The cheapest electric SUV on the market – Seres 3   

As sales falter in the EV market, could the answer be as simple as “make it cheaper”? 

At this point Chinese entries into the EV market are not a novelty, and with Tesla’s recent stumble(s) resulting in its first yearly sales decline since 2020, the winds of change are beginning to breeze over to the UK. 

Seres, sister brand to China's Dongfeng Motor, will be looking to replicate the success of compatriot BYD who capitalised on Tesla’s dip, outperforming the American brand globally towards the end of last year. Their first offering, the 3, is the first Seres available in the UK, although the mid-sized SUV has been available in Europe since 2020. 

So, now we’ve established that this isn’t an article about a Land Rover Series 3 (sorry classic SUV fans), what is there to get excited about with the Seres 3?

Well, in an EV market not currently living up to expected demand, we think Seres may be onto something. When released later this year, the Seres 3 will be the cheapest electric SUV on the market at £29,995, undercutting our current budget-friendly electric SUV of choice, the MG ZS EV, by £500. With a recent study estimating the average cost of a new EV at around £50,000, are consumers simply being priced out of the market? Could this be the solution?

As you can imagine, at this price point the stats won’t blow your mind. The single powertrain option features a 161 hp electric motor, getting its juice from a 54 kwh battery to muster 0-62 mph in just under nine seconds. Not much to say about that — it’s plenty enough to get you to the shops and back. However, a 20 – 80% charge can be done in 30 minutes, and the handy 205-mile range does one-up its entry level  MG  competitor’s 198-miles. To really give the most miles to your charge, pairing the Seres SUV 3 with some suitable EV tyres, like Michelin e.Primacy or Continental Eco Contact 5 SUV, would help deliver optimum performance. 

On the outside, the Seres 3 has quite a comforting, recognisable look, reminiscent of many SUVs circa 2017. It may not be turning heads like the space-age PURA Vision, or the retro-futuristic Rivian R2, but its inoffensive looks pass the eye test.

Step inside, and the Active trim level is the cheap and cheerful headline grabber. Despite being the lowest-priced option on the entire market, the keyless entry and startup, 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment display, and reversing camera all point towards a relatively premium feature list. Old-souls may also rejoice after spotting real tactile buttons dispersed across the minimalist faux-leather dash — a pleasant mix in a world increasingly flooded by dodgy touchscreen controls.

The Spirit trim adds a sprinkle of luxury including heated seats, a wireless phone charging pad, and a panoramic glass roof. No longer the cheapest, but still very reasonable for £31,995.

Overall, it looks like the Seres 3 represents pretty good value for money, but would a true budget SUV tempt you to trade combustion for electric power, and help to spark the EV market back to life?

Hero image credit: IA