See all Motoring AdviceElectric car sales now make up nearly 15 per cent of total sales in Ireland and, even when you exclude the biggest attraction for buyers (lower running costs than combustion-powered equivalents) it’s not too difficult to see why the numbers have risen by more than 80 per cent since 2021 - and a whopping 357 per cent since 2019.
The number of electric models for sale in nearly every segment has grown massively, with buyers now having more choice than ever before, no matter what their requirements. Although the market in Ireland is still a little lacking when it comes to large electric SUVs and sports cars, in most other segments, buyers will find electric models that are attractive, practical and nice to drive.
Here are some of the best.
Price from: €25,995
For the electric 500, Fiat hasn’t messed with a winning formula — it’s still impossibly stylish and cute — but it’s now arguably an even better city car with more interior space than before, plenty of tech and zero tailpipe emissions.
The 500 is far from one of the cheapest city cars on the market, but the €25,995 starting price for the 500 with the 24kWh battery pack does make it the cheapest new electric car in Ireland at the time of writing. That said, buyers might find the 190km range of the 24kWh model a little limiting, so if that seems like it’ll cause headaches, there’s a 42kWh model with a much more substantial 320km of range, but a more substantial £29,995 price tag too.
Price from: €28,730
The Peugeot 208 is possibly the best-looking supermini on the market and, happily, there’s an electric version too. The E-208 features the same hi-tech interior as the combustion-engined model - which takes a little getting used to but is fine in practice - and it all feels well screwed together.
There’s a 50kWh battery pack sending power to a 136hp electric motor, endowing the E-208 with a healthy 340km of range. That range plus fast charging at up to 100kW makes the Peugeot a fairly practical proposition for occasional longer journeys, though carrying an extra 400kg over the petrol model thanks to its underfloor battery does negatively impact the driving dynamics.
Price from: €27,495
For a while, the Nissan Leaf and the Volkswagen ID.3 had the Golf-sized electric hatchback segment mostly to themselves. The arrival of the MG4, however, is a bombshell, not just undercutting most of its direct rivals on price, but also plenty of smaller cars too. Price isn’t the MG4’s only selling-point either. It’s got more than enough on-board equipment for most people as well as striking a fine balance between enjoyable, sporty handling and a great degree of comfort and refinement.
Opening the Irish line-up is the standard-range 170hp Excite model with a 51kWh battery and 350km of range, and this might just be the one to go for. Above that and for an extra €3,500 is the 203hp long-range Excite with a 64kWh battery and a 450km range. The high-spec Exclusive model tops the line-up with the same powertrain specs as the long-range Excite.
Yes, the term has been over-used when describing the MG4, but “game-changer” is still apt.
Price from: €44,369
The Skoda Enyaq is competing in the most crowded part of the electric car market with rivals such as its own cousin (and Ireland’s best-selling EV) the Volkswagen ID.4, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Tesla Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach-E and plenty of others too. Despite the stiff competition, however, the Enyaq can still hold its own.
The Skoda is a handsome, practical car that feels like a well-made, premium product. The interior specification is generous and the cabin well laid-out, and while it weighs just over two tonnes it drives impressively well.
Starting the range is the iV 60 model with its 58kWh battery, 180hp and 397km WLTP range. The rest of the line-up features a bigger 77kWh battery delivering, in some instances, up to 544km of range and, in the dual-motor iV 80 4x4 model, a strong 265hp.
Price from: €85,295
The EQE is Mercedes’ smaller equivalent to the EQS and the electric equivalent of its E-Class. Starting from more than €85,295, it’s a lot more expensive than the E-Class, though its smooth cab-forward styling (all in the name of aerodynamics and efficiency) make it look unlike anything else on the road — a good or bad thing depending on your taste.
That aerodynamic shape is one of the big reasons (along with a 90kWh battery) that the EQE 350+ can claim an enormous official range figure of 637km, and actually lower-spec models are the sweet-spot in the EQE range. Upping the spec with the addition of the dashboard-spanning Hyperscreen, all-wheel drive and more power pushes the EQE well into six-figure territory, but it’s not really worth it. The lower-spec models are hardly bargain-basement and, in less expensive guises, the EQE is still a hugely efficient and refined car with more equipment than anyone could ever really want.