Electric cars at bargain prices? These new models cost under 20,000 euros.

Electric cars are undeniably becoming cheaper, and the €20,000 threshold now includes a handful of models that stay below it. There still aren’t many, but they do exist. And while we spent years watching the Dacia Spring fight this battle on its own, that’s no longer the case.

Naturally, EVs at this price point still demand a few compromises: limited range and, in most cases, tight cabin and boot space. If you want greater versatility (or simply fewer constraints), the used market is the more sensible route. On this website you can find more than 700 options for under €20,000.

Still, for drivers who stay in town, cover only a small number of kilometres each week, and don’t need much room, there are new-car choices that are hard to overlook. All of them offer more than 200 kilometres of range, seating for four, and a worthwhile equipment list.

Dacia Spring: the long-standing price champion

You can’t discuss affordable electric cars without bringing up the Dacia Spring. Introduced in 2021, it became many drivers’ first step into fully electric motoring and, year after year, it remains the cheapest EV on sale in Portugal.

After a major overhaul in 2024-bringing a fresh exterior look, a better-equipped cabin, and improved ride comfort-the 2026 model year now adds two new powertrains (71 and 102 cv).

The battery is also brand new. It now uses LFP chemistry and is rated at 24,3 kWh, with a claimed range of up to 225 kilometres.

On top of that, Renault Group’s small electric city car benefits from an updated platform and an anti-roll bar-changes you can feel on the road. We’ve already driven it, and there’s no doubt this is the best Spring yet.

Pricing for the 2026 Spring range in Portugal hasn’t been finalised (that should only happen in March), but we already know that even the more powerful version, with 75 kW (102 cv), will come in under the €20,000 mark.

For now, it’s worth remembering that the Romanian brand is still selling the 2025 versions, with entry pricing set at €16 900 for the variant with a 33 kW (45 cv) motor.

Leapmotor T03: Stellantis’ answer

The Leapmotor T03 can be seen as Stellantis’ response to the Dacia Spring. Although it’s shorter than its Renault Group rival, the T03 is roomier in height and width-yet it provides noticeably less boot space: 210 litres versus the Spring’s 288 litres.

With an 8” digital instrument cluster and a 10,1” infotainment screen, the Leapmotor T03 also stands out by offering a small panoramic roof-an attribute we’re not used to seeing in this class.

Under the skin, there’s a single electric motor producing 70 kW (95 cv) and 158 Nm of peak torque. Power comes from an LFP battery with 37,3 kW, enabling a claimed maximum range of up to 265 km on the combined (WLTP) cycle.

When it comes to driver assistance, the little T03 also impresses, because it includes (as standard) Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, and Automatic Emergency Braking.

In Portugal, the Leapmotor T03 is priced at €18 500, and the only option buyers can choose is the exterior paint colour.

Citroën ë-C3: “Mr” comfort among electric cars under €20,000

Citroën promised-and delivered. It took more than a year, but the most affordable ë-C3 version has now reached Portugal, with prices starting at €19 990.

Unlike the two models above, both from the A-segment, this is a class up: it offers genuine space for four adults and a ride comfort that places it in a different league. It also brings a significantly larger boot, with 310 litres of capacity.

With an electric motor delivering 83 kW (113 cv) and 125 Nm, this ë-C3 version uses an LFP battery with just 30 kWh of capacity, meaning range tops out at 212 kilometres. That is, quite simply, its biggest drawback.

On that front, it gives up roughly 110 kilometres compared with the more expensive ë-C3, which has a larger battery (43,8 kWh) and is available for €23 300.

That is, without any doubt, the most well-rounded version of the French model. But if your budget won’t stretch and you’re almost always driving in town, it’s hard to deny the appeal of €19 990 for the entry-level variant.

Renault Twingo E‑Tech: the next revolution

If the three models above already make the affordable-EV market more interesting, the real “earthquake” may be saved for the end of the first half of this year.

That’s when the new Renault Twingo-shaped by the iconic lines of the original 1992 first generation-will arrive in Portuguese dealerships, with prices from €19 490. The little French car’s goal is straightforward: to be the best electric car in its segment.

To get there, it leans on strengths that go well beyond price-qualities that are easy to link back to the original Twingo: space, versatility, and ease of use. And, like every model on this list, it positions itself clearly as a city-focused option.

With a sliding rear bench that can increase boot capacity up to 360 litres, the Twingo sits on the same underpinnings as the Renault 5, although it uses a less powerful electric motor with 60 kW (82 cv) and 175 Nm of torque, paired with a 27,5 kWh battery.

As a result, the quoted range is up to 263 km on the combined WLTP cycle. Standard equipment includes only AC charging up to 6,6 kW. Optionally, however, it will be possible to fit an on-board charger supporting up to 11 kW AC and up to 50 kW DC.

Volkswagen is about to join the game

The push for electric cars below €20,000 won’t slow down over the next few years, and in 2027 it will be Volkswagen’s turn to enter the fight, with the production version of the ID.Every 1, which will be built in Portugal at the Autoeuropa plant.

With a base price below €20,000, the future ID.1 is expected to offer outputs around 95 cv and a WLTP combined range in the region of 250 kilometres.

At this stage, we’ve only seen the concept, but the final shapes of Volkswagen’s “made in Portugal” EV will be revealed later this year, with production starting at the beginning of 2027.