Fast EVs at a competitive price | Six of the best

Yes, we’ve been here before. But now that the volatility around new car sales is going nowhere and thousands of used electric cars are in the classifieds at outrageously low prices, who can blame us for returning to this topic? Those with fond memories may remember that there was an EQE last time, but this is no ordinary electric fastback from Mercedes. It’s a 53 AMG, which means over 600 horsepower and the usual array of upgrades. “As a piece of technology, it is damn impressive,” was the verdict of the PH in 2022. Perhaps not an AMG classic, but there is a lot to be said for so much speed, tranquility, calmness and comfort. Especially if it is half price: note: this EQE has the 21 inch ‘Y-spoke alloy wheels’; According to the configurator, they are currently only available as part of a £7,995 AMG Performance Package, which brings the price of a new example to £113,990 without any other options. This 2024 car costs £54,998 after just 3,000 kilometres. Still a lot of money, yes, but it won’t lose that much anymore. Enjoy the cruise home from Dundee…

There is a lot to like about the Eletre. The interior is beautifully appointed (it really is one of the nicest cabins money can buy), it’s obviously very fast (and charges very quickly too), it’s super refined and it looks like nothing else on the road. But it was always going to be a struggle to sell it as a Lotus; those who bought the old sports cars probably wouldn’t want a 2.5-ton EV, and those looking for a luxury SUV might be wary of the badge – because Lotus only made sports cars until the Eletre. Combine that buyer caution with mediocre efficiency and the Eletre hasn’t exactly been the roaring success it was cracked up to be – perhaps the new ‘super hybrid’ powertrain will help its cause. Until then, there are tens of thousands of discounts on virtually brand new cars, and then this one: the first Eletre we’ve seen for under £60,000. The specs are good, the condition is great and it is nothing but an eye-opener. It’s best not to think about what it could be worth in another three years…

Unfortunately, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N at half price does not yet exist. But as proof of how unfavorable the conditions are at the moment, here is a multi-award winning car, good enough to convince die-hard enthusiasts from a renowned manufacturer, at a significant discount. A brand new Ioniq 5N costs £66,000, and this thousand mile one costs £53,000 before any negotiation – that’s effectively a 20 per cent discount. And if a car like the Hyundai isn’t immune to the ravages of EV depreciation – one that’s primarily aimed at private, not fleet, buyers – and hasn’t been oversupplied (although it was arguably overpriced), then perhaps nothing is safe. For those who can put up with the less-than-stellar efficiency and range, it’s hard to think of a better battery-powered family car almost new for £50,000. It’s fast, huge, looks cool and is loads of fun to drive. That sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?

Good cars, the Audi e-tron GTs. Really very good cars. That’s to be expected really, considering they’re built on the same ‘J1’ architecture as the Taycan. And while Porsche made an electric car that was perhaps slightly sharper to drive (or at least steer), there wasn’t much in it, and the Audi was able to counter this with its considerable style. Even a few years after launch, when there’s a lot on the road and even when a facelift version is available, the original remains a sleek GT, handsome and cool in a way the Porsche isn’t. While the latest performance-spec cars can claim the best part of a thousand horsepower, no one will feel shortchanged with the original RS and its overboosted 646 horsepower. Especially at a lot less than half the price after 26,000 miles: this would have been a car worth at least £110,000 new, and now it’s on offer for £45,000.

You’d do well to have the BST in mind, Polestar’s limited edition, more driver-focused version of the 2. Only 40 came to Britain with an asking price of £68,990, fitted with bespoke Ohlins dampers, stiffer springs, forged wheels, a strut tower brace and model-specific Pirellis. With, in particular, exactly the same number of horsepower as any other 2 from the top segment. The BST overhaul was about improving the driving experience, and it did just that: the changes delivered a car that cornered sharper, drove more refined and generally gave more back to the enthusiastic driver. Up to and including endless fiddling with beautiful dampers. However, the BST was a tasteful set of tweaks rather than a total transformation, and therefore difficult to justify for all but the most dedicated Polestarists. Maybe why two of the 40 are on sale – both with over £30,000 off after less than 30,000 miles…

To be honest, the M60 isn’t the most attractive variant of BMW’s divisive electric SUV. The iX is all about effortless, soothing progress, isolated from the rest of the world and cocooned in a beautiful BMW interior. The strangeness of the outside no longer matters from the inside (thankfully). The M60, with its Hans Zimmer soundtrack and ability to blast to 60 mph in less than four seconds, didn’t have soothing progress as a USP. But if speed is more important than anything else, then there is little better. And you don’t have to drive it like an M car all the time, or whatever, but instead be content in a great interior with more than enough performance when you need it. The test car, which we called ‘awesomely fast, hugely luxurious and terrifyingly capable enough to propel it to flagship status’, was optioned from £121,495; this 2022 car sneaks in under £50,000…