Motability is a giant of the vehicle finance world, with over 700,000 people signed up to its vehicle leasing scheme. People who qualify for a higher or enhanced mobility allowance are able to join and use their allowances to finance cars, specialist wheelchair accessible vehicles, electric scooters and powered wheelchairs. Leases last 3-5 years and include insurance, servicing, tyres and breakdown cover.Motability isn’t a charity, but does not pay shareholder dividends, claiming ‘the money we make is invested back into benefitting our customers and disabled mobility.’ 

Motability is embracing the EV revolution. Here’s our pick of the best Motability electric cars you can finance using its scheme. Alternatively, check out our separate guide to the best Motability hybrid cars available today.

10. MG5 EV

Our pick: MG 5 115kW Trophy EV Long Range 61kWh 

Price:  £33,495

Initial payment: £3,999

Miles per kWh: 4.0

WLTP range: 249 miles

The MG 5 is unique in that it’s the only battery powered estate on the market. The car was facelifted with neater front and rear styling, and a much improved interior, both in its design and the materials used. One gripe is that the back seats don’t fold flat, another is the relatively high rear floor thanks to the MG 5’s 57kWh battery pack. 

Although a little humdrum to drive, there’s not a lot wrong with the way the MG corners, goes and stops, although we’d prefer more assertive re-gen when slowing down.

Another welcome change is that the MG 5 will now talk to your smart phone for pre-sets such as cabin temperature. 

Fast charging is a slightly disappointing 42 minutes (and nine and half hours for a home wall box charge), official range of 250 miles translates into something nearer 200, which is still useful.

With its seven year warranty ‘useful’ sums up the MG 5, which is one of the most practical EVs going. It’s just a pity that Motability want almost £4k as an initial payment.

The MG5 is enormously practical

​9. Vauxhall Mokka Electric​

Our pick: Vauxhall Mokka 100kW Ultimate 50kWh

Price:  £28,995

Initial payment: £499

Miles per kWh: 4.47

WLTP range: 209 miles

The first Mokka was an internal combustion engined frump, but its replacement is a stylish thing with an electric option.

The Mokka Electric shares its electrical bits with the Corsa and Peugeot 208 and 2008 EVs, which means it has a 50kWh battery and a 134bhp motor - although there is an upgrade coming with more power and a slightly bigger battery. There’s a trio of driving modes (Eco, Normal and Sport), and if you select Eco, which rather blunts the performance, the car will eke out up to 280 miles between charges. Otherwise the official figure is 201 miles. Full wall box home charging involves a seven and a half hour wait, but you can knock seven hours from that at a DC fast charger, as the Mokka e is capable of taking 100kw from one.

Being a compact sports utility, its seating position is raised, making getting in and out of it easier. The boot has a bit of a lip and is a decent size, but rear passenger space, especially for taller occupants, isn’t brilliant.

Connectivity-wise the car is up to speed with an app with functions such as route planning and emergency call out.

The ride can be a tad fidgety on poor surfaces, but the Mokka is otherwise comfortable, capable, and one of the best looking small-ish SUVs going. 

The Mokka could suit you to a tea

​8. Nissan Leaf​

Our pick: Nissan Leaf 110kw Acenta

Price:  £28,995

Initial payment: £0

Miles per kWh: 3.85

WLTP range: 168 miles

The market-defining Nissan Leaf might be getting on a bit, but it has plenty of good points, including Motability not charging a deposit for the Acenta version.

Boot space isn’t fantastic, and the rear seats don’t fold flat, but there’s a decent amount of passenger space for four. This is an easy car to drive, with simple to master controls, thus making it a relaxing one too.

There’s something Nissan calls a e-Pedal function, which means the car’s electric motor brings the car to a stop, apps to remotely control the heating, charging, etc and versions with the Pro Pilot system have plenty of driver aids, including a self-parking function.

Official range is 168 miles, which is hardly class leading, nor is a 43 minute fast charge up to 80 per cent.

The Leaf might no longer be EV hot property, but it’s a well realised Motability electric car. 

The Leaf's big attraction here is the zero deposit offer

​7. Renault Megane E-Tech​

Our pick: Renault Megane E-Tech

Price:  £36,995

Initial payment: £1,999

Miles per kWh: 3.1 (est)

WLTP range: 280 miles

Created as an electric car from the off, the Megane E-Tech does many things very well.

Inside its almost sports utility body is a spacious cabin, and a cavernous 440 litre boot with the back seats in place, good news if you have to carry a lot of gear.

Officially the E-Tech, with its 60 kWh battery and 130kW charging speed would need half an hour to ingest up to 80 per cent of the juice it needs. 

EVs are generally heavy, and this one is no featherweight, but with compact motors and battery and aluminium doors it’s lighter than many rivals, and this translates into tidy handling.

If you have issues with neck and shoulder movement we would strongly recommend including a revering camera as a must have feature, as rear vision is poor. Motability wanting a down payment that is a quid shy of two grand isn’t an endearing feature either.

Still, this is a nice car with a broad range of talents. The only blot on the E-Tech’s horizon is the similarly sized MG4, which in range topping, gear-laded Trophy form costs £4,500 less than the cheapest Megane E-Tech.   

Does my boot look big in this?

​6. Skoda Enyaq​

Our pick: Skoda Enyaq iV 80

Price:  £42,925

Initial payment: £999

Miles per kWh: 4.32

WLTP range: 333 miles

Those looking for VW ID.3 space for less money should consider the Skoda Enyaq, which sits on a variation of the VW’s drive trains and sub structure.

Be aware that this car is sold with plethora of options packs, that quickly bump up the price if you splurge on kit.

On to the good stuff. The car features a properly flat floor and decent room for a quintet of adults. The boot is huge too: 585 litres with the back seats up and 1,710 when folded away.

Battery sizes range from 58kWh to 77kWh (perversely, Skoda calls them 60 and 80), the latter posting a WLTP range figure of 333 miles between charges. If you have mobility issues and can afford it, a bigger battery and the greater range it offers is a plus.

When recharging, Enyaqs with 77kWh batteries max out at 125kW recharging speed, which translates to a 6-8 hour wall charger electric refuel and 38 minutes worth of fast charging to get 10-80 per cent worth of juice. 

Whichever version you choose, performance is brisk rather than eyeball squashing, and this is a relaxing, civilised means of getting about. The car is mostly sold with a rear mounted motor -although a twin motor 4x4 is also available- handles tidily and rides with firmness.

This is a likeable, thoroughly accomplished Motability electric car.

The Enyaq is a huge and capable Motab option

​5. Kia Niro EV

Our pick: Kia Niro EV 2 Nav

Price:  £37,295

Initial payment: £999

Miles per kWh: 4.2

WLTP range: 287 miles

The car formerly known as the ‘e-Niro’ has grown up into something that is simply better at its job than before.

As with petrol and hybrid Niros, the second generation EV now has squared off, avantgarde styling. Inside is a bigger interior, with room in the back being particularly impressive. Dignified entry and exit is aided by big doors and a high seating position. Controls and instruments grouped in a double touch screen are intuitive and idiot proof, and everything is nicely screwed together.

This is a pleasing car to drive, with nice steering, good riding qualities and a 201bhp motor that delivers its power with more smoothness than before, has three driving modes (Eco, Normal and Sport) and decent motor braking, so the actual brakes are rarely needed. Range? Officially 287 WLTP, which translates into a useful 240 odd miles in reality. The car’s 64,8kWh battery has a 72kW charging limit that’s actually down from the old model’s 77kW, but Kia claims that finessed electronics mean a  minute saving on a 0-80 per cent fast charge time at about 43 minutes. Think ten hours for a 7.5kW home charger.

Top speed is academic on our crowded roads, but 7.5 sec 0-62 is perfectly respectable. The Niro EV, which comes with a seven year warranty, has taken the good bits of its predecessor and refined them into a mature, accomplished vehicle that is subtly better than before.

