The 5 most anticipated affordable electric cars of 2026

The transition to and electrification of the vehicle fleet in Europe is progressing more slowly than anticipated by major manufacturers and European institutions. After a fantastic 2020 that spurred major manufacturers to advance the electrification of their products, electric car sales cooled during 2021 and 2022 due to a misguided strategy: the leading manufacturers focused their marketing efforts too heavily on electric cars for Europeans, who demanded simple, affordable urban vehicles.

In fact, thanks to the arrival on the market of new urban electric cars at reasonable prices of between 25,000 and 30,000 euros, electric car sales grew to represent 6% of total sales in the Spanish market in 2024. This year, they have grown to a total of 10 million euros.

The surge in electric car sales has coincided with the arrival of urban electric models, with more reasonable prices and better suited to the real needs of European drivers, such as the BYD Dolphin Surf, BYD Atto 2 and BYD Atto 3, and Kia EV3. Below, we highlight five of the new urban electric cars, priced between €20,000 and €30,000, that are likely to become commercial benchmarks in the segment across Europe.

Cupra Raval

He Cupra Raval It's one of the most anticipated new releases of the year. This sporty hatchback, the spiritual successor to the Seat Ibiza—a model with which it will coexist for a few more years—aims to become the youthful and dynamic benchmark in the electric vehicle market, thanks to its powerful and attractive design, specific tuning, and mechanical options of up to 226 hp and a range of around 440 kilometers.

This aspirational urban sports car will be manufactured on Line 1 in Martorell, utilizing the Volkswagen Group's MEB platform. Its final price will be around €25,000 (excluding discounts and promotional incentives), which should give it a boost in the increasingly mature and established European electric vehicle market. The sporty and aspirational focus of the new Cupra brand works in its favor, promising to make the Raval bull one of the most significant models in its short history.

Volkswagen ID.Polo

The Volkswagen ID.2 is dropping its name and will now be called the ID.Polo, thus maintaining the brand name of one of Volkswagen's most significant vehicles in recent years. The new ID.Polo will share its factory, mechanical components, platforms, and technologies with the Cupra Raval—both will be manufactured on line 1 in Martorell—but unlike the Raval, the Volkswagen ID.Polo is targeting a different market segment.

The ID.Polo is a car geared towards families, offering ample space and comfort (it boasts a 490-liter trunk) with a cabin and rear passenger space very similar to that of a current combustion-engine Golf. Its price should also be around €25,000 for the entry-level versions.

Renault Twingo

After hitting the mark completely with the revival of the Renault 5 in electric form and the arrival of the Renault 4, the French brand is back with another electric model that blends nostalgia, design, and technology: the new Renault Twingo. The Twingo features a design reminiscent of the first-generation model from the 1990s, an 82 hp electric motor, and a range of 263 kilometers.

With these figures, it is easy to deduce that the new Renault Twingo aims to be an urban mobility solution, thanks to its compact size and a purchase price of around 20,000 euros, or even lower if current promotional discounts and institutional aid are applied.

Nissan Leaf

The Nissan Leaf was the first mass-market electric vehicle, even before the rise of Tesla. After a second generation that had a less than stellar market experience, the Japanese automaker Nissan will begin selling the new Leaf starting next yearWith power outputs of 177 or 218 hp and batteries with a capacity of up to 75 kWh, it boasts a homologated range of – get this – 622 kilometers. The new Leaf will utilize the platform developed for the Ariya SUV and will feature a crossover-style body that significantly differentiates it from the Leaf as we've known it until now.

Unlike the other models mentioned, the Leaf will be a slightly more expensive car (with entry-level versions starting at over €30,000), but it's worth remembering that its size and power justify its market positioning, and the fact that it reuses existing engines and platforms will certainly help its appeal. Furthermore, Nissan is working on a new electric Juke that will reuse the Leaf's platform, and it could be announced as early as 2026.

Kia EV2

Capitalizing on the success and commercial success of the Kia EV3, Kia's new urban SUV will be called the EV2 and will arrive in the European market sometime in 2026. The Korean automaker has only released a few images of the prototype or concept car so far, but the Kia EV2 will become a reality to fill the gap left by the disappearing EV3. Its strengths include its body and its elegant, futuristic design, a spacious cabin, and a large trunk that optimizes the car's 4.1-meter length.

The new EV2 will be manufactured in Slovakia - as this is a vehicle designed specifically for the European market - and will have a range of around 400 kilometers and an entry price of around 25,000 euros, while the more powerful versions will have a price above 30,000 euros.

Bonus: Tesla Model 2?

It's been many years (perhaps too many) since Tesla announced the Model 2 (also called the Model C), an affordable compact electric vehicle with a range of around 400 or 500 kilometers and a price tag of around €25,000. However, during all these years Elon Musk has decided to bet everything on the Model Y and Model 3 (which has sold very well over the last five years), swallowing the bitter pill of... Cybertruck's big failure and amortize reputational crises due to outlandish political adventures that have contributed nothing good to Tesla.

The biggest problem with the Model 2 right now is the credibility of a possible announcement sometime in 2026, since Tesla has the facilities, know-how and the potential audience to ensure that the future Model 2 can become a commercial success.