Best Electric Cars for 2024
The best used and new electric cars based on a data-driven analysis of each vehicle's reliability, resale value and safety.
The best electric car is the Tesla Model 3 based on our analysis of 12 million vehicles to assess their reliability, resale value and safety. Its overall rating of 8.3 out of 10 reflects the Model 3’s reliability, value retention and safety scores. A new Tesla Model 3 costs between $38,990 and $52,990 while a used version costs between $21,751 and $36,998. This electric car can seat up to 5 people and is EPA rated to deliver up to 127 miles per gallon equivalent in mixed city/highway driving.
The Electric Car category consists of 26 models priced between $23,900 and $249,000 for new vehicles and between $7,000 and $206,079 for used vehicles. iSeeCars has sufficient vehicle data to rate and rank 6 of these 26 models based on their reliability, value retention and safety scores.
This list focuses on electric passenger cars, so there are no electric SUVs or pickup trucks here. Check out our Best Electric SUVs list to see larger, more practical vehicles powered by an electric drivetrain.
This list also does not include hybrid or plug-in hybrid models that come with electric motors paired with internal combustion engines. However, every model on this list, which covers both new cars and used electric cars, is CO2 emissions-free.
Keep in mind that while electric motors are known for their high horsepower and torque specs, they don’t have the same long range or rapid refueling that traditional internal combustion or hybrid vehicles have. Even electric cars capable of fast-charging will require at least 15-20 minutes to regain more than 100 miles of range. Yet electric vehicles have their own advantages, ranging from federal and state tax credits to a standard 8-year/100,000-mile battery warranty.
Check out our Best Electric SUVs for larger electric vehicles, for shoppers who aren’t ready to commit to a fully electric yet, iSeeCars has identified the Best Hybrid Cars and Best Hybrid SUVs, many of which are plug-in hybrids that can run on full electricity for short distances.
This list focuses on electric passenger cars, so there are no electric SUVs or pickup trucks here. Check out our Best Electric SUVs list to see larger, more practical vehicles powered by an electric drivetrain.
This list also does not include hybrid or plug-in hybrid models that come with electric motors paired with internal combustion engines. However, every model on this list, which covers both new cars and used electric cars, is CO2 emissions-free.
Keep in mind that while electric motors are known for their high horsepower and torque specs, they don’t have the same long range or rapid refueling that traditional internal combustion or hybrid vehicles have. Even electric cars capable of fast-charging will require at least 15-20 minutes to regain more than 100 miles of range. Yet electric vehicles have their own advantages, ranging from federal and state tax credits to a standard 8-year/100,000-mile battery warranty.
Check out our Best Electric SUVs for larger electric vehicles, for shoppers who aren’t ready to commit to a fully electric yet, iSeeCars has identified the Best Hybrid Cars and Best Hybrid SUVs, many of which are plug-in hybrids that can run on full electricity for short distances.
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability 7.2 / 10
- Value Retention 7.6 / 10
- Safety 10 / 10
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability 9.4 / 10
- Value Retention 6.8 / 10
- Safety Not Available
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability 7.1 / 10
- Value Retention 6.9 / 10
- Safety 10 / 10
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability 6.9 / 10
- Value Retention 7.0 / 10
- Safety 10 / 10
5. Hyundai IONIQ Electric
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability 7.9 / 10
- Value Retention 7.5 / 10
- Safety Not Available
6. BMW i3 (electric)
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability 7.2 / 10
- Value Retention 6.4 / 10
- Safety Not Available
Smart EQ fortwo (hatchback)
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability 7.7 / 10
- Value Retention 7.8 / 10
- Safety Not Available
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability Coming soon
- Value Retention 7.7 / 10
- Safety 8.0 / 10
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability 7.0 / 10
- Value Retention 7.7 / 10
- Safety Not Available
Smart EQ fortwo (convertible)
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability Coming soon
- Value Retention 7.7 / 10
- Safety Not Available
Honda Clarity Electric
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability Coming soon
- Value Retention 7.6 / 10
- Safety Not Available
Volkswagen e-Golf
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability 7.1 / 10
- Value Retention 7.6 / 10
- Safety Not Available
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability Coming soon
- Value Retention 7.5 / 10
- Safety Not Available
Kia Soul EV
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability 7.2 / 10
- Value Retention 7.4 / 10
- Safety Not Available
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability Coming soon
- Value Retention 7.2 / 10
- Safety 10 / 10
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability Coming soon
- Value Retention 6.9 / 10
- Safety Not Available
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability Coming soon
- Value Retention 6.7 / 10
- Safety Not Available
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability Coming soon
- Value Retention 6.6 / 10
- Safety 10 / 10
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability Coming soon
- Value Retention 6.6 / 10
- Safety Not Available
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability Coming soon
- Value Retention 6.5 / 10
- Safety 10 / 10
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability Coming soon
- Value Retention 6.4 / 10
- Safety Not Available
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability Coming soon
- Value Retention 6.3 / 10
- Safety Not Available
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability Coming soon
- Value Retention 6.3 / 10
- Safety Not Available
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability Coming soon
- Value Retention 6.2 / 10
- Safety Not Available
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability Coming soon
- Value Retention 6.2 / 10
- Safety Not Available
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability Coming soon
- Value Retention 6.0 / 10
- Safety Not Available
Related Rankings
How We Rank These Cars
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on the latest research by our data science team and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
We analyze data from over 12 million new and used vehicles in our Longest-Lasting Cars and 5-Year Depreciation Studies, combined with the NHTSA's Safety Ratings to give you an unbiased guide to the best vehicles in each segment.
After being evaluated, vehicles with the highest average scores earn a spot in the iSeeCars Best Car Rankings. (No final score is given to vehicles missing a score in any of the categories, but scores for other categories are still shown.)
Vehicles are scored in three categories:
Reliability
The reliability score represents an analysis of iSeeCars' proprietary research on the longest-lasting vehicles.
Value Retention
The value retention score is based on our data science team's statistical analysis and prediction of 5-year depreciation from MSRP to determine which cars hold their value best, using US Bureau of Labor Statistics data to adjust for inflation.
Safety
The safety score is calculated based on the last five years of crash test ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and incorporates the latest Top Safety Pick information from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).