Full-size, daily-usable electric vehicles have been a long time in rising to prominence, but they've now well and truly arrived, with more options available to buyers than ever before.
Because the battery pack is usually hidden in the floor, many are SUVs, but there are some hatchbacks, saloons and crossovers to choose from also.
Battery technology has come a long way here, bringing down prices of new EVs and also making range anxiety much less of a problem than it used to be.
Charging infrastructure still leaves much to be desired, but if you can charge at home and dont travel long distances frequently, you may never need to visit a public charger.
Add in the fact that EVs let you travel in silence and produce zero emissions, are exempt from road tax and the London Congestion Charge and qualify for low benefit-in-kind taxes as fleet options and they start to become truly viable family-transport picks.
While we have yet to see many true driver's cars with electric power, the instant, uninterrupted, silent punch that even fairly basic EVs offer will surprise and delight many drivers used to conventional powertrains.
This is a list of our top 10 electric cars for families, compiled considering factors such as range, usability, driving dynamics and value for money. Some EVs are still subject to relatively high prices compared with combustion-engined cars, but their premiums can be offset against lower running costs.
1. Hyundai Ioniq 5
Twenty years ago, it would have been surprising to see a list like this dominated by Korean car makers Hyundai and Kia, but the duo have not only managed to build a range of impressive mainstream cars, they were also quick out of the gate with electric versions of regular cars.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is the start of one of them getting truly serious about EVs, and it's built on a bespoke EV model platform with 800V electrical architecture. An 800V system allows for much faster charging, and the only others doing something similar are the Porsche Taycan and Audi E-tron GT, plus the closely related Kia models. Pretty good company.
It's not just a technical exercise. The Ioniq 5 draws attention with its distinctive retro-futuristic design and modern, high-quality interior.
Despite its size and weight, the Hyundai suprisingly engaging to drive, with strong performance, decent grip and just enough adjustability to keep things interesting. It's also a lovely, relaxing cruiser, with good noise suppression, a comfortable ride and a really convincing luxury aura that suits an electric car perfectly. Good packaging means that space in the back is more than generous, with a usable boot.
The long-range, rear-wheel-drive version (the dual-motor, four-wheel-drive model has been dropped from the range for now) narrowly saw off the Skoda Enyaq iV in a recent group test, proving a more engaging drive and winning over our tester with its more daring design.
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I am glad that others are spending their cash buying these things as one day I will have to acquire one that is hopefully lighter, more efficient, and fun than now.
MG 5 SW - not sure what a Vauxhall Aston is but if you mean Astra that's a coincidence since it comes off the platform of a Chinese Buick/Roewe which is based on the Vauxhall/Opel Astra. There is a nose facelift kicking around and back in China a new 5 series which IMO is remarkably ugly.
For example, that Enyaq 58kWh will only achieve the claimed 258 miles if you start at the top of a very large hill, or drive everywhere at 40mph. Whereas the quoted 230 miles for the E-Niro (a realistic figure for motorway driving in poor weather conditions) is some way short of its WLTP figure of 282 miles.