Reviewing electric hatchbacks for range and value

Start with the range you will actually use

The range figure on the windscreen sticker comes from a laboratory test, not from a wet Tuesday on the A1. Treat the official number as an optimistic ceiling and work back from there. In mild weather, most drivers see roughly 15 to 20 per cent less than the quoted figure in mixed motoring. In January, with the heater on and the lights blazing, a 25 to 30 per cent shortfall is perfectly normal.

So a hatchback with a 52kWh usable battery and a claimed 250 miles might give you 190 to 200 miles in summer and 140 to 160 miles in the depths of winter. That is still plenty for most households, but only if you are honest about your weekly pattern. Before you shortlist anything, write down your typical day, your longest regular journey, and whether you can charge at home overnight.

• Usable capacity, not total capacity: ask for the usable figure, because that is what you can actually draw on.
• Efficiency in miles per kWh: around 3.5 to 4.0 in summer and 2.8 to 3.2 in winter is a realistic expectation for a small electric hatch.
• A heat pump, if offered: it can make a genuine difference to winter range on longer runs.
• Pre-conditioning: the ability to warm the cabin while still plugged in saves range on cold mornings.

Charging speed: the numbers that matter

Peak charging power is the headline that sells cars, but the charging curve is what you live with. A car that briefly touches 120kW and then settles at 50kW will take longer on a journey than one that holds 90kW for most of the session.

Ask two questions: how long does a 10 to 80 per cent charge take on a 100kW-plus rapid charger, and how long does it hold its peak? For most affordable hatchbacks, a 10 to 80 per cent stop in 30 to 35 minutes is a sensible benchmark. Anything under 30 minutes is genuinely good, and anything over 45 minutes will start to feel tedious on a long trip.

Home charging matters just as much, and it is where the real savings sit. Most UK homes are single-phase, so 7.4kW is the practical ceiling for a wallbox, which refills a 50kWh battery from empty in roughly seven to eight hours. A few cars offer 11kW three-phase charging, but unless your property has three-phase supply, you will not benefit. Check where the charge port sits and whether your cable will comfortably reach it on the driveway, especially if you park nose-in.

Boot space and the small print of practicality

Boot figures are quoted inconsistently. Some makers measure to the parcel shelf, others to the roof, and a few quote the seats-down figure in large print and the seats-up figure in a footnote. Compare like for like, and then go and look at the car with your own luggage.

• Seats-up litres: the number that matters for the weekly shop and the airport run.
• Underfloor storage: ideal for charging cables, which otherwise rattle around loose.
• A false floor: it gives you a flat load area when the rear seats fold, which is worth more than a slightly bigger headline figure.
• Rear space and ISOFIX access: take the child seat with you if you use one.
• Cabin storage: door bins, a decent glovebox and somewhere sensible for a phone and a flask.

If you carry bikes, tow a small trailer, or regularly fill the car to the roof, check the roof load limit and whether a tow bar is available. Not every electric hatch is approved for either.

Take a proper test drive

Twenty minutes around the block tells you almost nothing. Ask for an extended drive that includes a stretch of dual carriageway or motorway at 70mph, some rough urban tarmac, and a tight car park.

Pay attention to the driving position. The battery sits under the floor, which can raise the seat height and leave taller drivers feeling perched. Check you can get comfortable with the wheel and pedals, that the seat base supports your thighs, and that you can see clearly over the bonnet and through the rear window. Thick pillars and a letterbox rear screen are common complaints in this class.

Then test the controls. Try the different levels of regenerative braking and see whether one-pedal driving suits you or feels jerky. Attempt to change the cabin temperature while moving, using the screen as the maker intended, and decide whether you could live with it. Listen for wind and tyre noise at motorway speed, and check the ride over speed bumps and broken surfaces. A car that feels calm and quiet on a five-minute loop can become tiresome on a two-hour journey.

Value: what you will pay over three years

The purchase price is only the opening chapter. Depreciation is usually the largest single cost, so look at expected residual values rather than discounts alone. Servicing tends to be cheaper than for a petrol equivalent because there is no oil, no exhaust and far fewer moving parts, but tyres wear faster on a heavier car and often cost more to replace.

Energy is where electric motoring can win handsomely. Charging at home on an off-peak tariff might cost the equivalent of 2 to 3 pence per mile, while relying on public rapid chargers can push that towards 12 to 15 pence per mile. Insurance groups are often a step higher than for a comparable petrol hatch, so get a quote before you commit. Vehicle tax and company car treatment change with each Budget, so check the current rules for your circumstances rather than assuming last year's position still applies.

Questions to ask before you sign

• What is the usable battery capacity, and what warranty applies to it?
• What is the real 10 to 80 per cent rapid charging time, and how does it behave in cold weather?
• Does it have a heat pump, and is it standard or optional?
• What is the seats-up boot volume, and is there underfloor storage?
• What does a service cost, and how often is it due?
• Can I have an extended test drive, including a motorway stretch?

Do those six things and you will choose a car that fits your life rather than one that merely looked good on a spec sheet.