All these pure-electric cars are on sale now — or will be soon
- Alfa Romeo electric car plans
- Alpine electric car plans
- Aston Martin electric car plans
- Audi electric car plans
- Bentley electric car plans
- BMW electric car plans
- Citroën electric car plans
- Cupra electric car plans
- Dacia electric car plans
- DS Automobiles electric car plans
- Ferrari electric car plans
- Fiat electric car plans
- Ford electric car plans
- Genesis electric car plans
- Hispano-Suiza electric car plans
- Honda electric car plans
- Hyundai electric car plans
- Jaguar electric car plans
- Jeep electric car plans
- Kia electric car plans
- Land Rover electric car plans
- Lexus electric car plans
- Lotus electric car plans
- Lucid Motors electric car plans
- Maserati electric car plans
- Mazda electric car plans
- Mercedes-Benz electric car plans
- MG electric car plans
- Mini electric car plans
- Nissan electric car plans
- Ora electric car plans
- Peugeot electric car plans
- Polestar electric car plans
- Porsche electric car plans
- Pininfarina electric car plans
- Renault electric car plans
- Rimac electric car plans
- