Best Electric Cars with Seven Seats

Keeping a cap on costs when you already have a need to transport lots of people might seem a challenge on paper, but the latest breed of seven-seat electric cars prove versatility and frugality can go hand-in-hand.

Indeed, not only is it reassuring to know that the latest breed of zero emission, all-electric cars aren’t all consigned to a mere five seats, these seven-seaters also happen to be some of the most appealing models you can get your hands on.

Better yet, having seven seats doesn’t simply mean an extra two chairs squeezed into the boot.

Many have been designed to accommodate more passengers from the outset, so combine passenger carrying flexibility with room to spare, while battery location can often work in a car’s favour when it comes to maximising space.

Moreover, if you don’t need to use the rearmost row all the time, folding or removing the extra two seats often leaves a cavernous boot behind.

Couple that with the penny-pinching running costs of battery power and these electric seven-seat cars start to make a lot of economic sense…

Best Seven-Seater Electric Cars

Hyundai IONIQ 9

Hyundai is on a run of launching cars that make bold statements out on the road, and the new Hyundai IONIQ 9 is absolutely no exception.

This will come as no surprise to anyone that has clapped eyes on the Hyundai Santa Fe, which doubles up as the conventionally fuelled sister to this electric-only version, but the IONIQ 9 does strike a more elegant pose by comparison despite its boxy proportions.

It’s inside where the IONIQ 9 comes into its own, however, by justifying its status as the flagship of Hyundai’s line-up. The design is simple yet functional – not to mention impeccably built and generously equipped - while a real effort has been made to maximise the feeling of space and airiness.

At over five metres long, the IONIQ 9 isn’t small by any means, but it ensures all three rows (for a total of six or seven seats) offer generous head and legroom, while access to the rearmost seats is easy.

Not only that but there is still a decent amount of boot space even with all the perches in place at 338-litres but begin folding them and this can grow to a van-rivalling 2,419-litres.

Better yet, in Long Range trim, the IONIQ 9 is capable of travelling up to 385-miles on a combined cycle (WLTP).

Kia EV9

It speaks a lot to the ambition of Kia that it chose a vast seven-seat SUV as the second model to come from its dedicated line of electric ‘EV’ models.

Indeed, it wasn’t all that long ago Kia was better known for value-added mainstream models, but the shift to electric has encouraged the Korean marque to go bold and the Kia EV9 is a true sign of just how far the manufacturer has come in such a short time.

Sister model to the IONIQ 9, the EV9 forges its own signature design path in-keeping with what is now a comprehensive and recognisable range of Kia EV models.

Practicality sits at the heart of the EV9’s appeal, its cavernous interior capable of seating up to seven people in comfort while still dedicating space (333-litres in the boot) for their luggage.

It’s not just the increased seating that makes the EV9 versatile, however, with clear thought paid to maximising flexibility through storage spaces, while all seats have a wide range of adjustment.

On the road, the EV9 packs a 99.8kWh battery that is capable of returning between 315-349-miles of range (WLTP).

Mercedes-Benz EQB

It has the biggest and most comprehensive range of any manufacturer, so it is perhaps no surprise that Mercedes-Benz has made space in its line-up to offer one of the few seven-seat electric cars on the market.

Indeed, the Mercedes-Benz EQB is proof that the German marque is committed to putting families first by fitting an extra row in one of its more affordable electric models, unlike the five-seat BMW iX1 and Audi Q4 e-tron.

A direct spin-off from the GLB, the EQB shares a similar shape and profile, but the clue to its electric underpinnings are given away by a distinctive patterned front grille and a full-width light bar. There is no mistaking the premium interior though, which offers the typical blend of style and quality synonymous with Mercedes-Benz.

It gives away more than 300mm to the IONIQ 9 and EV9 in external measurements, so this is reflected inside with a third row that’s best reserved for children but fold the rearmost row and 495-litre boot is well-sized.

The 70.5kWh battery available in EQB 250+ trim proves durable with up to 321-miles of range quoted on a WLTP cycle, while the four-wheel drive 66.5kWh EQB 300 sees this reduced to 255-miles.

Volvo EX90

It’s a testament to just how enduring the Volvo XC90 large SUV has been that its state-of-the-art, all-electric equivalent, the Volvo EX90, hasn’t steered too far away from a familiar-looking formula.

Indeed, there is no mistaking its muse, though the EX90 presents itself as a modernised XC90 with a clean, unfussy design that oozes a Scandic sophistication that is quintessential Volvo.

This is where the similarities end though. Under the skin sits Volvo’s bespoke SPA2 electric architecture, which is mated to either a single-motor 92kWh battery or a twin-motor 106kWh battery.

