Best Affordable Electric Cars

No worries if you don’t have the patience to wait for a Tesla, or the bank account to afford a $1 Million-plus Pinnanfarina Battista supercar.

Because there are plenty of affordable new EV models ready to be plugged into your lifestyle.

Here are the best new affordable electric cars including some arriving at dealerships now, others in 2020, and one which you can order only online.

Prices start at under $40,000, less if you qualify for federal and local tax incentives. All get the equivalent of 100 miles per gallon, more or less, which saves even more money, and all are packed with safety features.

Nissan Leaf

The world’s best selling EV recently became the first electric car in history to surpass 400,000 sales worldwide. That’s impressive, although the best selling hybrid on the planet, the Toyota Prius, has sold three times as many vehicles, but it’s also been around for twice as long as the Leaf.

Nissan has just introduced the Leaf e+ Plus, with a 62 kWh battery pack and an EPA-estimated estended range of up to 226 miles between charges, compared with 150 miles for the “regular” Leaf, and more horsepower, for faster acceleration and passing.

There’s also a package of safety features.

I love the new standard Rear Door Alert, to remind you that something may have been forgotten in the rear seat.  Such as your sleeping toddler.

Also standard is a new 100kW quick charging system, so you can recharge more efficiently.

Arriving at dealers in Spring 2019.  Prices start at $36,550.

Hyundai Kona Electric

This crossover is getting high marks for its looks, driving dynamics, comfort and price.

And its range – an estimated 258 miles between charges,  which is more than the “regular” Leaf, Chevy Bolt, or VW eGolf. Like the Leaf, Kona’s charging port is located on the front grille area for head-in parking ease whenever charging is needed.

Kona EV offers 201 horsepower, and delivers an EPA-estimated 132 MPGe city, 108 highway and 120 combined.the  Such popular safety features as lane keeping assist, driver attention warning and blind-spot collision warning are available in models above the base model.

Kona EV models start at $36,450.

Hyundai also is marketing an EV version of the Niro crossover, with a between-charges range of 239 miles and a starting price of $37,500.

Audi e-tron SUV

Audi e-tron SUV is the brand’s first full electric production model, now available for order and arriving in showrooms mid-2019.

It is a performance-oriented spacious mid-size five-seater, with a full complement of both technology and comfort.

The e-tron includes an innovative battery design engineered for repeatable performance and longevity with safety in mind, accompanied by advanced infotainment and driver assistance systems.

The two electric motors accelerate the e-tron from 0-60 mph in 5.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 124 mph. The advantage of the electric motor is felt especially in its impressive off-the-line starting performance from a standstill. The maximum drive torque is reached in 250 milliseconds – a performance worthy of a sports car.

Audi also is offering customers the convenience of exclusive home charging installation through Amazon Home Services and complimentary 1000 kWh of charge powered by Electrify America.

Polestar

This the name of Volvo’s new electric vehicle division, now marketing the Polestar 2, a mid-size sedan designed to go nose-to-nose against the Tesla Model 3.It’s being marketed as a premium five-door fastback, built on Volvo’s proven modular architecture platform, also used for the company’s gas-powered vehicles.

The EV has an expected range of 350 miles between charges (500km), and comes with Brembo brakes, unique 20-inch forged wheels, Polestar’s signature gold seatbelts, and a revolutionary infotainment system.

There’s also an all-wheel-drive option.It’s one of the first cars in the world to have an embedded system powered by Android, which integrates such services as Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play Store.

Polestar 2 goes into production early in 2020 in China for global markets, including North America.Originally, pricing was to start at $45,500, in the same ballpark as the Tesla 3, starting at $42,900.But, recent US tariffs on foreign cars have pushed the price to $63,000, which won’t help sales, even with $7,500 federal tax incentives.

Don’t look for it in Volvo showrooms, though, because Polestar 2 can be ordered only online.Configure yours here, in colors with inventive names such as Moon (white), Thunder (grey) and Midnight (black)Polestar 2 also will be part of Volvo’s subscription plan, which lets you rotate vehicle models.

VolkswagenVW will produce its planned CROZZ electric crossover, BUZZ minivan and other models in Chattanooga, where it is investing an additional $800 million in the plant and adding 1,000 new jobs at the factory, which currently produces the Passat sedan and mid-size Atlas SUV.

The CROZZ has sliding doors, like a minivan, but the compact style of a crossover.I love this factory because it is the first LEED certified auto factory in the world, and gets much of its production line power from a solar farm VW built shortly after the factory opened in 2011.

I love that eco-friendly green cars are produced in an eco-friendly green factory, don’t you?The CROZZ will be produced starting in 2020, and hopefully the BUZZ, which is the EV version of the beloved VW Microbus, like the one I drove across North Africa many years ago.

I’m hoping VW changes the names before these vehicles, now considered concepts, come to market, because – in my opnion – they are ridiculous names.