The new Niro's bigger interior makes it far more practical than its predecessor

​4. Ora Funky Cat​

Our pick: Ora Funky Cat First Edition

Price:  £31,950

Initial payment: £0

Miles per kWh: 4.0

WLTP range: 193 miles

This vehicle might have one of the world’s daftest car names and comic faux period styling, but it’s a serious piece of EV kit.

Also, Motability doesn’t want any up-front cash for the First Edition version. Unlike many EV rivals, you can have a Funky Cat delivered to your door in 21 days rather than months and months.

Let’s get some negatives out of the way first. The car’s 48kW battery has an official range of 193 miles, which is hardly class leading. The Funky Cat’s 64kWh charging limit means slower replenishing speeds. Oh yes, the boot is small (228 litres) with a high lip, which makes loading tricky.

Build quality is good, and the equipment list long (voice recognition, sat nav, 360 degree camera, etc). Although sharing its substructure with the incoming MINI electric, the Funky Cat is pleasant rather than particularly exciting to drive.  

Could you give a Cat a home?

​3. MG ZS EV​

Our pick: MG ZS EV Trophy Long Range

Price:  £30,995

Initial payment: £1,899

Miles per kWh: 3.6

WLTP range: 273 miles

The ZS EV is the model that first put MG on the map as an electric car maker. Based on the petrol-powered ZS compact sports utility, the EV has been facelifted and improved relatively recently. 

Officially, the Long Range version is capable of 273 miles between charges (we reckon you can knock about 30 real world miles from this figure). Less welcome is the 76kW charging limit, which means you’ll spend over an hour to get an 80 per cent fast charge top up. 

There’s nothing wrong with the car’s dynamics. It rides softly, rolls a bit in corners and is generally a little anonymous, but the seating position is commanding, access good and the seats themselves soft and comfortable. The car provides competent, if unexciting transport. It's a shame the rear seats don't fold flay though.

The initial Motability payment of almost £1,900 is hardly cheap, but the ZS is well equipped, spacious and looks good.

The ZS jumpstarted MG's electric revolution

​2. Citroen e-Berlingo​

Our pick: Citroen e-Berlingo Flair XTR XL

Price:  £30,315

Initial payment: £2,345

Miles per kWh: 3.9 (est)

WLTP range: 174 miles

The e-Berlingo is a van with windows, but that makes its interior brilliantly accessible and the boxy Citroen a strong Motability electric car.

Door apertures are huge, and the rear side doors slide out of the way, a boon for wheelchair users or those with other mobility issues. The high seating position is another plus.

However, anyone needing floor pan modifications for electric winches, wheelchair securing cleats, etc, should check with a specialist vehicle adaption company to make sure the e-Berlingo’s electrical gubbins doesn’t get in the way of any conversion work.  

The e-Berlingo is pleasant to drive, and boasts relatively yielding riding qualities. It has a theoretical range up to around 180 miles, although this is likely to decrease in real world conditions. Accepting up to 100kW DC means fast charging up to 80 per cent takes around half an hour.

The initial payment is a bit eye watering, but some cheap feeling fixtures and fittings aside, this is a spectacularly practical car.

The boxy Berlingo is brilliantly practical

​1. MG4 EV​

Our pick: MG4 SE EV Long Range

Price:  £29,440

Initial payment: £199

Miles per kWh: 4.4 (est)

WLTP range: 281 miles

This is MG’s first designed-from-the-ground-up EV and it shows. We think the car looks stylish and distinctive outside. Inside there’s plenty of space for people and a decent 363 litre boot.

Controls and instruments are easy to work, with some functions accessed using a row of conventional dash buttons. The seating position isn’t elevated a la SUV, but is higher than, say, a VW Golf, making getting in and out of the car more straightforward.

The MG4 is well equipped with a slew of active and passive safety features. If you can afford the range-topping Trophy, standard gear includes a 360 degree camera and blind spot monitoring.

Performance? 99mph top speed and an 8 second 0-62 are perfectly acceptable. The Long Range version has a 281 mile WLPT range, and will fast charge up to 80 per cent in just over 30 minutes. The MG4 is usefully cheaper than direct rivals such as the VW ID.3, and has an advance payment of just £199. 

The MG4 is one of our favourites and is great value on Motability