It's fairly easy to add a second motor to an EV, giving it four-wheel drive. Now, there are plenty of 4x4 EVs that can pull you out of sticky situations.
Whether you're tackling all weathers or hauling a trailer, an electric car with four-wheel drive is a practical, flexible option that can help reduce your environmental impact.
Here are 10 of the best electric 4x4s you can buy.
Kia EV9
- Range – up to 349 miles
- Towing capacity – up to 2,500kg
The Kia EV9 is a big car with an even bigger list of talents. It's powerful, well-built and absolutely enormous inside. It's upright and boxy like a traditional off-roader, but the styling details help it look bang up to date. The cabin sells itself with a modern dual-screen infotainment setup and plush materials, but the most impressive feature is simply the sheer amount of space available. Tall adults can fit in all three rows, leaving a boot that's still larger than most family hatchbacks – or you can fold the seats to turn the EV9 into an electric van.
Search used Kia electric cars or read our Kia EV9 review
Mercedes EQB
- Range – up to 321 miles
- Towing capacity – up to 1,700kg
The Mercedes EQB might be one letter below the posh EQC, but its practical, boxy body shape means it squeezes seven seats into its comparatively compact frame. Front-wheel-drive 250+ models achieve the best range figures, but trading up to the four-wheel-drive 350 version brings a substantial increase in performance and more towing capacity. Inside, plush materials, ambient lighting and high-tech infotainment displays remind you why this battery-powered Mercedes costs a little more than most rivals.
Take a look at used Mercedes EQB cars or read our Mercedes EQB review
Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Range – up to 354 miles
- Towing capacity – up to 1,600kg
A quick glance at the Hyundai Ioniq 5 might leave you thinking it's just a hatchback. Get closer, however, and you'll spot the slightly raised ride height and chunky dimensions that make this a real-deal SUV. Sadly, the rugged, lifted, plastic-clad XRT model is currently exclusive to North America, but you can still get a rapid dual-motor version in the UK and, once you've equipped it with some grippy all-terrain tyres, it should be able to go a decent distance off road. All the typical Ioniq 5 benefits remain including its massive cabin and straightforward dashboard.
Browse used Hyundai Ioniq 5 cars or read our Hyundai Ioniq 5 review
Ford Explorer
- Range – up to 374 miles
- Towing capacity – up to 1,200kg
Ford's latest electric family SUV borrows the name of its American petrol-powered cousin, but UK Explorers are actually based on an electric platform shared with the Volkswagen ID.4. The largest 79kWh battery means a range well north of 300 miles, whether you pick the 286hp rear-wheel-drive version or the dual-motor 340hp version. The latter is the best choice if you plan to tackle some light off roading in your Explorer, though be prepared for a drop in range if you fit grippy off-road tyres. On the plus side, it's very spacious with room for a family of four and all their holiday gear, plus a handy 17-litre centre storage area between the front seats.
Shop used Ford Explorer cars or read our Ford Explorer review
Mercedes G-Class Electric
- Range – up to 294 miles
- Towing capacity – TBC
The Mercedes G-Class is unlike any other model in the brand's lineup, surviving in the same form mostly unchanged since the '70s. You can now get this legendary off-roader with a full battery-electric setup replacing the whacking-great petrol V8s normally find under the bonnet. Don't go thinking it's turned into a tree-hugger, however, because the G-Class Electric has four powerful motors – one for each individual wheel – totalling 579hp and a frankly bonkers 1,164Nm of torque. Of course, being both heavy and shaped like a brick, you'll only get around 290 miles from its huge 116kWh battery pack on a full charge.
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Smart #5
- Range – up to 366 miles
- Towing capacity – up to 1,600kg
You might be familiar with Smart's tiny city cars, but the brand has recently expanded its lineup – literally – to include larger, family-friendly options. The biggest car it currently offers is the Smart #5, which is a spacious family SUV with lots of passenger and cargo space. That's not exactly unique in the electric SUV world but, if you spec your #5 in high-end Summit Edition trim, you'll get extra off-road styling and driving modes. Summit Edition models are also the only ones to be offered with a tow bar if you want to pull a trailer. Oh and… did we mention it has nearly 600hp, giving preposterous levels of performance?
Search used Smart cars or read our Smart reviews
Volvo EX30 Cross Country
- Range – up to 265 miles
- Towing capacity – up to 1,600kg
Take the standard Volvo EX30 for a spin and you'll find it's a likeable compact electric SUV that feels geared towards on-road driving. The Swedish brand wants to prove it's not just a boulevard cruiser, however, with the new Cross Country package, which adds chunky plastic cladding and a raised ride height to cope with scruffy surfaces and rutted roads. You'll find the range-topping dual-motor setup under the car's body, which means a mighty 422hp output and a zippy 0-62mph time of just 3.7 seconds – proper supercar territory.
View used Volvo cars or read our Volvo EX30 review
Audi Q6 e-tron
- Range – up to 392 miles
- Towing capacity – up to 2,400kg
The Audi Q6 e-tron is one of the first four-ringed models to launch since the brand ditched its controversial double-digit model naming strategy. So not only does it make more sense on paper, it also makes sense as a battery-powered off-roader. The Q6's extra ground clearance means it's less likely to get stuck when travelling off the beaten track, and you have the option of a grippy Sport quattro dual-motor version with a burly 388hp output and a 0-62mph time that'll give most hot hatches a run for their money.
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Suzuki e Vitara
- Range – up to 264 miles
- Towing capacity – up to 750kg
By the numbers, the Suzuki e Vitara doesn't especially stand out versus other cars on this list. That's before you consider that it's one of the few small SUV options here, and dramatically undercuts the Volvo EX30 on price. Like the Volvo, it's also one of the very few small electric SUVs that's offered with dual-motor all-wheel drive. As a result, it performs surprisingly well off road, aided by features like hill-descent control and Trail mode, which shuffles power from side to side to stop the car spinning wheels in the mud. The dual-motor version is probably the one we'd pick anyway as it's noticeably faster than single-motor cars.
Find used Suzuki cars or read our Suzuki e Vitara review
BMW iX1
- Range – up to 293 miles
- Towing capacity – up to 1,200kg
The BMW iX1 is another SUV with a clear focus on on-road performance, but you can still pick a punchy dual-motor four-wheel-drive version. All models have decent ground clearance so you don't have to worry about scuffing your BMW's posh bodywork if you use the occasional dirt track. Picking the 4x4 xDrive model also means plentiful performance if you mash the throttle, with the 0-62mph sprint completed in a hot-hatch-like 5.6 seconds. Inside, you get the latest BMW cabin tech with big infotainment screens and ambient lighting.
See used BMW iX1 cars for sale or read our BMW iX1 review
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