Best family electric cars 2024: practical seven seater EVs tested

When shopping for a new electric car it’s easy to be swayed by the EV with the cleverest technology or the most performance. But, more often than not, it’s the less glamorous factor of practicality that is the most important to get right.

That’s why we have lined up our favourite practical family EVs for you to consider. There’s a surprising lack of seven-seat electric cars available in 2024, but this sector of the market is thankfully growing, albeit slowly.

There’s the huge Kia EV9 or the more compact but still highly practical Peugeot E-5008, both of which can seat seven adults in comfort. Tesla has just introduced a seven-seat option to the Model Y (which was previously missing from the UK market), and the Mercedes EQB is also available with seating for seven. Or how about the Volkswagen ID.Buzz, complete with its super-cool retro styling?

Which plug-in people-mover is best for you? Read on to discover our favourites.

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Independent rating: 7/10

It’s big and it’s bulky – we might even say unapologetically so – but there’s something thoroughly enticing about the look of the Kia EV9. It is futurism done right; distinctive without offending, and housing a cavernous interior built for seven full-size adult. The EV9 is also a signal of intent from Kia; a sign that it is confident enough to head up-market and charge £70,000 for a car wearing a badge once known for nothing more than great value and long warranties.

The EV9 has stamina too, thanks massive battery and decent efficiency – especially at lower speeds – and a claimed maximum range of over 340 miles. And because it uses the same 800-volt electrical system as other Kia EVs, it charges quickly too, filling from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 20 minutes.

Read our full Kia EV9 review

Naturally, the EV9 feels like a very large car, especially when driven through smaller town and city streets – and you’ll have to be careful picking parking spaces, that’s for sure. But that’s par for the course when considering a seven-seater on this scale. The interior has some cheaper materials, which can be a touch disappointing given the price, but the infotainment tech works well and the front seats in particular and very comfortable. Interestingly, a six-seat version (three rows of two) is also available, freeing up extra space for the second and third rows.

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Independent rating: 6/10

You should consider the new EX90 as an all-electric equivalent the iconic Volvo XC90. It’s a beautifully designed SUV oozing with Scandi cool and packed with tech – including a Lidar sensor mounted above the windscreen, so that the car’sfsafety systems can scan the road ahead.

Quiet and comfortable, the Volvo EX90 wowed us with its sensational (and standard-fit) 25-speaker sound system by Bowers & Wilkins, complete with Dolby Atmos surround sound. We were also impressed by the big Volvo’s comfort and interior space, and it has a claimed range of 374 miles, plus rapid charging for its massive battery. Hook it up to an equally powerful charger, and the EX90 will fill its battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 30 minutes.

Read our full Volvo EX90 review

The third row of seats offers plenty of space for children, and even adults can clamber into the back for shorter journeys. Parents will love how Volvo’s brilliant integrated child booster seat pops out of the armrest in the centre of the second row. We were also impressed by the EX90’s boot space, at 310 litres – about the same as a Ford Fiesta – with all seven seats occupied. Fold the third row down (electronically) and this increases to 655 litres.

The car’s Android-based infotainment system is controlled via a big, 14.5-inch central touchscreen. It works well, but using this to control everything from the door mirrors, steering wheel position and even the glovebox can be frustrating.

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Independent rating: 8/10

Strangely, the Tesla Model Y wasn’t available with a seven-seat interior option in the UK until November 2024. The extra chairs could be ordered in other markets, but not here. Thankfully, Tesla has righted this wrong and now sells the Model Y with a third row of seats that folds out from the boot floor.

The rest of the Model Y is just as before, meaning good range and efficiency, access to Tesla’s excellent charging network and great navigation tech. There’s no Apple CarePlay or Android Auto, but if you lean into Tesla’s own system you’ll realise just how well everything works, from the navigation system to the smartphone app and even the games and video streaming apps available to keep you entertained at the charger.

Read our full Tesla Model Y review

The ride is a little firm and we wish Tesla would fit a driver display behind the steering wheel. But otherwise there’s plenty to like here. Claimed maximum range is comfortably over 300 miles for all variants of Model Y, and there’s plenty of performance on offer too. The entry-level car with a single motor and rear-wheel-drive is our pick of the bunch, since it offers the most range (up to 373 miles) and perfectly adaquete performance (0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds). Be aware, however, that a new version of the Model Y is expected to launch soon.

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Independent rating: 8/10

The E-5008 is an EV that gets a lot right. It looks good, has a great interior with room for seven, and promises a fantastic range of over 400 miles when the larger of two battery options arrives in the coming months. The seven-seat electric Peugeot also packs in a lot of kit as standard, and despite the size it returns an impressive efficiency across a variety of roads.

Even the smaller battery option, wit a capacity of 73 kWh, has a claimed maximum range of 311 miles, and with 160 kW charging it fills back up quickly. Peugeot says a top-up from 20 to 80 per cent takes 30 minutes.

Read our full Peugeot E-5008 review

The E-5008 performs the clever trick of never feeling massive from behind the wheel – and more does it have the Kia EV9’s slab-sided styling – yet it fits seven adults, or five plus an impressive 748 litres of boot capacity with the third row is folded flat. We liked the interior too; it’s packed with funky, interesting styling and features three digital displays, plus there’s wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto too, plus wireless phone charging as standard.

