At the beginning of 2025, I became curious about the viability of electric vehicle (EV) ownership in the roughly 4800 sq. km of Trinidad. It turns out that most local car dealers have begun transitioning their offerings to hybrid and EVs, with a plethora of models in an effort to satisfy consumer tastes. Over the last year, I have visited virtually all the major car dealers, including Southern Sales, Massy Motors, Lafast Motors, ANSA Motors, Lifestyle Motors, and CAR. Below is my buying recommendation for the handful of vehicles you should primarily consider if you want an electric car.
TL;DR: For most buyers, the KIA EV3 offers the best balance of price and features from a traditional brand, or the BYD Yuan Pro is ideal for the price-conscious buyer. If you are willing to take a risk on the new brand Proton eMas 7 best overall in terms of features and price.
When choosing the top EVs, I have several considerations, but most of all, vehicles under consideration must report a WLTP range of 400 km or more and prices under $400,000 TTD.
Range: at least 400km ~
The real-world range of electric vehicles is always less than the advertised range. Based on vehicles testing by professional reviewers, including Carwow, Electrifying, What Car?, Chasing Cars, etc., most of these vehicles get between 80-90% of the advertised range. Therefore, if the initial advertised range is too low real-world range may end up impractical and small. Nobody wants a $200,000+ new car and still worry if it’s going to make it to Maracas and back on a single charge.
Price: less than $400,000
EVs are a relatively new technology and therefore come with a price premium you must accept, even with the current government VAT and duties waivers. Although this buying advice is for the average buyer, I want to include some options for those with reasonably deeper pockets. Therefore, I set a price ceiling of $400,00.
Categories
Here are 6 categories that most buyers will prioritise: Best Big EV, Best Low-Cost EV, Max Range EV, Best Tech EV, Best All-Round EV and Best Performance EV
Best BIG EVs
Price $300,000 – $400,000
| Vehicle (LxWxH) mm | Pros | Cons |
| KIA EV 5 Mid Wind $396,870.00 (~$7508 X 5 years) 4615 x 1875 x 1715 | Wide range of tech features, Attractive styling, Motorised Tailgate, Sunroof, Class-leading range 550 km per charge, Backed by a traditional car brand, Wide range of colour choices | Must get the high-priced model for all the features. Soft suspension not tuned for spirited driving. |
| Proton e.Mas 7 $299,000.00 (~$5675.12 X 5 years) 4615 x 1901 x 1670 | Lowest priced in its class, more tech and features than the KIA EV 5, stylish interior, comfortable ride, heads up display | A relatively new Chinese brand. The long-term stability of the band is unknown. Availability of parts after the warranty period is unknown, less capable in corners due to soft suspension |
| Xpeng G6 $355,000.00 (~$6716 X 5 years) 4,753 x 1,920 x | Great interior, enormous interior and cargo capacity, plenty of driver assistance tech, self-parking, ~570KM of range. Rear wheel drive. | Has full glass roof that does not open. |
| Deepal S07 $385,000 (~$ 7,283.08 x 5 years) 4750 x 1930 x 1625 | Sporty design, full of tech features and driver assistance features, ~475KM of range | Has full glass roof that does not open. Angular design may be polarising. |
| BYD Sealion 7 $395,000 (~ $ 7,472.25 x 5 years) | AWD high performance, BYD tech package, sleek design. From top selling EV brand worldwide | Brand new to the local market. Soft suspension not tuned for spirited driving. |
Best Low-Cost EVs
Price $238,000 – $300,000
| Pros | Cons | |
| BYD Yuan Pro Price: $230,000 (~$4351 X 5 years) | Class-leading performance, A brand with a long history locally and internationally. | Relatively new car brand locally and internationally, reports of quality/reliability issues in other markets. |
| MG MG4 Long Range Price: $250,000 (~$4729 X 5 years) | Class-leading range for the price. Has all the features you expect in a modern car. | Reports of software issues internationally with other models, some mechanical and electrical issues were reported by local buyers, interior below others in its category. |
| MG S5 Extended Range Price: $250,000.00 (~$4729 X 5 years) | Good size, good mix of features and tech. Very similar to MG 4 but in an SUV package. | Local buyers of this brand have reported some mechanical and electrical issues. |
| Honorable Mention | ||
| Kia EV 3 Price: $286,387 (~$5418 X 5 years) | Everything you need from a brand you can trust | $50,000+ more than other options, limited tech and features. |