Vast in size and rapid in performance, EX90 also delivers in terms of range with up to 378-miles quoted in its WLTP figures on certain models.

Better yet, the EX90 has a full complement of seven seats with each proving comfortable and as lavishly appointed as you’d expect from the premium Swedish marque.

Peugeot E-5008

What sets the Peugeot E-5008 apart is not that it is an electric family SUV with seven-seats, it’s that it’s also available as the Peugeot 5008 with a more conventional hybrid or plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain.

It puts the E-5008’s credentials as a flexible and versatile seven-seater to the fore by allowing the customer to do their sums and apply the powertrain that works best for them.

In electric trim, however, the E-5008 represents an enticing prospect with its choice of either a 73kWh or 97kWh battery capable of 308-miles and 413-miles of range respectively (WLTP).

Inside, the E-5008’s third row is ideal for children, while there is plenty of headroom all round for adults to be comfortable. Even with seven seats in place, the boot is a useful 348-litres, rising to 916-litres when converted into five-seat mode.

The largest mainstream model in Peugeot’s range, the E-5008 gets the most sophisticated interpretation of the manufacturer’s state-of-the-art i-Cockpit design, which is both ergonomic to use and screwed together to a high standard.

While not the largest seven-seat electric SUV on the market, it makes the E-5008 more manoeuvrable and easier to park, without sacrificing practicality.

Better yet, it is also a good chunk cheaper than other models in this ranking with prices starting at just under £40,000*.

Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV

The Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV holds rank as the larger of the German marque’s two electric seven-seat offerings, while it also sits among the higher-end models in its expansive line-up.

Billed as an electric-powered variation of the GLS, the EQS SUV also shares a badge and running gear with the EQS Saloon even if they go about their design approach in very different ways.

In SUV guise, the EQS commands a lot of presence on the road, the statement three-pointed star-adorning grille and smooth profile accentuated by its sheer size from end-to-end.

Big external dimensions translate to generous interior space, the EQS SUV differing from the five-seat GLS by adding a third row for a full complement of seven seats.

Three power variations of an enormous 118kWh battery are available delivering 355bhp, 537bhp or 649bhp. While the former is capable of hitting 62mph in little more than six seconds, you’ll need no more than five seconds in the lattermost options.

Range varies depending on which power output you choose but Mercedes quotes between 372 and 398-miles (WLTP) on a combined cycle.

As well the bonus of two more seats, the EQS is as lavishly appointed as its Premium Plus, Business Class and First-Class trim levels would have you believe, making it something of a unique luxury seven-seat prospect.

Volkswagen ID.Buzz

It was a brave move by Volkswagen to attempt an ambitious reboot of the classic Camper Van, but the result – the VW ID. Buzz – is a triumph of nostalgic charm and modern substance.

Drawing on one of history’s most recognisable automotive designs as inspiration, the ID. Buzz is a faithful and funky tribute to its ancestor with its two-tone paint options, signature blunt front-end profile and squared off rear quarter.

The modern retro theme continues inside where a pared back dashboard layout gives priority for maximising space up front and improve flexibility for the rear passenger sections.

Also available with the choice of five or six seats, it is the seven-seat ID.Buzz in long wheelbase configuration that we are focusing on here.

Sliding doors and a wide aperture at the rear boosts the ID. Buzz accessibility traits, making it as suitable for anyone with mobility considerations as it is for growing families.

Space doesn’t come at the expense of style, however, with a generous 306-litres of boot room available with all seven seats in place, growing to well over 1,000-litres.

Citroen e-Berlingo, Peugeot E-Rifter,

Toyota Proace City Verso, Vauxhall Combo Life Electric

If your priority is passenger carrying capacity above all else, a seven-seat electric car based on practical, yet economical van architecture makes a lot of sense.

The standouts are the mechanically identical Citroen e-Berlingo, Peugeot E-Rifter, Toyota Proace City Verso EV and Vauxhall Combo Life Electric, which between them are the cheapest seven-seat electric cars on sale.

So, while they might clearly put function over form with their unapologetic commercial vehicle origins, their sheer value as spacious people-movers is undisputed.

In fact, this quartet might be based on ‘small vans’ as they are known, but despite taking up relatively little room on the road, they are vast on the inside.

Leg and headroom is plentiful all round, while folding the rearmost row opens-up a huge 1050-litres of boot space.

Better yet, the sliding doors offer excellent flexibility and easy access, making them a particular favourite among those with mobility needs or for transporting young children.

Each comes with the same 52kWh battery, the result of the models being based on an identical platform, which offers up to 210-miles of range (WLTP).

Aesthetically, each model gets its own front-end identity and while there is no mistaking those tall, boxy van-dictated lines, there is still a certain charm about these honest, no-nonsense MPVs.

* Prices correct at the time of writing