The 5 cheapest electric cars thanks to public aid

The entry into force of the Auto+ program and the announcement of a 15% reduction in personal income tax (IRPF) in the 2026 tax year for the purchase of an electrified vehicle are the two pillars of the strategy for the decarbonization of the Spanish automotive fleet. In fact, the Auto+ plan is the successor to the Moves plan and has an initial allocation of 400 million euros. Buyers of an electrified vehicle can benefit from it, with retroactive effect from January 1, 2026, and the aid is aimed at individuals, the self-employed, SMEs, and micro-enterprises. These grants for the purchase of electric vehicles work through a system of percentages classified by the EEE (electric, European, and economic) system. In short, this means that the most important grants can only be awarded to vehicles that meet the requirement of being electric, having an affordable car price (less than 35,000 euros), and being produced in Europe. These economical, European, and electric vehicles will be able to opt for the maximum amount of money possible, up to 4,500 euros and 5,000 euros if they are vans. In the case of self-employed individuals, this aid can reach 6,000 euros, and if they are vans, up to 7,500 euros. 

Fiat Grande Panda (€14,000)

The cheapest European electric car that will be able to benefit from institutional aid will be the Fiat Grande Panda, adding the aid from the Auto+ plan and the 15% IRPF deductions. The Fiat Grande Panda is an electric vehicle with 113 HP of power and a 44 kWh battery capacity, which allows it to achieve an autonomy of about 320 kilometers in the European WTLP homologation cycle. The Grande Panda is currently produced at the Serbian plant in Kragujevac, where it shares a platform with the Citroën C3. Serbia is not yet an EU member country, but industrial and commercial agreements between Serbia and the EU mean that cars manufactured by Stellantis in the Balkan country can be eligible for institutional aid.

Fiat 500e (€15,900)

The Fiat 500e is the electric version of the legendary Italian Cinquecento, manufactured at the historic Piedmontese Mirafiori factory on the outskirts of Turin. Fiat offers various versions, power outputs, and batteries for the 500e, but this price refers to the entry-level version, with an electric motor producing 90 HP, a 23.7 kWh battery capacity, and a real-world range of about 200 kilometers. This is a relatively low figure, but it should be sufficient for intensive urban use, the primary target for this likeable, attractive vehicle with a significant dose of glamour.

Renault 5 (€16,300)

The Renault 5 has been a major success for the diamond brand, with demand even exceeding the production capacity of the Douai plant in northern France. The Renault 5 has everything it takes to become a desired car: a very attractive retro design, a special aura, and a truly tempting price. The entry-level version of the Renault 5 E-Tech features a 95 HP electric motor and 40 kWh batteries, allowing it to reach 300 kilometers of range in the WTLP homologation cycle: right now, and while waiting for the new Citroën 2CV and the future affordable model from Volkswagen and Skoda, it's quite difficult to find anything better for less money on the market.

Opel Frontera (€16,400)

The Opel Frontera is an electric SUV that takes its name from a historic Opel 4x4, although it has nothing to do with that all-terrain vehicle. The Opel Frontera actually has the same platform and engines as the Fiat Grande Punto and the rest of Stellantis's B-segment models, with a 113 hp engine and a theoretical range of 320 kilometers thanks to its 44 kWh batteries (exactly the same as the Fiat Grande Punto), and it is manufactured at the Slovak plant in Trnava, where it shares a production line with the Citroën C3 Aircross. The Frontera's premium price compared to its twin brother is explained by the better interior finishes, with specific seats and a slightly higher technological load.

Opel Corsa (€18,900)

The list of the cheapest EEE (European, Electric, and Economic) vehicles on the market, thanks to institutional aid, is closed by the Opel Corsa electric, a model currently manufactured at the Figueruelas plant, on the outskirts of Zaragoza, where it shares a production line with the Peugeot 208-e and the Lancia Ypsilon. The Opel Corsa electric is a vehicle positioned one step above the rest of the models on the list, thanks to greater technological load, a 136 HP engine, and 50 kWh batteries, which allow it to homologate an autonomy of more than 350 kilometers in WTLP cycle.