| Proton e.Mas 7 $299,000.00 (~$5675.12 X 5 years) | Lowest priced in compact SUV class, more tech and features than the KIA EV 5, stylish interior, comfortable ride. Parent company owns other established brands. | A relatively new brand. The long-term viability of the brand is unknown. No self-parking feature. |
Max Range EVs
Price $250,000 – $400,000
| Pros | Cons | |
| KIA EV 5 Mid Wind $396,870.00 (~$7508 X 5 years) 550 km range | Highest claimed range of any EV locally under $400,000, all the features you could want, futuristic design | Top of the price range |
| MG 4 Long Range $250,000 (~$4729 X 5 years) 530 km range | Leading range for price class, includes all the tech and features you expect from a modern car. | Tech is not as polished as other vehicles, Lesser-known brand, recent addition to the local market |
| Xpeng G6 $355,000.00 (~$6716 X 5 years) 570 km range | Same class as Kia EV5 for less money, plenty of driver assistance tech, above average HP | New Chinese brand, only in business for 11 years. Launched locally in 2026 |
| Honourable Mention | ||
| BYD Yuan Plus GS $350,000.00 (~$6620 X 5 years) 480 km range | BYD features and tech, good size for the average buyer, wide array of colour options | Smaller size than others in its price class |
Best Tech EVs
Price $300,000 – 400,000
| Pros | Cons | |
| Mini Aceman SE $374,215.00 (~$7079 X 5 years) | More features and technology both inside and out, than others in price and size class. With self parking. Excelent sporty suspension. | Lower range than others in price and size class. |
| Proton e.Mas 7 $299,000.00 (~$5675.12 X 5 years) | All the features for the top spec Mini Aceman without self-parking tech. Does include cooled seats | Lesser-known brand locally and internationally |
| Xpeng G6 $355,000.00 (~$6716 X 5 years) | Excellent with infortainment and driver-assistance features, including self-parking technology and cooled massaging seats. | New brand locally and internationally |
| Volvo XC30 | Self-parking features, very good handling and clean modern interior | Limited back seat space. |
| Honorable Mention | ||
| BYD Brand | All their vehicles give you more features and technology, both inside and out. In their price points. | New brand locally and internationally. May have less performance than others in their class. |
Best Performance EVs
Price $270,000 – $375,000
| Pros | Cons | |
| MG MG4 X-Power $270,000.00 (~$5108 X 5 years) 429 HP | Nibblist of the high-performance EVs on the market for under $400,000. | Compact size |
| BYD Sealion 7 $395,000 (~ $ 7,472.25 x 5 years) 482 HP | AWD high performance, BYD tech package, sleek design. From one of the top-selling EV brands worldwide | Brand new to the local market. Soft suspension not tuned for spirited driving. |
| Xpeng G6 AWG $400,000 (~$7548 x 5 year) 480 HP | AWD,luxurious high-performance vehicle, best technology inside and outside. | Styling may not be for everyone |
| Honorable Mention | ||
| Volvo EX 30 $299,000.00 (~$5656 X 5 years) 268 HP | Best mix of handling and performance, from a traditional brand. At a reasonable price. | Limited back seat room. Less HP than others mentioned. Must get the higher trim levels for all the tech and driver assitance features. |
Best All Round
Price $230,000 – $400,000
| For the buyer without brand loyalty: Proton e.Mas 7 $299,000.00 (~$5675.12 X 5 years) | Best balance of features and price, with all the features you want in a modern car and none of the features you would miss. |
| For the buyer who wants something big for a great price: Xpeng G6 $355,000 (~$6716 x 5 year) | Large size, high-performance rear wheel drive and excellent range. |
| For the buyer who needs an established brand and features are not a priority: KIA EV3 $286,387 (~$5418 X 5 years) | Smaller and less feature-rich than the eMas 7 or the Sealion 7, but from a brand that more people would be comfortable buying. |
| For buyer who need performance in a large size: BYD Sealion 7 or Xpeng G6 AWD $395,000 (~ $ 7,472.25 x 5 years) | AWD power train, 450+ HP and all the features you could want in a modern car. |
| Honorable Mentions | |
| For the buyer where price is top factor: BYD Yuan Pro Price: $230,000 (~$4351 X 5 years) | Great low-cost option with all the features you need and none of the features you would miss |
| For the buyer who prefers a compact: MG 4 Long Range $250,000 (~$4729 X 5 years) 530 km range | Tech is not as polished as other vehicles, Lesser-known brand, recent addition to the local market |
For a richer overview of the local EV brands, learn more here.
For a full list of specifications and prices for these models and others not listed here.
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