A recent 2022 report from Zutobi ranked the 20 most affordable electric vehicles to run in the world based on a number of factors. This includes considerations such as battery size, cost of charging, and miles traveled per given dollar amount. You’re here takes the top spot this year, but there are plenty of other viable options currently available to consumers.
Tracking the most affordable electric vehicles to use
As the electric vehicle market continues to make its voice heard in the global global marketplace, more and more consumers are being exposed to the impending paradigm shift and are beginning to ask real questions about actually owning an electric vehicle. Welcome to the green side my friends, we’re glad you’re here.
In the past we have described some of the the most expensive EVs on the marketas well as some of the most affordable (a 2022 revamp is long overdue, bear with us). That being said, these numbers are based on MSRPs. Still vitally important to you consumers as this is a huge purchase, but what next? Not all electric vehicles are created equal.
Terms such as kWh (kilowatt-hours) and TCO (total cost of ownership) take over after the initial purchase of an electric vehicle, as you learn when and where to charge your electric vehicle at the best price, the range of which you need on average and how much range your battery will actually give you depending on your EV battery capacity (remember kWh?) and your driving habits.
As part of its 2022 EV Miles report, Zutobi compiled the 20 most affordable electric vehicles based on a combination of these factors rather than MSRP. Luckily for our EU readers, some of the EVs on this list are exclusive to your territory, so anyone can play!
Below are the results based on criteria collected by Zutobi below. Just for fun, we’ve also included the starting MSRPs of all 20 EVs listed, so you have an extra lens to analyze and compare. Let’s dig!
Methodology
To gather his data, Zutobi took its 2021 EV Miles report and updated with the most recent data. Price data was taken from the US Energy Information Administration and data for actual range and usable battery capacity was taken from Electric vehicle database.
While the top 20 will certainly give you a detailed look at how some of the most affordable EVs in 2022 stack up side-by-side, we think the data could have been a bit more specific on the exact models that were chosen. in the study.
Still, you’ll definitely be able to determine which EVs offer the most battery capacity (which usually equates to better range) as well as the lowest charging cost. Finally, there’s a clear column outlining how far each EV will get you on $100 miles of that precious EV juice (that’s power for you newbs out there).
Top 20 most affordable electric vehicles that will work in 2022
Alright, we’ve shared some background on the study and cited sources, so let’s break down the results. It should not be surprising that the Tesla Model 3 takes the crown is this study – it’s the best-selling electric vehicle of all time for a reason. That being said, there are other reasons that might turn you away from an all-new Model 3, despite its low running cost (scroll down a bit).
As if that wasn’t impressive enough, the Long Range and RWD versions of the Model 3 take on Gold and Silver respectively, and the Performance trim makes an appearance in the #16 slot. Rounding out the top three are finds the Hyundai IONIQ Electric which sadly saw its final model year in 2021. However, the new IONIQ 5 carries on the brand in its honor, and that’s one hell of an EV if you ask us.
The Nissan LEAF placed in the top ten at No. 7, but Zutobi did not specify which model it was. The LEAFs have been using 36kWh batteries regularly for years, so it’s not a big deal, but still. For the MSRP prices below, we’ve gone with the veteran EV’s most affordable 2022 model.
