Best 7-seater electric cars 2023

► Cars with seven seats and zero emissions
► Choice of SUVs and some van-tastic alternatives
► Variety of brands and price-points available

Electric seven-seaters are perfect for larger families trapped in emissions-controlled areas. They also suit average families with lots of friends and plenty of luggage to cart around – providing they don’t need to travel the length of the country in one go.

Seven seater electric cars have grown in popularity over the past couple of years, with brands like Volkswagen and Peugeot accelerating their development by bolting seats into the rear of their electric vans. However, if you want something a little less utilitarian, companies such as Tesla and Mercedes also offer seven-seat pure-electric SUVs.

As with all electric cars, though, it’s important to make sure you can live with the limitations. Make sure you have somewhere convenient to charge it before you buy and weigh up whether the EV’s maximum range is sufficient for you daily driving needs. Otherwise, you could end up buying a very expensive headache.

Also, unless your rationale for going electric is purely ethical, think about whether the lower running costs versus a petrol or diesel car (in the form of cheaper fuel, maintenance, road tax and company car tax) will offset the higher purchase price of an EV for you. You might not be covering enough miles to make it worth your while – in which case, you’d be better off with a combustion-engined seven-seater instead.

Best seven-seater electric cars 2023

The EQB is one of the more sensible options here. It’s a pure-electric version of the utterly pragmatic Mercedes GLB, which means it shares the same level of equipment and the same passenger carrying ability. The rearmost seating row is only suitable for children, but there’s enough room everywhere else for most adults to get comfortable.

It also drives much like the petrol-powered GLB, while its 66.5kWh battery pack gives it a very reasonable range of 260 miles. That should be more than enough for daily family duties – but if you get caught short on a longer journey, it supports 100kW DC rapid charging which can top the battery up to 80 percent capacity in around 30 minutes.

Tesla took a different approach when it designed its seven-seat electric SUV. Rather than building a square box and filling it with seats, it took the same swoopy silhouette as the Model S saloon, jacked it up on tall suspension and fitted a pair of “look at me” vertically opening Falcon Wing rear doors.

The Model X’s image might be a love-or-hate affair, but you can’t discredit its capability. Buy the entry-level Dual Motor variant, and you’ll get a maximum range of 348 miles and a 0–60mph time of 3.8 seconds. Opt for the flagship Plaid variant and the latter figure drops to a supercar slaying 2.5 seconds – and you’ll still be able to travel more than 300 miles on a single charge!

Another entry from Mercedes – but this time it’s a posh van with windows. It features the same plush interior as the Mercedes V-Class, but its diesel engine and fuel tank has been swapped for a 201bhp electric motor and a 90kWh battery pack. Potter around like a middle-class school run parent and you’ll eke more than 200 miles out of the system.

Sure, it isn’t the fastest option on this list – but it is one of the most comfortable. It’s loaded with luxury touches like leather-trimmed captain’s chairs, electrically operated sliding doors, pillowy air suspension and a Burmester sound system. Prices start from £82,670, though. For that money, it should be luxurious.

4. Peugeot e-Rifter

Now, we’re heading to the other end of the electric van-based MPV spectrum. The Peugeot Rifter is a lot more affordable than the EQV, costing a comparatively paltry £32,300. It a lot less luxurious – and its 50kWh battery pack means it only has an official WLTP range of 172 miles – but it represents good value for money if you find yourself only making local journeys.

It’s a practical thing, too. There’s plenty of space on the inside and all the plastics are hard-wearing, which means they should stand up to the trials of family life well. It’s also quite comfortable. The suspension is supple enough to iron out the worst potholes and you sink into the seats like you would a waterbed. And if you don’t like the Peugeot badge, you can always opt for the mechanically identical Vauxhall Combo Life Electric or Citroen e-Berlingo.

The Vauxhall Vivaro Life Electric comes from the same family of vehicles as the Peugeot e-Rifter – it’s just a bit bigger. It shares the same 50kWh battery pack and 134bhp electric motor as its smaller sibling which, because it’s hauling around a larger vehicle, returns a rather measly official maximum range of 143 miles. Still, that’s enough for the average daily school run and commute.

Like the Rifter, the Vivaro’s biggest selling point is space. You can squeeze nine passengers into the cheapest Combi variant, while the Ultimate specification is available with six captain’s chairs, turning it into a cut-price rival for the luxurious Mercedes EQV.

The ID. Buzz is Volkswagen’s pure-electric homage to the iconic Microbus from the 1960s. It shares the same cutesy styling as the classic, but the same MEB platform as the brand’s latest electric cars. That gives it a maximum range of 258 miles and an output of 201bhp – and there’s a big battery version of the way that should be able to cover more than 300 miles.

Our complaints are two-fold. First off, it’s quite expensive, with prices starting from around £57,000. Also, the seven-seat variant hasn’t hit the market yet – but it’s in the pipeline. Still, if you want a fun family bus that turns heads everywhere it goes, this is a great option.