The best electric cars on the market, according to the OCU

Many people feel lost, or at least somewhat confused, when it comes to buying their first electric car. Electric vehicle sales are increasing across Europe, although at a slower pace than predicted by major manufacturers and governments in 2020, during the first phase of the coronavirus pandemic. The two main obstacles raised by potential buyers of electric vehicles, which are holding back many last-minute sales in favor of plug-in hybrid or conventional hybrid vehicles, are the actual range of these vehicles and their high price.

It is true that electric cars are increasingly offering more competitive real ranges and that the network of charging stations has not stopped expanding in recent years. It is also worth noting that there are already several fully electric models at a more than reasonable purchase price, even at the level of or below their combustion engine equivalents. This is the case of the Leapmotor T03 or of the future BMW iX3, to give two very different examples with almost opposite commercial approaches.

To help buyers in the decision-making process, the OCU (Spanish Consumer Protection Agency) has prepared a report explaining the five best small, medium, and large electric vehicles in the segment, based on its parameters, based on purchase price and range. The consumer organization points out that the actual fuel consumption of electric vehicles is up to 15% higher than the technical specifications promise in WTLP certification cycles, which directly impacts the reduction in the vehicle's actual range. This differential is especially pronounced on motorways and dual carriageways, where the electric vehicles analyzed only offer a real range of 70% of the theoretical capacity, according to the OCU study.

The best models by price range

The OCU (Spanish Consumer Organization) has grouped together the best electric models in different price ranges, depending on whether they are more or less affordable for the general public—that is, their price-performance ratio. The first tier, corresponding to small cars, crowns the Kia EV3 as the best model currently on the market, followed by the electric Peugeot 208 and—pay attention—the Leapmotor T03.

As for mid-size electric vehicles, with a body measuring around 4.5 meters in length and a price tag of less than 40,000 euros, the Volkswagen ID.3 clearly stands out from the Skoda Elroq and Ford Capri, among others.

In the higher price range, between 40,000 and 55,000 euros, the OCU highlights the Tesla Model 3's price-to-range ratio, compared to the more modern Toyota BZ4X and BYD Seal.

Classification by segments

To make things easier for interested customers, the OCU (Spanish Automobile Association) has also broken down the best electric cars by price and range by segment, once again emphasizing the actual ranges these vehicles can offer on motorways and dual carriageways, which are up to 30% lower than the approved figures.