| Make/Model of EV | Usable Battery Capacity |
Real Vary |
Is. Load Cost |
Is. Cost per Mile |
Miles By $100 |
| Tesla Model 3 Long Range (Dual Motor) | 70kWh | 300km | $9.88 | $0.03 | 3,035 |
| Tesla Model 3 (RWD) | 57.5 kWh | 235km | $8.12 | $0.03 | 2,894 |
| Hyundai IONIQ Electric | 38.3kWh | 250km | $5.41 | $0.03 | 2,866 |
| Fiat 500e Saloon (24kWh) | 21.3kWh | 85km | $3.01 | $0.04 | 2,826 |
| Mini-electric | 28.9 kWh | 185km | $4.08 | $0.04 | 2,818 |
| Hyundai Kona electric (39kWh) | 39.2 kWh | 250km | $5.54 | $0.04 | 2,800 |
| Nissan Leaf | 36 kWh | 230km | $5.08 | $0.04 | 2,754 |
| Peugeot e-208 | 45kWh | 280km | $6.35 | $0.04 | 2,754 |
| Opel Corsa-e | 45kWh | 280km | $6.35 | $0.04 | 2,754 |
| Fiat 500e Saloon (42kWh) | 37.3 kWh | 235km | $5.27 | $0.04 | 2,753 |
| Volkswagen eUP! | 32.3kWh | 200km | $4.56 | $0.04 | 2,741 |
| Hyundai Kona electric (64kWh) | 64kWh | 245km | $9.04 | $0.04 | 2,711 |
| BMW i3 (120Ah) | 37.9 kWh | 235km | $5.35 | $0.04 | 2,710 |
| Fiat 500e Convertible | 37.3 kWh | 230km | $5.27 | $0.04 | 2,658 |
| Renault Zoe ZE50 R110 | 52kWh | 300km | $7.34 | $0.04 | 2,656 |
| Tesla Model 3 performance | 76kWh | 285km | $10.73 | $0.04 | 2,656 |
| Volkswagen ID.3 Pro | 58kWh | 215km | $8.19 | $0.04 | 2,625 |
| Volkswagen ID.3 Pro Performance | 58kWh | 215km | $8.19 | $0.04 | 2,625 |
| Kia e-Niro (39 kWh) | 39.2 kWh | 235km | $5.54 | $0.04 | 2,620 |
| BMW i3s (120Ah) | 37.9 kWh | 230km | $5.35 | $0.04 | 2,616 |
The same EVs, sorted by starting MSRP
Just for comparison, we thought you might want to see how each of these EVs ranks in terms of starting price. Above, we learned which EVs are the most affordable to own, but also see which are the most affordable based on their 2022 MSRPs.
From there, we hope you can compare the two listings and see which option might be better for you based on upfront cost, as well as additional operational costs.
Note: MSRP does not include taxes or destination charges or any federal or state tax credits. Some of the electric vehicles are only available in the EU market and prices have been rounded to the nearest hundred in USD.
The original study was also vague on some specific models, so we’ve used 2022 prices where possible. MSRPs of older models were collected from EV database.
| Make/Model of EV | Starting MSRP (USD) |
| Nissan Leaf | $27,400 |
| Volkswagen eUP! | $29,000* |
| Fiat 500e Saloon (24kWh) | $29,335* |
| MINI Electric | $29,900 |
| Hyundai IONIQ Electric | $33,245 |
| Opel Corsa-e | $33,900 |
| Hyundai Kona electric (64kWh) | $34,000 |
| Peugeot e-208 | $35,750* |
| Fiat 500e Saloon (42kWh) | $35,900* |
| Renault Zoe ZE50 R110 | $36,250* |
| Volkswagen ID.3 Performance | $39,000* |
| Fiat 500e Convertible | $39,380* |
| Hyundai Kona electric (39kWh) | $40,250* |
| Volkswagen ID.3 Pro | $40,300* |
| Kia e-Niro (39 kWh) | $43,200* |
| BMW i3s (120Ah) | $45,700 |
| BMW i3 (120Ah) | $47,650 |
| Tesla Model 3 RWD | $48,490 |
| Tesla Model 3 Long Range Dual Motor | $55,990 |
| Tesla Model 3 performance | $61,990 |
As you can see, the Tesla Model 3 can save you a lot of money in the long run when you charge and drive it, but you’ll pay a much higher upfront cost than most other EVs on this list. This may vary by country though, so be sure to check how your homeland compares.
That doesn’t mean it’s not worth it, it’s entirely up to you. I hope the two charts above can help you with your EV purchase, or at the very least get you thinking about the specific factors that go into an EV purchase, whether it’s the initial purchase or subsequent charging costs.
If you’re interested in more affordable (or not) electric vehicles coming in 2022, check out this list.
FTC: We use revenue-generating automatic affiliate links. Continued.
Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to podcast.
