The only expensive liquid I buy at gas stations anymore is Diet Coke.
With gas prices high and unlikely to fall as quickly as they shot upward after the start of the war in Iran, Americans in the market for a new car are giving electric vehicles a second look.
Allow me to offer some suggestions. Inspired by Nigel Tufnel, my list goes to 11. But know this: The best E.V. experience happens only when charging where you sleep. Home juicing is the killer app — more convenient and cheaper than commercial charging.
First, a little secret from automotive journalists: Even if you ignore the significant fuel savings possible with electrics, E.V.s still rule. You might enjoy oil changes, transmission fluid swaps and brake jobs, but only if you have a crush on the service adviser. The rest of us hate the hassle and the expense. E.V.s generally eliminate that maintenance. And smelly hands from the gas pump are hardly Chanel No. 5.
So, to walk the car-writer talk, I bought a certified pre-owned 2021 Porsche Taycan 4S. The original $164,000 sticker price had plummeted to $74,000 after its three-year lease.
And that brings me to my best recommendations: Scour for bargains among used cars, and don’t feel obligated to hunt down a specific model. There are good cars to find here, at good prices. E.V. resale values tend to be low, and the industry is bracing for “the great E.V. lease return.”
Exploiting a loophole in a federal tax credit that extended a $7,500 incentive to nearly all leased electrics, dealerships pushed them. Hard. Now, hundreds of thousands of these two- and three-year contracts are coming to a close. That lump in the python moving through the system defines Business 101: High supply means lower pricing.
Bought secondhand, mainstream E.V.s are becoming the gateway to affordable transportation. Premium brands — Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes and Volvo — become obtainable. There’s less maintenance mystery without an engine or a transmission. By federal law, batteries have warranties running at least eight years or 100,000 miles. And batteries are lasting far longer than expected.
For budget transportation with the new-car smell, shop the next-generation Chevrolet Bolt or Nissan Leaf. These both start at around $30,000. The 2027 Bolt (with 259 miles of E.P.A.-rated range) reuses the steel panels of the EUV version discontinued in 2023, but gets an all-new drivetrain and more functional interior. My dings on the Chevy are that the cabin is lower-rent than the Nissan and that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are M.I.A.
The 2026 Leaf (259 to 303 miles) is such an improvement over prior models it should wear a new name. Seats are noticeably supportive, and options include an electrochromic dimming panoramic glass roof. I’d like to needle Nissan to use more hard buttons in the Leaf, and the comfy ride evaporates on rough pavement. Both the Bolt and the Leaf use the NACS charge port (go ahead, call it a Tesla plug) and improve their sluggish 50-kilowatt max charge rate in earlier models to 150 kilowatts.
In the hypercompetitive mainstream class that includes Ford’s Mustang Mach-E, Kia’s EV6, Subaru’s Solterra and Trailseeker, Tesla’s Model Y and 3, Toyota’s bZ and bZ Woodland and Volkswagen’s ID.4, my gut goes with Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 and Chevy’s Equinox EV. Both start at around $37,000 and additional manufacture’s incentives are springing up to drop prices significantly. The Hyundai, with crisp design and lickety-split charging, has multiple personalities. The standard IONIQ 5 can travel up to 318 miles. The XRT version adds off-road chops. The N is a track-ready grin generator. Cargo capacity can be miserly, and the N’s power and sticky tires obliterate range to 221 miles.
The Equinox EV lacks rugged or sporty trims. Its superpower is normalcy. Attractive, roomy and affordable, it doesn’t try to outsmart its owner. There’s a concept. The car is as mainstream as E.V.s get. Even with all-wheel drive, it travels as far as 319 miles. No CarPlay or Android Auto, though. And its max DC fast charge rate is just average at 150 kilowatts.
For mainstream three-row family duty, Kia’s EV9 (305 mile top range) and Hyundai’s IONIQ 9 (335 miles) stand alone in this oddly neglected segment. Both ride on the fast-charging E-GMP architecture with rear- and all-wheel-drive power but look nothing alike. The EV9 designers had origami on their minds. Inside and out, it’s the sci-fi version of the brand’s Telluride. Hyundai stylists must have vacationed in Sweden — the rear light signature gives off Volvo vibes, and the passenger space leans into luxury. Both roomy machines seat up to seven (but usually six) and can be had in basic trims — good for children grinding Goldfish crackers into the carpet — or luxe versions with reclining and massaging driver’s chairs (for contemplating why you had kids in the first place). Hard to find much wrong with either vehicle, other than the price. The Kia starts at $56,400 for an EV9 Light RWD, while Hyundai’s top-tier IONIQ 9 can hit $79,000. Haggle hard.
Performance thrills? Try Hyundai’s IONIQ 5N or Porsche’s Macan Electric. The 5N, beginning at $67,800, is a natural on the track. Simulated transmission dynamics and performance tones might seem gimmicky, but not after spending 10 minutes with them. Too bad range drops to 221 miles and the cabin is spartan.
The Porsche? Darned if it doesn’t look like one and, most important, drive like one. The hairs on the back of your neck will say thanks after every trip. Maybe they can console your wallet: Nothing out of Stuttgart is inexpensive, and the price spiral begins at about $82,500 with 309 miles of travel. Both the Hyundai and Porsche charge rapidly, perform stealthily and eliminate the need for premium fuel.
Even basic E.V.s have premium car refinement, so luxury E.V.s like the Lucid Air and the Cadillac Escalade IQ are impressive deprivation chambers, whisper-quiet. And for range, nothing tests bladders better than these two. The Lucid achieves its lofty 512-mile top range through sleek aerodynamics and sophisticated engineering. Its midcentury-modern sheet metal pairs well with Frank Lloyd Wright, the California casual cabin wears like a Louis Vuitton sweatshirt. Lucid stores are rare outside of big cities, though.
The Caddy delivers 460 miles in true American fashion: excess. Its 200-kilowatt-hour battery pack alone weighs more than a Toyota Corolla. At nearly five tons you’d expect the IQ to drive like the truck it is, yet its driving dynamic is graceful. Powered doors are the curtain call. But even the well-off may find the average $140,000 price tag too rich.
That’s 11. I’ll slide in the GMC Sierra EV Denali Max Range ($101,000/478 top range) as my pick for best electric pickup. The Denali shares its platform with the Escalade IQ, and its front storage, trick tailgate and foldable midgate that opens the cabin to the bed would make Optimus Prime proud. For a baker’s dozen, throw in the Rivian R1T pickup.
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