Video Summary
Findings from the electric car review are:The Renault 5, though a brilliant small electric car, costs almost £27,000; Dacia Spring and Leapmotor T03 are practically half the price. However, they are quite compromised with limited ranges and cheap-feeling interiors.
The reviewed BYD Dolphin Surf is bigger and better than these tiny EVs but cheaper than Renault 5 and Citroen eC3. It offers the Metallic paint as standard.
For short journeys, it's ok to drive such cars, but longer distances may require additional stops.
The Renault 5 is the winner of the drag race.
It is possible to fit four carry-on suitcases at once into the trunk of the Renault 5.
The 2024 Citroen eC3 features one 43.7-kilowatt-hour battery that gives up to a 199-mile range with two simple trim levels. Entry level is priced at £22,095.
The Renault 5 Comfort Range version is considered more expensive than eC3 and has a 52-kilowatt-hour battery and over 250 miles official range, which can be brilliant.
To create a fairer comparison with eC3, it's important to pick a mid-spec Techno version for comparison, priced at £24,995, which includes standard metallic green paint; an optional Black Roof is extra £400.
An Active Dolphin Surf version starts less than £19,000, but offers only 30-kilowatt hours of battery with a short, 137-mile range.
The top version has two 43.2-kilowatt batteries boosting 150 horsepower with an around-200 miles range.
The Comfort version is the fastest one of all small cars.
BYD Dolphin Surf delivers comfortably better range, with a metallic-paint version. The three are all covered with eight years of warranty for the battery. For general components, BYD warranty is six years vs three for Renault and Citroen.
As the average price after factoring in possible discounts the best small EVs cost around: The Citroen C3 - £22,545, The Renault 5 - £24,995 and BYD Dolphin - £23,950.
The interiors are evaluated better in Renault.
