These are the 10 cheapest electric cars

E-Mobility These are the Ten Cheapest Electric Cars

2026-08-25 Updated on 2026-08-25 From Sven Prawitz | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

Electric cars still cost more money than comparable vehicles with combustion engines. Nevertheless, there is now a good range of BEVs under 30,000 euros (approx. $35,004). We present the top 10.

The range of electric cars has grown significantly compared to 2024. At the same time, prices have dropped sharply.(Image: Hyundai) — The range of electric cars has grown significantly compared to 2024. At the same time, prices have dropped sharply.
(Image: Hyundai)

Good news for car buyers: The range of compact and small electric cars has grown significantly over the past two years. While there were only 15 models with a base price under 30,000 euros in January 2026, there are now over 20. With the current government subsidies, they become even more affordable. Some manufacturers still offer a voluntary discount in addition to the federal purchase bonus.

Nevertheless, there are only three electric cars in Germany below the 20,000-euro (approx. $23,336) mark. For comparison, the Dacia Sandero is the cheapest car in this country at just over 13,000 euros (approx. $15,168).

The Audi A6 E-tron impresses ... but also comes at a high cost. Our test car is priced at nearly 100,000 euros. (Image:Sven Prawitz/Vogel Communications Group)

Prices of Electric Cars and Combustion Engines

The price gap between electric cars and comparable combustion vehicles has narrowed, according to a study by Ferdinand Dudenhöffer. He now sees a gap of just under 1,600 euros (approx. $1,867) between the average prices of the top 20 combustion vehicles and the top 20 BEVs. Just over a year ago, in September 2024, this gap was more than 7,500 euros (approx. $8,751). While the earlier figure is based on a slightly different vehicle mix, the direction in which prices have recently developed is clear.

Dudenhöffer's comparison does not use the manufacturers' official list prices but the actual transaction prices. While Dudenhöffer identified an average discount of 12.9 percent in his sample in September 2024, it was 19 percent last October. Among others, Seat, BMW, Opel, Kia, and the Chinese manufacturer BYD offered substantial discounts.

Average Electric Car Price: Over 40,000 Euros

According to a recent study by the consulting firm Deloitte, electric cars cost an average of around 42,000 euros (approx. $49,006). However, the gap is narrowing: While the price premium was over 50 percent in 2018, it is around 15 to 20 percent in Europe at the turn of the year 2025 to 2026.

Comparing specific models illustrates the progress: A Volkswagen ID 3 is now approximately 13 percent more expensive than a comparable Golf. With the new purchase bonus, this premium can at least be partially offset for buyers.

The Ten Cheapest Electric Cars in Germany

These are currently the ten cheapest electric cars:

Gallery

3rd place: The Renault Twingo is one of the newer electric cars on the German market. The entry price is 19,990 euros.(Image: Renault)

8th place: Hyundai achieved a notable success with the Inster model. Nevertheless, the manufacturer recently raised the base price from 23,900 euros to 24,650 euros. The model thus loses two places.(Image: Hyundai)

6th place: Fiat has reduced the entry price for the Grande Panda to 22,490 euros. This allowed the model to overtake the Inster and Dolphin Surf.(Image: Fiat)

2nd place: The Leapmotor T03 is a newcomer to the German market. It is currently offered starting at 18,900 euros.(Image: Leapmotor)

Gallery with 10 images

Note: All prices are list prices without subsidies, as of August 2026. Actual costs may vary due to dealer discounts. Different standard equipment is not taken into account.

These Models Narrowly Missed the Top 10

VW ID Polo, 24,995 euros (approx. $29,164)
Skoda Epiq, 25,900 euros (approx. $30,220)
Cupra Raval, 25,950 euros (approx. $30,278)
Renault R5, 26,290 euros (approx. $30,675)

The Best-Selling Electric Cars

The registration statistics of the Federal Motor Transport Authority show the most successful electric models of 2025.

VW ID 7 (34,563 units)
VW ID 3 (31,938)
VW ID 4/5 (26,550)
Skoda Elroq (25,426)
Skoda Enyaq (25,383)
BMW X1 (18,957)
Cupra Born (18,847)
Mini (15,495)
Cupra Tavascan (14,036)
Audi A6 (13,778)

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Date: 08.12.2025

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