I test drive electric cars - these are the fastest-charging for under £50,000

Gone are the days when charging an electric vehicle (EV) on the public network required systematically working your way through the Costa Coffee menu as electricity was trickle-fed into diminutive battery packs.

Thanks to advances in battery technology, the average wait time for a 10 to 80 per cent charging session in the latest models is more like 25 minutes, rather than the hour or more of yesteryear, and according to ZapMap, the number of fast charging ports, delivering in excess of 150kW, has increased by 40 per cent in 2025 alone, with more springing up every month.

While there are already lots of faster charging EVs out there, these command a premium, with price tags that easily tickle the £100,000 mark. For example, BYD’s premium brand Denza is set to introduce Z9 GT later this year for £90,000. When paired with the company’s 1,500kW Flash Charge technology, it is capable of completing a 10-70 per cent top-up in just five minutes. That’s the future right there.

But for those on slightly more realistic budgets, I have test-driven a number of affordable EVs. Here are the ones that are capable of impressive charging speeds.

1. Zeekr 7X