Looking For A Cost Effective Alternative To The Ford Mustang Mach-E? This EV Might Be Worth Checking Out

It might be burdened by its muscle-car-derived name, but the Mustang Mach-E has turned out to be a pretty capable electric vehicle. There are high-performance GT versions, an off-road rally-ready edition, and several upscale trim levels, all with lots to like. And while the base model Mustang Mach-E is one of the least-expensive EVs currently on sale in the U.S., the higher-end trims can be pretty pricey.  

At the time of writing, the base-trim Mach-E Select is $39,795 (including a $1,995 destination fee). That's a reasonable price, especially when you consider any tax incentives you might be eligible for. Conversely, the Mach-E Rally has an MSRP of $59,285, and that's before you add options like Ford's hands-free driving system, BlueCruise, which costs an additional $2,000. 

If you're looking for cheap electric motoring, there are a few options worth considering. The first is buying a used EV. There are some potential issues with buying a used electric vehicle, but recent reports indicate that EVs are losing as much as half of their value in the first year of ownership. So, you could get a steal of a deal if you go second-hand. If you want to go new, though, the Nissan Leaf is currently the least-expensive new EV you can buy. It has some drawbacks compared to the Mach-E, but the price savings just might be worth it.

Nissan has revealed a new version of the Leaf, but while we wait for its arrival, the current Leaf offers some decent value for the money. Pricing for the Leaf is significantly lower than the Mach-E, and that's its biggest advantage. The base Leaf S has an MSRP of $29,280 (including a $1,140 destination fee), which is around $10,000 less than the base Mach-E. 

Before you shell out cash for a Leaf, though, know that it won't go as far on a single charge as a Mach-E, which has pretty respectable range estimates. According to the EPA, extended-battery versions of the Mach-E have as much as 320 miles of available range on a full charge. Other versions drop to around 250 or 230 miles on a single charge. Don't expect to go nearly as far on a single charge with the Leaf. The EPA estimates that the Leaf S will go as far as 149 miles on a single charge, while the Leaf SV extends that to 212 miles. 

The Leaf also takes a hit when it comes to cargo space. From nose to tail, the Leaf is about a foot shorter than the Mach-E, and the Leaf offers 23.6 cubic feet of cargo space compared to the Ford's 34.4 cubic feet. If you aren't looking for maximum luggage room, the Leaf's trunk should be plenty adequate, but larger families will likely lean toward the Ford.

With such a low starting price, it's reasonable to think of the Leaf as a bare-bones EV, and you wouldn't be entirely wrong if you made that assumption. It does, however, have a number of standard features worth mentioning. The base Leaf S only has a small 40-kWh battery (hence the limited range), but it gets driver aids like blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, and automatic emergency braking. An 8-inch center display is standard on all Leaf models, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth connectivity, and four USB ports for charging your devices.

If the standard Leaf doesn't provide enough creature comforts for you, the upgraded SV Plus might be more appealing. For an MSRP of $37,330, the SV Plus gets a 60-kWh battery with 212 miles of range, more power (214 horsepower compared to the Leaf S' 147 horses), and lots of extra features. Heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, LED exterior lights, a power-adjustable driver's seat, a six-speaker stereo (the S gets just four speakers), adaptive cruise control, and a 360-degree camera are all available on the SV Plus. It's not quite as luxurious as the Mach-E, especially not compared to the Ford's upper levels, but the Leaf might just offer the cost-cutting EV experience you're looking for.