The electric e-up!, Mii electric and Citigo e iV

The three electric cars

The electric versions share the same body as the petrol cars, with a motor driving the front wheels and the battery under the floor, so you keep the boot and the back seats.

• Volkswagen e-up! came first, in 2013, with a small battery. It was updated with a much bigger battery for 2020 and stayed on sale for several more years.
• SEAT Mii electric and Škoda Citigo e iV arrived in 2019 and 2020 with the bigger battery from the start, and replaced the petrol versions of those cars.

All three are quick away from the lights, almost silent, and easy to drive: there’s no gearbox to think about, and lifting off the accelerator slows the car and puts some energy back into the battery.

Battery and range

This is the most important thing to get right when buying one, because the two battery sizes give very different cars.

Real-world range depends a lot on the weather and the kind of driving. Cold winters and fast motorway driving bring it down; gentle town driving in summer pushes it up. Official figures are optimistic, so plan around the lower end, especially in winter.

The early 18.7 kWh e-up! can still be a great, cheap town car if your daily driving is short and predictable. For anything else, look for the bigger battery.

Charging

• At home is where these cars make sense. A home wallbox charges overnight, and a normal three-pin plug works too, just slowly.
• Public AC chargers (Type 2) are useful at work, in car parks and at supermarkets.
• Rapid charging uses a CCS connector, which many of these cars have but not all. Check before you buy if you plan to do longer trips. Rapid charging speeds are modest by modern standards, so a long journey needs a bit more patience than in a newer EV.

Buying a used one

Everything in our buying guide applies, minus the engine and clutch checks. On top of that:

• Battery health. Ask for a battery health report if the seller or a dealer can provide one. Otherwise charge it to full and see what range the car predicts, bearing in mind the weather and how it was last driven.
• Battery warranty. Volkswagen Group batteries usually came with a warranty much longer than the car’s, often eight years with a mileage limit. Check what’s left on the specific car.
• Charging port and flap. Make sure the car charges, on AC and on CCS rapid charging if it has it.
• Tyres. Electric cars are heavier and their instant torque wears tyres a bit faster, so check the tread.

Running costs

Charged at home, especially on an off-peak electricity tariff, these cars cost very little per mile. Public rapid charging costs a lot more and can approach petrol prices, so they’re cheapest for people who can mostly charge at home.

Servicing is simpler than on a petrol car, with no oil changes, though brake fluid, cabin filters, tyres and suspension still need looking after. Electric cars have paid road tax since April 2025.