The era of electric cars isn't coming; it's already here. Though they still make up a small portion of the new car market, EVs are where the action is when it comes to the exciting realms of vehicular development. No longer are they battery-powered compliance cars or subcompact shuttles for the crunchy granola set; today's electric vehicles come in a broad range of sizes, shapes and prices.
Still, while Tesla may have carved out a solid niche as a purveyor of cutting-edge automobiles, Porsche has redefined sport sedans and Audi and Jaguar have whipped up stylish crossovers that feel imported from the future. The next few years will be the ones that truly open up the electric vehicle market. Pickup trucks and SUVs packing battery packs instead of gas engines will soon be rolling off production lines en masse, remaking the American automotive landscape with every day they're on sale.
So to keep tabs on all the cool new EVs coming down the pike, we've put together this roundup of the ones we know about that have us most excited. You won't find plug-in hybrids or hydrogen-powered fuel cell cars or anything like that here; we're just talking about pure electric vehicles, the kind that only gets power from a plug and wouldn't know what to do with liquid fuel if they had it dumped on their hoods.
(Note: the years in the story below refer to the year the vehicle is expected to debut, not the model year — hence why they come at the end of the vehicle name and are in parenthesis.)
Cars We've Already Driven from this List
New electric cars are arriving at a furious pace. And we have already had a chance to drive many of the cars we thought of when we initially conceived this list. Here are some reviews of cool electric cars we've already driven.
Cadillac's future is electric; if it doesn't succeed, the brand might not have a future. The decision to give its EVs names ending with "-iq" may have seemed better on paper, where it reminds people of "intelligence quotient," than it does in practice, where it sounds like "ick" — but there's no arguing that the crossover-cum-station wagon Lyriq — starting at just over $60,000 — will be a smash hit once you get past the name.
After seeing the sort of wonders Audi can accomplish with an electric car packing two motors, we can't wait to see what they can do with three. The E-Tron S (available in both conventional two-box and rakish Sportback forms) uses one motor for the front axle but two for the rear, giving it torque-vectoring capability for better handling — and up to 496 hp and 717 lb-ft of torque for acceleration. With SUVs like these, who needs sports cars? (Well, we do, obviously, but you see what we mean.)
When we say "Lotus," you probably think of lithe, nimble roadsters and other lightweight sports cars, not EV hypercars packing quadruple-digit horsepower. But hey, if the Evija is any indication, maybe we all need to reconsider our personal biases. Four electric motors cranking out a combined 2,000 horsepower and a body that looks sexy enough to be practically obscene mean Evija drivers will be the envy of both gawkers and drag-racers alike.
The electric equivalent of the E-Class, the EQE should be a volume seller for Mercedes-Benz — and judging by the shadowy image Mercedes released of it, it should also be quite a looker. Expect close to 400 miles of range or more, a super-luxurious cabin — and, more excitingly, an inevitable electric equivalent of the E63 S. (Here's hoping they do an EQE AMG station wagon, too.)
Cadillac's new flagship vehicle will be called the Celestiq, and the brand intends it to be the Cadillac of EVs. It will have a massive 55-inch display and a flashy design incorporating elements of the El Dorado Brougham.
The Kia EV9 will be the brand's next vehicle to launch on the E-GMP EV platform. It will basically be the electric equivalent of the popular Telluride SUV. It will have more than 330 miles of range and will make its debut in Q1 of 2023.
The one (and only) knock on Hyundai's brilliant Ioniq 5 is that it's not quite sporty enough. The upcoming Ioniq 5 N should resolve that with some sharper tuning and nearly 600 horsepower — about twice as much as your typical combustion hot hatch.
Volvo unveiled the EX90, its electric take on the brand's popular three-row XC90 SUV. It will offer nearly 500 hp and 300 miles of range — in different versions. And Volvo says it will be available well-equipped for less than $80,000, which should qualify it for a federal tax credit. Deliveries are expected in early 2024.
Hyundai will follow up the Ioniq 5 on the E-GMP platform with a larger sedan, the Ioniq 6. Hyundai believes it will be one of the most energy-efficient EVs on the market with a super low drag coefficient of 0.21. It should get similar single and dual-motor setups to the Ioniq 5. It will be capable of a full fast charge (10-80%) in just 18 minutes.
GMC will follow up the Hummer EV SUT with its Hummer EV SUV. It will be a bit slower than the pickup, packing a mere 830 horsepower in top spec. But it will have a shorter wheelbase, which should be even better for off-roading and will offer an extreme off-roading package that includes 35-inch mud-terrain tires.
Part of Audi's flood of new electric models means some existing internal-combustion ones are set to be washed away in favor of EV equivalents, eventually. The A6 E-Tron concept that debuted in 2021 is very, very close to the eventual production version — think how similar the E-Tron GT concept was to the final car —and while it'll likely be sold alongside the gas-powered A6 when the new EV goes on sale (likely in 2023), eventually, it'll likely supplant the ICE version.
Chevy unveiled its new Silverado EV earlier this year. It looks a lot like the Avalanche from years past or a detuned version of the Hummer EV. The RST First Edition will launch with 664 horsepower, 780 lb-ft of torque and a price tag of $105,000.
