FVL’s most practical Electric Vehicles

Are you considering leasing an EV but are worried you won’t fit the family, golf clubs, a tent or the in-laws in? Don’t worry; FVL has your back! And does anyone worry about the in-laws? Here are our most practical EVs available to lease in the UK. With their associated pros and cons. And with the rapid pace of the modern EV market, some new EV SUVs that will soon grace UK shores. All in no particular order, because we’re like that.

Skoda Enyaq iV

Skoda, a brand known for its practicality, doesn’t disappoint with the Enyaq. A large family SUV that brims with everything we love about Skoda, only electrified. Built on the same platform as the Volkswagen I.D.4 and Audi Q4, you know it will be a well-received car. But this is all about practical EVs, and Skoda trumps its German stable mates with more rear leg and headroom and a class-leading boot. Job done.

Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV

Mercedes flagship gets the electric SUV treatment. In real terms, until an all-electric Range Rover or Rolls Royce Spectre arrives, this is probably the most luxurious EV you can lease in the UK. The quilted leather, puffy headrests and those hyper screens all feel extremely special. Air suspension is standard to give the big SUV some nice ‘waft-ability’, and so is rear-wheel steering, making the hulking SUV a ballerina around town. It’s pricey, for sure, but then we were expecting that.  We are still waiting on the SUV pricing to arrive here at FVL towers, as this is where the practicality lies, but it won’t be long, so stay tuned.

MG 5 Estate

We’ve sung MG Motors praises for quite some time. Offering true value for money and thoughtful ideas for modern motoring. Also, a bit of a first for the EV sector is good plug-in options and an EV with that value element. In the case of the MG 5 specifically, you get plenty of room for all the family, a decent boot and a combined WLTP range of up to 250 miles. Not to mention Apple car play, Android Auto, heated front seats, an electrically adjustable driver’s seat and a decent six-speaker audio system. What’s not to like?

Tesla Model Y (and Model X coming soon)

There had to be one in here somewhere, the most practical (the larger and more expensive Model X is winging its way back to UK shores as we type; otherwise, it would be here too!) Tesla EV the Model Y. Like the Model 3, only a bit bigger. Sitting higher up with a noticeably low dash gives a fantastic view out front. All the kit we know and love from Tesla is here: the audio system, the glass roof and millions of cargo space. Not to mention stellar performance from all models (especially the all-wheel drive versions) and excellent usable range, all topped off with the backing of its dedicated charging network. It’s a winner for Tesla.

BMW IX

BMW’s first premium electric SUV was sure to delight, and it does. Features like all-wheel steering, augmented sat nav, and high-definition cameras with power cleaning (really), set it apart from your typical SUV standards. Add a dose of BMW-like driving dynamics, a good slug of power in the faster models, and a beautifully trimmed and futuristic interior, and you’ll have something exceptional. However, we’re talking about practicality; there is a slightly compromised boot. It’s about the size of an X3, 500 litres when it should be around 600+; however, the class-leading towing capacity, choice of battery packs, and overall rear passenger space get it into our most practical EV list.

Mercedes-Benz EQC 

Mercedes’s first all-electric car, the EQC, completed over one million miles in testing before being launched. And it paid off. Bringing firsts like augmented sat nav and battery pre-heat make it a unique proposition. Of course, as it’s a Mercedes, it feels car-like, with appropriate buttons for the controls like your mirror adjustment and climate control. With the EQC, you get a luxurious, hi-tech family SUV – that just so happens to be electric. And for a compact seven-seat EV, you may want to consider the smaller stable mate to the EQC, the EQB – you can read about it here.

Practical EVs of the future…

So that rounds off our pick of the most practical EVs currently available to lease. Nice! But as with all things EV, it would be wrong to miss out on what’s coming shortly! Some extremely exciting new EV’s still to come to the Uk. Although we don’t exactly know what kind of practicality they will ultimately offer, we will stick with the latest SUV EVs.

Rivian R1T & R1S

The most practical EV you’ve never heard of. Making waves in the US of A, Rivian has created what, so far, no one else has been able to. A full-size powerhouse of a practical pick-up truck. With its four electric motors, the R1T is faster than most, if not all, pick-ups. It has a range of over 300 miles, with longer ranges due out in the US soon. The rugged yet modern design comes with a full flat-bed and double cab seating, as you’d expect. Throw in some original features, such as a removable rechargeable Bluetooth camp speaker, a full pull-out integrated camp kitchen with utensils, an induction hob, and a pop-up roof tent. You have one seriously practical EV. The R1S, beginning to come out stateside now, is the SUV seven-seat version. Rivian was rumoured to be looking at building a factory in the UK, near Bristol, but we’ve not heard anything about this recently. Stay tuned as we don’t think this will stop the brand from coming across to old blighty.

Audi E-Tron

Noticeable by its absence above, the E-Tron is getting a revamp! One of the best SUVs, with a 660 litres boot and 1800Kg towing capacity, should easily see it on the above list. However, the range did let it down a little, especially in the 50 guises; Audi aims to address this in future iterations. We look forward to seeing these.

Fisker Ocean

America is clearly embracing their EV thang. Sorry. Another SUV EV comes in the form of the Fisker Ocean! All skinny lights and big arches sitting on Fiskers’ custom EV architecture. Starting around £35k, the entry level Ocean will offer up to 275 miles of range, and the range-topping dual-motor Extreme model will offer up to 350 miles of range. Sustainability is at the top of Fiskers list, pushing recycled materials across as much of the design as possible.

We love some of the unique features like California Mode, which opens all windows, including the tailgate window and the roof, all at once, which is excellent for dog owners. The top-spec model can also swing its giant media screen to give you an option of portrait or landscape mode for sat nav or watching a movie. Fisker has ideas in the mix for a high-performance sports car and a cheap city EV for young city dwellers, coming as soon as 2024/5. We can’t wait to see how these shape up.

 

Polestar 3

One we are very familiar with at FVL towers is Polestar. The classically handsome Polestar 2 is about to gain a stablemate in the shape of the Polestar 3 SUV. Launching internationally on the 12th of October, Polestar is set to bring its own sense of purpose to this increasingly busy segment.

That means a design-centric approach using the latest sustainability methods (and when Polestar say they’re sustainable, they really mean it – you can read Polestar’s sustainability report here) and cutting-edge safety kit. Polestar started life as the performance arm of Volvo, so one aim with the Polestar 3 is to make it fun to drive. As a result, the optional Performance Pack will take peak power to 380kW and a colossal 910Nm of torque saddled to the latest dual chamber air suspension with active damping technology. No gimmicks here; it’s all well-engineered and practical equipment as you would expect from the Swedes. We look forward to getting behind the wheel of Polestar’s latest creation as soon as it becomes available.

There you have it, our take on the most practical EVs. Check out our EV leasing deals and electric SUV and Estate contract hire offers for more info.