Every new EV ranked 161 to 1: the complete guide to UK electric cars

Even with the sweeping roofline, there’s enough space in the back even for six footers and the 437-litre boot should suffice for most families. The new Leaf might be fun to fling around a back road, but this car is quiet, calm and comfortable, and shines while cruising on the motorway.

Especially with its range of up to 386 miles, which is enough to get from Cambridge to Edinburgh on a single charge. For context, the previous Leaf offered 239 miles of range at most, while the original was good for just 109 miles. The new model can not only travel almost four times farther, it can charge three times faster, with a 10 to 80 per cent top-up taking a little over half an hour. 

Thanks to the Government’s £3,750 Electric Car Grant, prices start from just £28,849, undercutting numerous key rivals. The entry-level version does feature a smaller, 52kWh battery, but it still provides 280 miles of range, and comes with plenty of standard kit. 

Capping off one of the biggest success stories in EV history so far, the new Nissan Leaf was designed, engineered and is manufactured right here in Britain. 

2. BMW iX3

Groundbreaking BMW iX3 marks a bold start to brand’s bright future