With consumer concerns about rising car prices mounting and interest in electric vehicles rising because of elevated gas prices, automakers are showing off several EVs that start around $35,000 or less at the 2026 New York Auto Show.
The annual New York City car confab is taking place as the average price of a new car reached $49,275 in March 2026, which is the most recent data available, according to Cox Automotive’s Kelley Blue Book. The figure was up 3.5% from March 2025.
The average price of a new electric car was $54,508 in March 2026, which Kelley Blue Book said was 2.8% lower than the average EV price in March 2025.
“The numbers this month also show that the industry’s near-$50,000 ATP [Average Transaction Price] is reflective of a market that favors large, expensive vehicles,” Erin Keating, executive analyst at Cox Automotive, said in a statement. “While affordable vehicles still exist, the demand continues to be concentrated in higher-priced segments.”
Here are three electric cars starting at $35,000 or less that automakers spotlighted at the New York Auto Show.
1. Nissan Leaf
List price: $29,990
Nissan said in a news release: “With over 15 years of proven dependability and the customer insights of almost 700,000 global sales, the all-new LEAF builds on the model’s DNA of reliable, affordable and attractive EV ownership, delivering strong value for the mass-market.”
2. Fiat 500e Icona
List price: $34,745
Fiat said in a news release the 500e Icona is “an all-new, all-electric take on the FIAT brand’s most storied and iconic model.” The company added that “the two-door fully electric 500e is the lightest passenger BEV [battery electric vehicle] in the segment, boasting an EPA-estimated combined range of up to 149 miles (240 kilometers), enabled by a 42-KWh battery with a Level 2 (11-kW) charge time of six hours.”
3. Chevrolet Equinox EV
List price: $33,600
Chevrolet says on its website the Equinox EV is “America’s most affordable 315+ mile range EV.”
Reporting by Keith Laing, USA TODAY. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.
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