These are the UK’s ten most searched for electric cars

There’s not much to add to the popular, and almost six-year-old, Tesla Model 3 that a remote software hasn’t already.

The Model 3's conventional design gives it a kind of timelessness. Similarly, the aforementioned updates keep the cabin features fresh – especially for secondhand owners. Even with a slew of new rivals, it's still the most popular in search.

Marginally outdone by its older, cheaper and better-looking sibling – a pain Liam Hemsworth knows well – the Tesla Model Y 's hatchback practicality is likely what gives it a nudge ahead of its stablemates.

The SUV crossover has fierce competition from most established car brands, but the Model Y also benefits from the Tesla Supercharger network – where rivals have had to rely on the inconsistent efforts of local government.

At 13 years old, the second-gen Nissan Leaf had the right kind of improvements to broaden its appeal. That didn't stop the Japanese brand announcing that the model would be phased out by 2025. Bye bye, Leaf, hello Ariya and co. 

On the plus side, there’s more secondhand availability for drivers wanting to make the switch to electric. The Leaf is a decent pick without the eye-watering expense. Go forth and search hard.

Provided your pockets are plenty deep, the Kia EV6 makes a practical electric car choice on several fronts. It's big. It’s fast. It handles well and offers a decent driving experience.

What's more, the interior is impressive. It charges quick and it’s one of the few (on a growing list) of EVs to get over 300 miles of range. Provided your pockets are plenty deep. Cheap, it is not.

It's likely a small cohort of aspirational Taycan owners is responsible for the vast majority of Taycan searches. Fast, sporty, planet-saving and Porsche badge-prowess… on rainier days, we count ourselves in that cohort.

The decade-old Tesla Model S may not have been the first electric car to market, but it has repeatedly proved a popular combo of style, zero emissions and future-facing tech over those ten years.

Granted, it’s never going to have the elegance of a Maserati, or prestige of a Ferrari... or the price tag of a Ford Fiesta, but it continues to make history its own way – much like its divisive CEO.

Not much to dislike about the Polestar 2, in our humble opinion. It’s smart-looking, good to drive and built well – a complete package. That’s important because it’s after the Tesla Model 3’s crown.

Its position on this list shows the climb to such lofty heights is steep, but its appearance alone suggests the brand is making buyers curious enough to explore their options.

The Hyundai IONIQ 5 searches are more common in the US than in the UK. It shares the same platform as the EV6 but the latter handles better.

That said, the ‘HI5’ is arguably a better size and style for the European market, with our awkward, narrow roads and shrinking car park spaces. We’ve spotted more in the wild than ever before, so maybe Brits know all they need to.

Discontinued, though not yet forgotten, the BMW i3 is/was a great little EV. It pioneered some impressive weight-saving technologies to maximise the range of the battery, initially 33.2kWh, but later 42.2kWh. The i3 is an urban runaround – it’s not meant for munching motorway miles.

Give it time and the i3 will drop off this list and into the one about future classics worth buying now.

When it comes to making the switch to electric, purists get antsy about trading what they know for what they don't.

The BMW i4 is one of the few cars that can galvanise confidence and put pay to any i3-inspired, irrational ‘it’s-not-a-real-Bimmer-though’ fears. The i4 is most definitely a real BMW.