Elon Musk is never far from a headline these days, from his recent inflammatory posts about the far-right riots in the UK to his endorsement of Donald Trump for president. But his increasingly toxic rhetoric is having a knock-on effect: some Tesla owners are starting to rethink whether they should own his electric cars any more. Sales fell in July for the second straight quarter.
It’s a shame, because Tesla makes great electric cars. I’d rate the latest Model 3 as one of the best around. It drives nicely, is built well (a previous Tesla foible), is efficient and Tesla sells it at a price that makes other EV makers do a cartoon double-take. But if you’re committed to electric cars, and Musk is turning you off Tesla, there are plenty of other good options. Established carmakers and newcomers have caught up with and, in many cases, overtaken Tesla with their electric offerings. Here are the 10 best non-Tesla EVs you can buy now; I’ve driven them all except the Renault 5, which is expected to arrive in the UK in the first quarter of 2025.
Best affordable EV
Dacia Spring
From £14,995
Claimed range up to 140 miles
Battery size 26.8kWh
Lease A 48-month lease starts from about £152 a month, with an initial fee of about £1,370; try selectcarleasing.co.uk for a sample lease, or offers.dacia.co.uk. However, with leasing it always pays to shop around as prices do vary. See our FAQ below for more information.
Read more: TheGuardian