The best electric cars under 20 thousand euros with incentives
Thanks to the car incentives, it is therefore possible to buy an electric car with a net discount. Is it possible, however, to buy an electric car for less than 20,000 euros? This is a difficult threshold to reach considering the amounts provided for by the eco-bonus and the still very high list prices for zero-emission vehicles. With some models on the market, however, it is possible to go below this threshold or at least get closer. Let's see the details:
Eco-bonuses for electric cars: how the 2022 incentives work (in short)
Before going into the details of our analysis, let's briefly summarize how car incentives work for electric cars. With the new legislation, in fact, it is possible to buy an electric car benefiting from a discount of 5,000 euros on the purchase price. This bonus is recognized by resorting to the scrapping of a used vehicle up to Euro 4.It should be noted that it is possible to access the eco-bonus even without scrapping. In this case, however, the contribution is reduced to 3,000 euros. The legislation also sets a limit on the maximum price of cars that can be purchased using incentives. This limit is 35 thousand euros + VAT and ancillary costs (IPT and putting on the road). In addition, to access the bonus, it is necessary to check the availability of funds. A budget of 220 million euros is foreseen for 2022.
Electric cars that can be purchased for less than 20,000 euros with the 2022 incentives
Dacia Spring
The Dacia Spring (here our test) is one of the cars cheapest electric on the market. The possibility of accessing the 2022 car incentives and taking advantage of the eco-bonus, therefore, makes the compact zero-emission Dacia home even more interesting to be able to drive an electric car without spending too much. Currently, looking at the price list, the Dacia Spring starts at 21,850 euros with the basic Comfort version while the Comfort Plus can be purchased from 23,350 euros.Using incentives, with or without scrapping, is therefore It is possible to go below 20,000 euros to buy the electric car proposed by Dacia. Choosing the Spring involves inevitable compromises compared to much more expensive electric cars. The Dacia electric car, in fact, can count on an engine of just 33 kW and on a 27.4 kWh battery pack that recharges in AC mode from Wallbox to 7.4 kW in just under 5 hours (with recharging DC, optional included in the Comfort Plus version, the charging time drops to 1.5 hours).
Fiat 500
The Fiat 500 (our test here) in the basic Action variant, with a less powerful engine and reduced battery, it is very close to the 20,000 euro threshold thanks to the incentives on electric cars and by resorting to the scrapping of used vehicles. In fact, the Fiat 500 Action is currently available with a price list of 27,300 euros and is offered at 25,100 euros by placing the order on the Fiat website.A small offer is therefore enough to bring the price of the 500 Action below the € 20,000 threshold thanks to scrapping car incentives. This version of the 500 has a reduced equipment compared to the other trim levels but still retains the premium character of the project, keeping an extra gear compared to the decidedly cheaper models seen previously.
The Action version of the Fiat 500 is decidedly more basic than the rest of the city car range produced in Mirafiori as regards the technical sector (as well as for the standard equipment). In fact, the other versions of the Fiat 500 can count on an 87 kW engine and a 42 kWh battery pack which guarantees a range of around 320 kilometers in the WLTP cycle.
The price difference between the Action and the other productions is, however, clear. To buy an electric car below or in any case around 20 thousand euros it will be necessary to choose the Action variant.
Renault Twingo
Another electric car to buy for less of 20 thousand euros using state incentives is the Renault Twingo (our test here). It is a model, in many respects, very similar to the Dacia Spring. The electric Twingo is a city car designed for purely urban use, with good standard equipment but with the need to accept some compromise in order to take advantage of such a low price (for an electric one).The Renault Twingo E-Tech Electric, this is the official name of the electric variant of the French city car, is available in different trim levels. The basic model, Authentic, starts at € 22,750 and can therefore be easily purchased with a price of less than € 20,000 using state incentives. The richest productions, such as Equilibre and Techno, start at 23,750 euros and 24,950 euros respectively. Also in this case, thanks to the incentives (and scrapping) it is possible to go below the 20,000 euro wall.
The Renault city car has a 22 kWh battery pack and a 60 kW electric motor. It should be noted that the autonomy is 190 kilometers for the WLTP cycle. The data on real autonomy is linked to the type of use but could easily be lower, limiting the possibility of using the electric Twingo outside the purely urban context. The low-capacity battery allows for relatively short recharging times. It will take about 90 minutes for a full charge.
Smart EQ fortwo
The Smart EQ fortwo with its 2.69 meters in length is a true icon of zero-emission mobility in urban environment. The city car currently starts at € 25,769.80. Thanks to the incentives (with scrapping) it is possible to approach the threshold of 20,000 euros. Those looking for an electric car and want to spend little can, therefore, also consider the Smart, taking advantage of the incentives and saving on the purchase price. On the performance, however, there are some compromises to be made. The car can count on a 60 kW engine and a battery of just 17.6 kWh. The autonomy in the WLTP cycle is only 135 kilometers.This is a sufficient level for urban use but definitely insufficient in other contexts. As for recharging times, with the 4.6 kW standard charger it takes 3.5 hours to bring the battery charge level from 10% to 80%. With the 22 kW charger and the smart wallbox, however, times are reduced to just 40 minutes but the company requires an extra cost of over 1,000 euros to enrich the equipment with this precious accessory.
Volkswagen e-Up!
On the star line of the Fiat 500 Action we also find the Volkswagen e-Up !, recently returned to order after more than a year. Volkswagen's city car is not part of the German brand's ID range but represents the gateway to zero-emission mobility for the company. The Volkswagen e-Up! it is compatible with state incentives and is available on the Italian market with a list price of 25,850 euros.With the scrapping and the 5 thousand euro eco-bonus it is therefore possible to get very close to the threshold of the 20,000 euros for the purchase. From a technical point of view, the Volkswagen e-Up! it can count on a 61 kW engine and a 36.8 kWh battery. The autonomy, compared to the competitors analyzed previously, is excellent. In the WLTP mixed cycle, in fact, the electric A segment of Volkswagen records 258 kilometers of autonomy.
According to the German company, moreover, in the urban cycle it is possible to travel up to 355 kilometers. Finally, with direct current charging at 40 kW, it only takes about an hour to fully charge the battery and restore all autonomy.