Chevy has a direct rival coming for the Ford Mustang Mach E, the 2024 Blazer EV. The base model will start under $50,000. The high-performance SS trim will have 557 hp, 648 lb-ft of torque and a 0-60 mph time — in Wide Open Watts mode — under four seconds. The Blazer EV arrives in Summer 2023.
The production Cybertruck should look a bit different from the version initially revealed; it needs to be road legal. Elon Musk also says the Cybertruck can function as a boat for short periods in calm water.
Tesla hasn't sold a Roadster in more than a decade, ever since the Lotus-based vehicle that launched the company faded away to make room for its own in-house-developed models. Now, the Roadster is set to return — and if even half of Elon Musk's typically broad promises come true, it'll be a car to wow the world.
Tesla promises a 0-60 mph of less than two seconds, a 250-mph-or-higher top speed, more than 600 miles of range, and maybe even spacecraft-inspired air thrusters. Production has been pushed back until at least 2023.
Fiat announced the return of the 500 to North America at the Los Angeles Auto Show with concepts by Armani, Kartell and Bvlgari. This time, it will be available solely as an electric car, which should arrive in Q1 2024.
We don't know all the details yet. But seeing as this is Porsche we're talking about, expect a wide range of power levels, including a "Turbo" version with acceleration that'll undo all that good work your hair straightener did in the morning.
Jeep unveiled its first electric American SUV, the Recon. It's not an electric wrangler. But it will be boxy, capable off-road and about the same size. Production begins in early 2024. Jeep will begin taking reservations for them next year.
Jeep's other electric vehicle launching will be the Wagoneer S. This vehicle will take the Wagoneer brand in a new, sportier direction. Jeep's targets are 600 hp, 400 miles of range and a 0-60 mph time in 3.5 seconds. Jeep brand CEO Jim Morrison noted at a launch event that "Wagoneer S" will not be the final production name. Production will start in 2024. Jeep will begin reservations in 2023.
Ram launched its electric pickup in concept form at CES 2023. We don't have many details about the production version yet. But Ram is promising best-in-class range, towing, payload and charging time. And the concept previewed some wild features like rear-hinged suicide doors and third-row seating.
Cadillac "Electralade" (2024)
Instagram / GM Design
It wouldn't be a stretch to say the Cadillac brand might not be around today were it not for the Escalade, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that an electric SUV of that scale is also in the works. Reports have it arriving as soon as 2024, which means we may see it unveiled sometime next year.
Whether or not it'll use the Escalade name or not ("Electralade" is a portmanteau we made up, but we kind of like it) remains to be seen, as does what it'll look like; the drawing seen here is just a concept from the GM Design Instagram account.
Mercedes-Benz EQG (2024)
Mercedes-Benz AG - Global Communications Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans
Mercedes is building an electric version of the G-Wagen. It will be called the EQG. It will be based on the current G'Wagen's body-on-frame architecture. It may be the first vehicle to get Mercedes's next-gen battery tech. The EQG is expected to enter production in 2024.
Ford is building an electric version of their popular Explorer three-row crossover. We don't know much about it yet. But the latest reporting has the Explorer EV entering production in late 2024 for the 2025 model year.
Volkswagen ID.Buzz (2024)
VW
Ask most Americans to name some iconic VWs, and odds are good Bus would be the second word out of the average person's lips. The iconic VW Type 2, as it was formally known, is coming back as an electric minivan. It debuted in Europe this year, but the long-wheelbase version that comes to America won't arrive until 2024.
Dodge — Mopar's masters of mayhem, the crew who hasn't yet found a vehicle they can't stuff a Hellcat into — is going electric, just like everyone else. But that doesn't mean it's going to be boring. Dodge's concept version includes a simulated manual transmission and a "Fratzonic" chambered exhaust that will emit a haul on par with the Hellcat.
Chevrolet should follow the lead of Ford with the Mustang and branch "Corvette" off into its own sub-brand. Nothing has been confirmed yet. The latest reporting has two new Corvette vehicles, a performance sedan and an SUV arriving around 2025.
A fully electric Corvette sports car is coming — GM is going all EV by 2025 after all — but that's not expected until the upcoming C9 generation.
Volkswagen is reviving the Scout nameplate for a new off-road truck and SUV brand. We know Scout will offer a pickup and an SUV. We know production will begin in 2026. A VW exec sort of throughout the idea of "Rivian but at a more affordable price point," which sounds like a swell idea.
Sony Honda Mobility announced the creation of a new car brand, Afeela, at CES 2023. The name stems from "feel" being central to the mobility experience (yes, that's really what they said). The Afeela looks a bit like an electric Honda Accord, should have some cool Sony tech features and is due to hit the American market in 2026.
Volkswagen Trinity (2026)
Volkswagen
The likes of the ID.4 crossover and ID.Buzz minivan, well, they're just part one of Volkswagen's electric vehicle master plan. Part two comes in the form of the project known as "Trinity," which will not only offer long ranges and short charging times, but a whole new business model: optional features like Level 4 autonomy will become available via over-the-air updates — and possibly even offered via subscription model.
Okay, we're a bit into the realm of conjecture here, but given the fact that a) the new Bronco is already a massive hit for Ford, b) FoMoCo has vowed to go heavily into electric mobility over the next decade, and c) the company showed off the above conceptual image of a "theoretical" EV SUV in a 2021 presentation, it seems pretty much like a lock that a Bronco EV will happen sooner or later.
