[GalleryThumbnails]
This article was taken from the August 2014 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by <span class="s1">subscribing online.
We lived with each of the cars for a week, commuting into London via a mix of city roads and dual carriageways. Each car was run to the point where it had 8km showing on its predictive range, then recharged using a conventional three-pin plug socket. All prices are inclusive of the UK government rebate for electric vehicles.
The BMW i3 is made mainly from carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic, so it's 204kg lighter than the steel-bodied Leaf, and impressively quick. The sleekly modern interior balances functionality with a clean look -- in place of a traditional dashboard are two rectangular screens. BMW claims the i3 has a range of 190km, but in cold test conditions, it lasted just 64km. However, a range extender is available. £24,950
Battery: 22kWh lithium-ion
Power: 168bhp
Range: 190km
0-100kph: 7.2 secs
Max speed:150kph
7/10
The e-up! is based on Volkswagen's up! city car and the two have shared parts to save costs. It's the cheapest car we tested, but it feels like it. The motor resides under the bonnet, with the lithium-ion batteries hiding beneath the floor. Performance is adequate in terms of speed, but if you escape the city limits, the battery reserves plummet at an alarming rate. VW claims 150km range, but we struggled to better 65km in cold conditions. £19,270
Battery:18.7kWh lithium-ion
Power:81bhp
Range:150 kilometres
0-100kph:12.4 seconds
Max speed:129kph
5/10
This updated version of the Leaf is the most practical of our trio, capable of carrying five people plus luggage. The Leaf's dashboard is bursting with technology, but still manages to look a little plain. And although not as quick as the BMW, Nissan's car has plenty of mid-range punch, with an official range of 200km -- although we only got 90km. It might lack the cool of the i3, but the Leaf's "traditional" design makes it far more versatile. £21,490
Battery capacity: 24kWh lithium-ion
Power: 107bhp
Range: 200 kilometres
0-100kph: 11.5 seconds
Max speed: 145kph
6/10
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
