The Cheapest Electric Car Of 2022? Just a few years ago, affordable electric vehicles were very few. Now, there are plenty of options under the $ 30,000 mark.
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Today, electric cars are more affordable than ever. From the Hyundai Kona EV to the Mini Cooper SE, it is now possible to get an EV at an affordable price that is truly attractive.
Considering the federal tax credit, many electric vehicles can go well under the $ 30,000 mark. If you also apply for the corresponding state credits, the prices will drop even more. For example, if you live in Colorado, you could buy a new Mini Cooper SE for just $ 17,400. Although you would still have to pay registration taxes and destination fees, there is no doubt that these credits make EVs more affordable.
What’s The Cheapest Electric Car Available?
2022 Nissan Leaf: $27,400, New for the model year 2022 came at a pretty significant price reduction. While this is likely partly due to the upcoming Ariya crossover, the Leaf is still a decent electric car overall. The base 40kWh Nissan Leaf is EPA rated at 150 miles and has a 147 horsepower engine, producing a zero to sixty time in the mid-range of 7 seconds. These specs aren’t too remarkable, but the value isn’t bad at all for the price of just $ 27,400. Its only drawback is its battery, which is not liquid-cooled; however, the refreshed 2018+ models do not look as degraded as the previous ones.
- Price: $27,400
- Price after $7,500 tax credit: $19,900
- Range: 150 miles
While the Nissan Leaf appears to be the best option today, there is no question that other affordable EVs will come in the future. Some future options include vehicles like the Aptera at $ 25,900, the Electra Meccanica SOLO at $ 18,500, and the Kandi K27 at $ 15,499. However, the SOLO and Aptera have three wheels, and the Kandi K27 is not even classified as a proper electric car, but rather as a NEV (neighborhood electric vehicle). The Aptera seems to be the most compelling, but with all the new ventures, we’ll have to wait and see what is delivered.
How Much Is The Cheapest Electric Crossover?
Despite pricey options like the Model Y, there are still some good affordable options in the electric crossover segment. Crossovers are taking place quickly in the electric vehicle industry. The Tesla Model Y is the most popular, but its $ 58,990 label is likely to scare off potential buyers. Even options like the Mach-e are still pretty expensive, but there are some affordable electric crossovers tucked away from the increasingly packed crowd.
The two cheapest electric crossovers are the Mazda MX-30 and the Hyundai Kona Electric. The MX-30 is $ 33,470 and the Kona Electric is $ 34,000, but there is a stipulation with both: They are only available in select states. The Kona Electric is sold in 11 states, but the MX-30 just arrived in California. So while these are technically the cheapest electric crossovers, we’ll rule them out on this list because they’re not available across the board.
The Cheapest Electric Crossover Available Countrywide?
The current least expensive electric crossover is the 2022 Kia Niro EV. It starts at $ 39,990, which means you can have it for just $ 32,490 with the federal tax credit. The Niro EV shares its platform with the Kona EV and since it’s slightly larger, its range is slightly shorter with an EPA rating of 239 miles. That said, it shares its platform with the hybrid Niro, so it’s not exactly built from scratch. However, Kia implemented some impressive features like a Harmon Kardon audio system and adaptive cruise control as standard on the base trim.
- $39,990
- 239 miles
- 201 horsepower
However, if you’re looking for an EV that’s not built on an ICE platform, there’s also the ID.4 and the Ioniq 5. However, like the Kona Electric, the Ioniq 5 won’t be available in all states until late. of this year. So the cheapest current EV built from scratch is the Volkswagen ID.4. The ID.4, unlike the Niro EV, is a bit sportier with an RWD setup and decent overall driving dynamics. It’s a good option, and with 125kW fast charging and three years of Electrify America charging as standard, it will be a great option for transitioning to the world of electric vehicles. It costs $ 40,760 in its base version, which is just $ 33,260 with the federal tax credit.
- $40,760
- 260 miles
- 200 horsepower
Plans For The Future
The market for electric crossovers is likely to proliferate even more in the coming years. Some key options arriving later this year at the lower end of the price spectrum appear to be options like the Toyota bZ4X, Subaru Solterra, and Ioniq 5, once it reaches full availability nationwide. For now, though, you have several great options, and it’s only a matter of time before there are a lot of EVs in this segment.
How Much Is The Cheapest Tesla Car?
With many automakers able to slash Tesla prices, how does Tesla hold up today? Throughout 2021, Tesla has changed its pricing design countless times. From dropping the price of the Cybertruck entirely to raising the base price of the Model Y Dual Motor by $ 10,000, it’s clear that times are certainly changing for Tesla‘s pricing schemes.
The days when you could order a Model 3 Standard Range with downgraded software for $ 35,000 are now a distant reality. But how much do the cheapest Teslas cost today?
What Are My Options?
To be perfectly frank, if you want a Tesla for less than $ 50,000, the only option you have is the rear-wheel-drive Model 3. The base Model Y (dual engine) now starts at $ 58,990, a far cry from the standard Model Y range of $ 39,990 available earlier this year.
What’s The Model 3 RWD Like?
2022 Rear-Drive Tesla Model 3: $ 44,990, The rear-drive Model 3 is currently the least expensive Tesla model on sale. Unlike the Standard Range Plus available earlier this year, Tesla made some updates (and downgrades) to the rear-wheel-drive variant. The first and most prominent change is its range. The Model 3 RWD has an EPA-estimated range of 272 miles, an increase of 10 miles over the Standard Plus’s 262 miles. For the downsides, the RWD trim is actually half a second slower from zero to sixty than the outgoing variant. This slower time is likely attributed to Tesla’s use of the heavier LFP batteries in the RWD model.
- Range: 272 miles
- Drivetrain: RWD
- Acceleration: 0-60 in 5.8 seconds
Plans For The Future
While Tesla previously offered a $39,900 rear-wheel drive Cybertruck, the odds of it materializing look relatively low as of now. Removing Tesla from his price probably sealed his (unlived) fate, but it’s Tesla we’re dealing with, so who knows!
But, there is another Tesla in talks: the “$25,000” city car. Very little is known about it, other than an image posted for a Gigafactory Shanghai event. Time will tell if it will reach its relatively low price, but very little is known to predict its future.
202X Tesla hatchback: $25,000
This next Tesla vehicle is rumored to take the form of a compact hatchback, probably with four doors. It seems to go head-to-head with the Chevrolet Bolt and a variety of European hatchbacks like the ID.3. Since it’s a Tesla, expect a rear-engine setup and enough power to hit sixty in under six seconds or so.
- Range: 250+ miles
- Drivetrain: RWD
- Acceleration: 0-60 in <6.0 seconds
For now, the odds of getting a cheap Tesla anytime soon seem incredibly unlikely. Now that the most affordable option costs $ 44,990, do you think the Model 3 RWD is worth it? Let us know in the comments below.