It’s quite a bit more expensive than the 5008 hybrid, but the EV’s fantastic range helps makeup for that. Especially when charging at home can cost from well under £2 per 100 miles.

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Independent rating: 7/10

Those in search of an up-market, seven-seat EV should check out the Mercedes EQB. This plug-in family mover promises just over 300 miles of maximum range from its big battery, and a respectable (though not market-leading) charge speed of up to 100 kW. There are two models of EQB, one with a single motor and another with two motors (meaning all-wheel-drive) and a bit of extra power. Despitethe extra punch, even the pricier model isn’t particularly quick, and nor did we find it exciting to drive.

That said, the EQB delivers plush practicality, with an interior that looks sophisticated and premium, with smart ambient lighting and a pair of high-quality digital displays. Comfortable and refined, the EQB has a roomy cabin and an upright driving position that makes you feel like you’re actually in a bigger car than you really are. There’s loads of headroom too, and even the middle-seat passenger on the second row shouldn’t feel too squashed.

Read our full Mercedes EQB review

The all-important third row seats are smaller, but still perfectly good enough for adults on short journeys, or for children every day. Ultimately, the EQB isn’t the most glamorous or exciting EV around, but it is one of the most practical and one of few with seven seats. Even if you don’t need every seat all of the time, it’s good to know you have the capacity when it’s needed – and a huge boot with 1,700 litres of capacity, with the third row folded down, the rest of the time.

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Independent rating: 7/10

Here’s a bit of a left-field choice. The Peugeot e-Rifter may be based on a van, but you’d be hard-pushed to realise right away – and it even has a set of “three-claw” daytime running lights like those of Peugeot’s Le Mans race car. The rest of the styling is more SUV than van, while lower-body cladding adds protection as well as a rugged cool factor.

At just over £30,000, this EV represents great value for money, especially when you consider the seven-seat practicality on offer. It really is vast inside – as you’d expect, given the van DNA – but be aware that only the extended version comes with seven seats instead of five.

Read our full Peugeot e-Rifter review

Range is quite limited, with a claimed maximum of just 199 miles. But for ferrying a large family around – or giving your kids and their friends a lift to school – it’s hard to knock this practical Peugeot. A maximum charge rate of 100 kW is fairly average these days, and in ideal conditions the battery fills from empty to 80 per cent in 40 minutes.

Inside, as well as acres of space you’ll find Peugeot’s trademark small steering wheel, a nicely contoured dashboard and lots of handy stowage options.

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Independent rating: 8/10

We could almost recommend the adorable ID.Buzz on looks alone, given how fun it is to look at and be seen in. But there’s more to Volkswagen’s seven-seat EV than a heady dose of retro cool. Although based on a van, this is a fairly refined seven-seat EV that drives with near car-like comfort levels. It is a big thing though, especially when you factor in the extra 250 mm in length for the seven-seat version (as standard it has seating for five).

The longer, seven-seat Buzz gets a larger battery with a capacity of 86 kWh and a maximum claimed range of 291 miles. It also charges more quickly than the smaller battery, with a maximum refill rate of 200 kW and the ability to charge from five to 80 per cent in around 30 minutes.

Read our full Volkswagen ID.Buzz review

Although not agile or in any way sporty, the ID.Buzz wins points for giving every occupant a superb view out, while ride comfort is impressive from every seat – quite the achievement, given it’s based on a commercial van. The van underpinnings also make for a hugely practical interior, with handy sliding doors, lots of stowage space, big door bins, loads of charging ports and plenty of cup holders. Interior quality isn’t the best, but this is a family-friendly people-mover, not a luxury limo.

Boto space is good too, as you’d expect. There’s 306 litres with all seven seats in use, rising to 1,121 litres when the third row is folded flat. Points are lost due to Volkswagen’s lacklustre infotainment system, but thankfully there’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to act as a decent substitute, and the stereo is decent enough. It’s not perfect, but the ID.Buzz is a car that makes everyone smile.

Our favourite seven-seat EV right now is the Kia EV9. It wowed us with its design the moment we saw it, and has continued to impress ever since. It drives well and is wonderful refined, while the massive interior has plenty of space for seven adults, plus a decent boot. It also charges quickly, drives efficiently (for a car this large, at least) and has a good range, too.

As with many EVs, the more powerful dual-motor variant is seriously quick – perhaps needlessly so for a seven-seat family bus – while the interior tech is nicely judged, without too much of a reliance on the touchscreen. The EV9 is very large though, and while that is part of the deal with buying a seven-seater, it can be tricky to park in tighter spaces – especially if you need to unload six passengers through all four doors without mishap.

We also like the Peugeot e-5008, which is a bit smaller than the Kia but still seats seven in relative comfort. It has a huge range of over 400 miles when bought with the bigger of two battery options, making it a fantastic option for family road-trips.

Lastly, the Tesla Model Y is now also a contender, thanks to it finally gaining a seven-seat option for the UK market. That said, we know a new Model Y, codenamed Juniper, will be announced soon. It is expected to have a redesign similar to that of the current Model 3, plus a revamped interior and potentially even more range too.