So, you say you’re electra-curious? You can see the future and it’s electric but you don’t want to pop $50,000 only to be disappointed? MotorBiscuit has the answer. Check out these five cheap used EVs for under $10,000. Then buy one. There are some great deals on these used electric vehicles. Some MSRP’d for over $50,000. 

In 2021, electric versions of some manufacturer’s EVs can cost upwards of $50,000-a lot more than their gas counterparts. It’s a lot to have to swallow. While the prices of all EVs will see a drop as more of everything gets produced in higher quantities, that’s where we are at now. But that doesn’t mean you have to pay over $50,000 to get in the EV parade. 

There are some swinging deals for some of the early crop of EVs. Granted, their range will be a bit more limited than their 2021 counterparts. But, as a leap into EV-land paying less than ten grand won’t give you electra-anxiety. C’mon, you can afford less than 10 clams to fly the electric highway.

BMW i3

First introduced in 2014 these were unexpectedly funky-looking. Especially for BMW. Nonetheless, these featured some really unique features like the plastic bodies and recycled CFRP roof. It has also won a bunch of design awards, though some feel that some of the body details like the dipping window line in the rear are too arbitrary for their own good. Still, it has a funky, unique presence and is a steal for around $10,000. The range is limited on these early i3 models to around 80 miles but based on your needs that could be more than you need. 

Volkswagen e-Golf

Sometimes we forget that VW offered an electric version of the Golf from 2012 to 2016. Right around the time, it killed the e-Golf VW was seeing fairly good numbers for their sprightly EV. As with many of the EVs featured here range is limited to around 80 miles. But look at what you’re saving in the price. As good as gas-powered Golf is if you’re a fan you’ve got to try out the e-Golf. 

Nissan Leaf

Probably the most prolific and definitely the first mass-produced EV is the Leaf. Early ones are over 10 years old and that’s hard to believe. Equally hard to believe is that Nissan actually forged the path for the small-EV revolution, such as it is. But props go to them. The first-gen was introduced in 2010 and ran through 2016. The early versions got only 75 miles of range. In 2014 that was bumped up to 84 miles. The thing about these Leafs is that many still have the Nissan eight-year/100,000-mile battery warranty. And there are how-tos online to replace the earlier batteries with later versions with even more range. 

Ford Focus EV

One of the early EV adopters with the Ford Think, it dialed its EV plans back to instead come back with an EV version of its 2011 Focus. While versions up to 2016 had a 76-mile range by 2017 Ford upped things to a 115-mile range. Still not the 300-mile range expected from the most recent entries into the EV market, it exceeds most of the EVs featured here. And at under $10,000 how can you go wrong?

Fiat 500e

While fairly rare outside of California, being centered in the Los Angeles area the MotorBiscuit staff sees these on a regular basis. First, on the scene in 2015, these have a range of around 85 miles. The weird thing about the 500e is that Sergio Marchionne, head honcho for Fiat Chrysler, was very vocal about shying customers away from purchasing one. No, seriously. He said every time someone bought one he lost $14,000 at a speech at the Brooklands Institute. “I’m honest enough to tell you that,” he told the audience. But when you consider that a gas-powered 500 retailed for $17,300, and the 500e sold for $32,650, you can see why he would say this. “I will sell the minimum of what I need to sell and not one more,” Marchionne said.