

Approx. Range:	125 miles
Battery:	32.3kWh
Top Speed:	81mph
Cost to Charge Per Mile:	4.14 pence

Lease from £260 per month

Keeping the same build quality and features as its traditional counterpart, the e-Up! is a practical city car. Easy to drive with Volkswagen’s world-renowned reliability, it still remains a firm favourite.

It’s nippy around town too, with power provided by an 82hp electric motor helping the e-Up! go from 0-62mph in 11.9 seconds. Not blistering speeds, but more than enough for everyday driving. 

It’s also one of the most functional small EVs on the market. Not necessarily in size – which isn’t great if you’re regularly transporting adults in the back – but for kids, and everyday shopping and goods, it’s more than comfortable. 

And with a real-world range of 125 miles – ideal for the weekly commute – and an 80% fast charge in under an hour, it also means you can live with the small city car day-to-day without any hassle. 

Nissan Leaf

Cheapest electric car that everybody loves

Approx. Range:	168 miles
Battery:	40kWh
Top Speed:	90mph
Cost to Charge Per Mile:	6.7 pence

Lease from £303 per month

As everyone has different needs, wants and tastes, it’s quite difficult to find a car that continues to tick all the boxes for a large demographic of drivers. But the Nissan Leaf might just be the one. It would also be wrong to have a list of electric cars without mentioning this early pioneer.

With bold engineering, the Nissan is exceptionally user-friendly, and it’s also great to drive. And although there are now many other options in the market, you really get a sense of the future when you’re in the Leaf. 

That even comes down to the styling; which you can tell has been designed with electrification in mind. 

Inside, the cabin has been given a premium feel, too, with plush materials and a central dash infotainment touchscreen, all of which, as you’d expect from Nissan, is of high quality and robust. 

To live with, the Leaf is also practical – with the higher-spec models featuring 239 miles of range; which, for a car of its size, is really quite an achievement. 

All in all, the Leaf is a strong candidate in the electric car world. Furthermore, Nissan confirmed price reductions of both the 40kWh and 62kWh versions of the Leaf.

As a result, all grades of Leaf and both battery capacities (40kWh and 62kWh) are eligible for the revised Plug-in Car Grant of £1,500, which is offered on all electric vehicles priced £32,000 and under.

Mini Electric

Cheapest electric car for the feel-good factor

Approx. Range:	145 Miles
Battery:	28.9kWh
Top Speed:	93mph
Cost to Charge Per Mile:	4 pence

Lease From £327 Per Month

Given its based on the unique and now classic Cooper styling, it’s a good job the Mini Electric is just as fun and charming as its internal combustion counterparts. 

Keeping many of the features that Mini fans know and love, it’s agile to drive and pretty nippy too. It also looks the sleek part that we’re used to seeing in a Mini. 

With an official range of 145 miles, it’s not groundbreaking. But if a work commute or local day trips regularly fill your weekly schedule, it’s more than enough to get you by. 

An added bonus is that when you do need to recharge, it takes just 35 minutes to get back up to 80% with a rapid charger. And then you can get back to what the Mini Electric does best; giving you on-road performance to put a smile on your face. 

Renault Zoe

Cheapest electric car for some serious savings

Approx. Range:	245 Miles
Battery:	52kWh
Top Speed:	87mph
Cost to Charge Per Mile:	4 pence

Lease From £330 Per Month

The Renault Zoe is one of the best value-for-money models on the market. But just because it doesn’t come with a chunky price tag doesn’t mean it’s any less impressive. 

With a range of 245 miles, the Zoe eclipses a lot of its more expensive competition when it comes to keeping its charge. And when you consider the overall cost of that charge is somewhere less than £8, you get a sense of just how cost efficient the Renault is. 

To sit in, it’s comfortable and well equipped. Its styling won’t be to everyone’s taste, but for those who want a comfortable choice with easy driving and modern features, the Zoe ticks the boxes.

For the most part, the Zoe is as good as anything else on the market, and better in other areas. So, if you’re looking into electrification to save some money, it has to be high on your shortlist.