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Electric cars are now a legitimate alternative to their petrol or diesel-engined counterparts. Cheaper electric cars such as the Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe have shown that electric vehicles (EVs) don’t have to cost the earth, while others like the Tesla Model S have proven that the best electric cars can be luxurious – and fast, too. Range-anxiety used to be a major issue, but improvements in battery density mean it’s far less of an issue. And when you do end up low on power, improvements to charging infrastructure mean it’s now more convenient to stay topped up.

All of these factors mean more people are buying electric cars: new figures from the UK’s Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders say 512 electric cars were sold in January 2015, a 58% rise from the same period in 2014. So what are the best electric car should YOU buy? We’ve compared the range, cost, features and economy of each EV to find out which is best for you.

Thanks to a lightweight, carbon-fibre-infused construction, the i3 is extremely efficient, and will give you around 80 miles per charge. The i3 is equally handy financially, offering a wallet-friendly 118mpg.

But it’s in the details that the i3 impresses most. Thanks to an app available on the iPhone and Apple Watch, i3 owners can do everything from preconditioning their car to managing its charge status. However, if you’re after a BMW i3 it could be worth waiting; BMW says it will be updating the i3 in the latter half of this year. 

1. Tesla Model S (starts at £55,000 after government grant)

For the last 13 years, Tesla has championed the electric car. With Elon Musk at the helm, the company has perfected everything about EVs – and the result is the Tesla Model S. While it looks understated on the outside, the Model S is probably the most refined EV on the road today, and it has the stats to prove it.

Although the Tesla is the same size as an executive saloon, models such as the Model S P90D with ‘Ludicrous mode’ can hit 60mph from a standstill in 2.6 seconds. And thanks to a 90kWh battery, it has a huge range of 330 miles (when you use it properly, of course).

Inside, the Model S uses a 17in touchscreen in the place of a traditional dash, and Tesla is rolling out new features such as the autonomous Autopilot mode every day. The result? The Tesla is the most futuristic car you can buy – but its sci-fi tech does come at a premium. Higher end models such as the P90D with Ludicrous mode cost around £85,000. Read our review here.

2. Nissan Leaf (starts at £21,290 after government grant)

The Nissan Leaf is the most popular electric vehicle in the UK, and it’s easy to see why. Although it looks like a large Nissan Micra from the outside, the Leaf is a revolutionary vehicle – and it keeps getting better. The third-generation 24kWh Leaf starts at reasonable £21,290, and the new £24,990 30kWh model extends the range from 124 to 155 miles. If that’s not cheap enough, Nissan even lets you lease the car’s batteries to bring the 24kWh version down to a reasonable £16,290.

If you buy a Leaf, it will be for the economy rather than the performance, but after driving it around London, we found the Leaf was rapid to 30mph, so it’s perfect for city-driving.

As you’d expect from an electric car, the Leaf also comes with a compatible app for most smartphones, allowing owners to precondition their cars to the right temperature before they enter, or update them on the status of their car. Although the app is a nice touch, it’s had its fair share of problems recently. Read our review here.

3. BMW i3 (starts at £25,680 after government grant)

One of the most sophisticated cars on the market today, the BMW i3 gives you everything you’d want from an electric car in a small, compact package. It’s a rear-wheel drive like a traditional BMW, but that’s where the similarities stop. Under the hood, you won’t find much, because the i3 is actually powered by a 168hp electric motor in the car’s boot. If you're interested in buying a new BMW i3, we'd actually suggest holding off for now. BMW should be releasing a new one as early as June, and it'll have 50% longer range. 

4. Renault Zoe (starts at £13,945 after government grant)

Renault is known for producing compact, efficient cars, and the Renault Zoe shows it can repeat the formula in an electric setting. Like the Nissan Leaf, the Renault isn’t the most luxurious motor, but it does offer a cabin that’s comfortable for long periods of time.

And you could potentially spend a while in the Zoe: its range extends to around 100 miles of mixed driving conditions – more than enough for most inner city drives – and that’s when the car is in Eco mode.

Put the car into normal mode, and its 80hp engine offers surprisingly good acceleration. Thanks to 220Nm of torque, the Zoe will shoot to 30mph in just under four seconds. While it takes a lot longer to get to 60mph, its acceleration is more than enough in urban drives.