The 5 worst electric cars to avoid
August 20, 2024 by Jamie Edkins
There are loads of brilliant EVs on the market right now if you’re looking to get into zero-emission motoring, however this hasn’t always been the case.
Some early electric car offerings were absolute stinkers, whether that be due to poor range, shocking build quality or a lacklustre driving experience. With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of the five worst electric cars.
5 worst electric cars
1. Reva G-Wiz (2001-2011)
The G-Whizz wasn’t technically a car – it was classed as a quadricycle. This meant it didn’t have to comply with the same safety standards as a car, and the flimsy build quality didn’t inspire much confidence that it would hold up well in an accident.
Six lead acid batteries under the seat gave it a range of up to 50 miles, and it would do 50mph given enough room – not that you’d want to go that fast. It wasn’t much of a looker either.
The small electric quadricycle has made something of a resurgence thanks to the Citroen Ami, a vehicle which has the same 50 miles of range as the G-Whizz. For nipping around town it does make sense, and at least the Ami has cutesy styling and a more spacious interior going for it.
2. Mitsubishi i-MiEV (2009-2014)
The Mitsubishi i-MiEV was one of the first electric cars to sell in big numbers here in the UK- along with the mechanically-identical Citroen C Zero and Peugeot iOn – but with a claimed range of 92 miles this is an EV which is best kept within the confines of the city. Venturing onto the motorway would result in sweaty palms as you crawl to the next charger.
Keep it in the urban jungle and it’s actually an alright runaround. The narrow body makes it easy to slot into tight parking spaces and it’s quite spacious as well. The main gripe is the questionable styling, which drastically limits the i-MiEV’s appeal. It wasn’t much good through the bends either, with an alarming sense that it could topple over at any moment.
The original Nissan Leaf can also be had for similar money, and while this may have a similarly small range it’s better to drive and more practical than the Mitsubishi.
3. Renault Fluence Z.E (2012-2014)
Quirky French four door saloons tend to have a pretty niche following in the UK, and the Renault Fluence didn’t prove too popular when it went on sale in 2012 – which was a shame because it showed a lot of promise.
It was pretty spacious, was comfortable to drive and it undercut the Nissan Leaf of the time by several thousand pounds. The issue was the 125 miles of claimed range, which fell to well below 100 miles in anything other than perfect conditions.
This meant the Fluence didn’t have a very broad appeal. It wasn’t an ideal car for zipping around the city thanks to its size, but motorway cruising made such a huge dent in the range it was almost completely useless.
4. Smart EQ ForFour (2017-2021)
Looking for an electric car with a tiny boot, limited range and a bumpy ride? Look no further than the Smart EQ ForFour.
This car’s tiny dimensions made it great for nipping around town, however it was also quite expensive for what it was. It cost around the same as an MG 4 when it was on sale, a car which is just a lot better in almost every measurable way.
Thankfully Smart has now got its act together with the #1 electric SUV. It’s packing all the latest tech, it looks a lot less awkward than the FourFour and it’s a lot more usable thanks to a bigger interior and much larger range.
5. Mercedes B250e Electric Drive (2014-2017)
The Mercedes B250e has all the makings of a great family electric car. It was based on the normal B-Class, which was spacious and comfortable, had a premium badge on the nose and it was co-developed with Tesla. What could go wrong?
Well there was nothing wrong with the way it drove, it was the sub-90-mile range which put a lot of buyers off. This was the issue with a lot of electric cars in the early days, a low range combined with a charging network which wasn’t as far reaching as today’s made EVs a hard sell.
As a result there are very few Mercedes B250es knocking about on the second hand market – a quick search yielded just 15 examples at the time of writing – but they’re actually pretty good value for money if you just want an urban runaround for ferrying the kids to school.
Worst electric cars FAQs
What is the worst electric car?
The Reva G-Wiz is a vehicle which is really hard to recommend. It was badly built, uncomfortable, cramped and would only do 50 miles or so on a charge. As an urban runaround it may make some sense, but then again you’re probably better off with an electric bicycle.
Why are Teslas considered the worst electric cars?
Teslas are actually very good electric cars. They’re comfortable, quick, packed with tech and practical as well. The negative press mostly comes from social media, with some buyers complaining of build quality issues and software glitches.
Something worth bearing in mind is Elon Musk’s massive social media presence. With Tesla being run by such a prominent figure there’s bound to be a lot more online chatter around these cars than you’ll get with other brands. So it may just be a case of the minority shouting the loudest and giving the brand an unfair reputation.
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