Friends

Electric Car and Charger

A little EV that teaches big habits, no drama, just a clean build and a charger that actually plugs in.

Brick Rated Score

3.7/5

Set 42609 · 2024

Pieces170

Minifigs1

Year2024

Set number42609

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The verdict

I like sets that quietly teach something without lecturing you, and this one does that.

You build a small electric car, snap it onto its own charging post, and that's the whole story, told in 170 pieces without a single wasted brick. It will not impress anyone chasing part count or a dramatic reveal, and I want to be upfront about that going in. But for what it is, a fast, satisfying, sub-hour build with a genuinely cute result, it earns its spot on a shelf or a desk.

Best for: younger builders or LEGO Friends completists who want a quick, low-pressure build

The full review

What it is

This is one of those small Friends sets that knows exactly what it is. You are not getting a garage full of gadgets or a sprawling street scene, you are getting one small electric car and the charging post it plugs into, and that simplicity is honestly the appeal. The car has a friendly, rounded shape that reads as electric and modern rather than generic, and the charger piece gives the whole build a little bit of narrative, plug the car in, unplug it, drive it away, plug it back in. For a set this size that is more play value than I expected going in.

The catch

I will be straight with you about the caveats. At 170 pieces this build moves fast, there is no slow unfolding tension the way there is with a bigger set, so if you are looking for something to occupy a long afternoon this is not it. It is also very much aimed at younger builders and fans of the Friends line specifically, so if you want engineering flourishes or a huge parts payoff, look elsewhere in the catalog. And with a single minifigure included, the roleplay options are simple rather than expansive.

Who it's for

Get this one if you want a quick, satisfying build for a kid just getting into LEGO, if you collect the Friends line and want the smaller sets alongside the bigger builds, or if you just like the idea of a tiny electric car with a working charging habit built right into the set. Skip it if you are chasing part count, complexity, or a big display piece, this was never trying to be that.

The parts story

What the build is actually like, and the pieces worth knowing about.

The build itself is quick and clean, the kind of set where each step reads clearly and nothing fights you. You start with the car's chassis and body, snap the rounded panels into place, and the shape comes together fast enough that you can see the finished silhouette well before you are halfway through the instructions. The charger goes together as its own small subassembly, and connecting the two at the end is the most satisfying moment in the whole build, it is a small click but it makes the set feel complete rather than like two separate pieces sitting side by side.

There is nothing here in the way of rare printed parts or new molds, this is a modest 170 piece set and it does not pretend otherwise. What stands out instead is how efficiently the pieces are used, the rounded body panels do real work shaping the car into something that reads as an EV rather than a generic runabout, and the charger's connector piece is doing more storytelling than its size would suggest. For the price point this sits at, the part usage feels honest rather than padded.

Fun facts

01The set is part of a wave of LEGO Friends builds released in 2024 that leaned into sustainability themes, pairing everyday vehicles with clean energy elements like solar and electric charging.
02At 170 pieces, it sits firmly in LEGO's smaller entry-level bracket, designed as a quick, approachable build rather than a display centerpiece.
03The included minifigure gives the set a simple roleplay hook, drive to the charger, plug in, head back out, a small loop that mirrors real electric car habits.
04Small Friends vehicle sets like this one are often used by parents as an easy on-ramp for kids moving from Duplo into standard LEGO building.