Tighter emissions regulations and people's growing concern for the environment has massively boosted interest in electric cars. But which one should you buy if you're on a tight budget?
This is a comparison review from team REV, a trio of female UK-based reviewers that includes the famous VBH. Is she going to be on the new Fifth Gear? In any case, the testers are looking into three radically different cars, namely the BMW i3, Renault Zoe and the crossover-based Kia Soul EV.
By now, if you have any interest in the electric car market, you'll know a little bit about each one. The Renault has the last power but is cheap and has a lot of range, the Kia Soul is... nobody bought one, and the BMW i3 will be discontinued because it's terrible. There's no need to sugarcoat the fact that two of these models are somewhat irrelevant.
The thing that peaked our interest is the charge test, which tries to find out how much time it takes to reach 80% using a quick-charger. Because it has the biggest battery to "fill" the Renault takes 60 minutes compared to 40 in the BMW i3s.
The Zoe looks like an ordinary supermini, both inside and out. The downside to that is the lack of space in the back. Meanwhile, the Soul EV is described as spacious yet dull, even though the light grey interior might appeal to some. There's only one trim level available on that car, unlike the BMW i3, which has a multitude of options.
This includes a variety of renewable or recycled materials available inside. As for the "s" that's been added to the end of its name, this refers to BMW's attempt of making the i3 sportier. Fuller tracks, bigger 20-inch wheels, a revised look and the engine that's been boosted from 170 to 184 HP contribute to this.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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