If there is one topic set to polarise opinions, electric cars have to be up there alongside touchy subjects like politics and religion. Whichever camp you support, there’s bound to be strong arguments against what you believe in. Sitting on the fence doesn't help either - you’ll soon find yourself sucked in debates you never signed up for.

EVs are perfect ice breakers in any conversation, but step on the wrong tail and exchanges might get heated. Why drive cars powered by dinosaur juice? Why waste fuel sitting in traffic jams? While EV skeptics will question: why drive cars that weigh so much? Are you sure you’re going to Malaysia with this? Why buy EVs instead of waiting for hydrogen fuel cell cars?

Perhaps the middle ground within this EV debate involves compromise. Opt for EVs that serve dedicated, functional purposes, rather than target those that seemingly strive to be at the pinnacle of every numerical arms race. Playing this game is a tough ask in Singapore with taxes so prohibitive, but we’ve found a couple of less mainstream EVs, in Singapore’s context, on Carousell’s used car classifieds - some that might convert EV skeptics even!

2020 Renault Zoe

Making an EV small and compact takes tremendous effort, but Renault has gone to great lengths to make the Zoe a success. It’s based on the flexible Renault-Nissan B platform that served the Nissan March right through to the NV200 van.

Early production Zoes in 2012 had a 22kWh battery, increasing to 52kWh which is good for, according to this listing, 350km on a full charge. It might weigh as much as an ICE-powered SUV, but with dimensions as compact as a Honda Jazz, city driving will be an effortless affair.

2023 Mazda MX-30

Less competitive charging speeds and range that some might consider a dealbreaker are not ideal starting points, but that’s not what the Mazda MX-30 aims to achieve right from the get-go. Sure, it uses sustainable materials like cork and fabric made from recycled bottles. Even its clamshell doors are so cool that near non-existent rear seats can be forgiven.

But its trump card will be how right-sized it is for city driving. Sized closer to the CX-3 than CX-5, it’s built for sleek city hooning. Mazda’s ICE-powered cars are known to have a more voracious appetite for revs, but this emotive part of the equation makes way for more city-centric relevance. Well played.

2022 Golden Dragon ABS van

Hear us out - if a product is not meant to look sleek, why not go all out making it boxy and practical? 6,500 litres of cargo capacity is serious business. Pair it with 15 inch rims and there you have a no frills transport for heavy duty logistical tasks.

The Golden Dragon ABS van isn’t the last work in excitement and it’s far from competitive technologically, with a 50kWh lithium-ion battery good for 230km of range. But leave it plugged in overnight with a 7kW charger and never pay a visit to the kiosks ever again.

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