DrivingElectric Awards 2024: the winners

Welcome to the 2024 DrivingElectric Awards. This is where we recognise the very best new electric cars and vans you can buy, not to mention the charging products that help you run them. Our expert judges have extensively tested every new EV on the market and a fair few that have yet to arrive in the UK, too. The DrivingElectric Awards honour those that stand out from the crowd and set the standard for rivals to match.

Electric-car ownership has exploded this past year; the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has revealed that an EV is now sold every minute here in the UK, while electric power now beats diesel and hybrid as the second-most popular fuel type for passenger vehicles after petrol.

As you’d expect, there’s a huge range of new EV models to choose from nowadays, ranging from sub-£25k superminis, all the way up to seven-seat luxury SUVs. That’s before we even get to the wide range of electric vans. With this in mind, we're here to help guide your electric vehicle buying decisions with our view on the best-of-the-best across our 2024 DrivingElectric Awards categories. 

Now, without further ado: here are the esteemed winners of the 2024 DrivingElectric Awards, culminating in our 2024 Car of the Year…

Best Value Electric Car 2024: BYD Dolphin

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The BYD Dolphin is our favourite small electric car and the winner of this year’s Best Value Electric Car award. With entry-level cars set to arrive in 2024 at a starting price of just over £26,000, the Dolphin sets a strong precedent for affordable electric motoring and has plenty of tricks up its sleeve, including a rotating touchscreen, a strong four-year warranty and a line-up of different power outputs.

The DrivingElectric Awards judges said: “It’s time to take Chinese manufacturers much more seriously; the BYD Dolphin manages to undercut the competition, while simultaneously offering a premium-feeling interior, effortless driving experience and competitive electric range.”

Best Family Electric Car 2024: Tesla Model 3

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It may have been on sale for a while now, but a comprehensive recent facelift has secured the Tesla Model 3 the title of DrivingElectric’s Best Family Electric Car 2024. We’re particularly blown away by the standard Rear-Wheel Drive Model 3 which represents near-unbeatable value-for-money in this sector of the market, with Tesla’s typical strong range and performance, a touchscreen in the front and rear, plus a greatly refined driving and ownership experience. 

Our awards judging panel were thoroughly impressed with Tesla’s latest efforts, commenting: “You can’t argue with that starting price, nor its 400-mile range or the bucketload of standard tech. You’d be daft to overlook the Model 3.”

Best Premium Electric Car 2024: Kia EV9

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“A Kia has been rated the Best Premium Electric Car!?” we hear you cry. Well, hear us out as Kia’s new seven-seater range topper manages to keep up with more expensive rivals, all at a more approachable price point. Few EVs at any level offer the amount of room and versatility that the Kia EV9 does – a choice of six or seven seats is available – while we’re big fans of Kia’s new tri-screen infotainment system. This is now the big EV to beat.

Best Electric Van 2024: Mercedes-Benz eCitan/Nissan Townstar EV/Renault Kangoo E-Tech

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There are a trio of winners for this year’s Best Electric Van award, primarily due to the way all three recipients share almost identical underpinnings. The Mercedes eCitan, Nissan Townstar EV and Renault Kangoo E-Tech all get competitive kit lists, up-to-date technology, a smooth electric powertrain and a variety of configurations in order to suit the needs of businesses.

The judges applauded all three winners, saying they “will serve as a great introduction to electric commercial vehicles for businesses making the switch.”

Best Charging Network: Tesla

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The UK public has spoken: the Tesla Supercharger network has been voted DrivingElectric’s Best Charging Network for 2024, according to the results of our latest Driver Power survey. There are now more than 1,100 Tesla Superchargers spread across over 100 UK locations, with Tesla owners able to plug-in and charge at low rates and without repeatedly having to enter payment details. Don’t have a Tesla? Don’t worry, as the brand’s latest V4 Superchargers are not only open to all EV drivers with a CCS-compatible vehicle, but also feature a contactless payment reader and can reach charging speeds of up to 250kW.

Finishing second in the survey and ‘High Recommended' was the MFG (Motor Fuel Group) EV Power network, while the third-place finisher, InstaVolt, is ‘Recommended’ from DrivingElectric.

Best Wallbox Charger: Easee

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The results of the latest Driver Power survey mean that Easee has been rated DrivingElectric’s Best Wallbox Charger for 2024. Accessible via the Easee App and configurable in one of five different colours, the Easee One wallbox charger will charge at speeds of up to 7kW and can lock-in cables to avoid theft or disconnections.

In second place according to Driver Power respondents and earning the title of ‘Highly Recommended’ is Hypervolt and its range of EV wallbox chargers, while the Zappi Myenergi range of wallboxes secured a third-place finish and ‘Recommended’ status from us here at DrivingElectric.

DrivingElectric Car of the Year 2024: Kia EV9

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The Kia EV9 has truly knocked our socks off and thoroughly deserves the title of DrivingElectric’s Car of the Year for 2024. The seven-seat electric SUV offers acres of space and, thanks to a huge 99.8kWh battery pack, has a pretty long range to boot. Let’s not forget the EV9’s sharp design, slick tech offering and industry-leading seven-year warranty, which are all just the icing on a large and very impressive cake.

The team of DrivingElectric judges said: “The Kia EV9 alters the electric landscape, offering huge space and a premium feel – all at a sub-premium price. No EV offers this kind of practicality for the money.”