The Renault Zoe was one of the first all-electric cars to hit the mainstream market, and it?s still one of the best. It also happens to be one of the most affordable. We think the Renault Zoe is one of the best electric cars you can buy, and not just because it?s one of the cheapest. It?s also impressively practical for its size and nicely finished inside, while on the road it combines comfort, quietness and fun in a well-rounded dynamic package. All that, and zero tailpipe emissions. Who needs a Tesla? The Zoe is one of the cheapest electric cars around, so that?s a great start. Better still, residual values for the previous Zoe are among the best of any used car. If the latest model continues the trend, it will make it a sound long-term investment. With fewer moving parts, servicing and maintenance costs should be lower than for a petrol- or diesel-powered supermini. The cost of recharging the Zoe should also work out at far cheaper than filling that equivalent ICE (internal combustion engine) hatchback. A full top-up takes 9 hours and 25 minutes on a 7kW wallbox charger and will cost you between £6 and £14 per charge, depending on the tariff and the time of day. The official WLTP figures suggest that should give you a range of up to 245 miles, but in the real world your maximum range will depend on a variety of factors including how fast you drive and what the ambient temperature is. Grey, £17,977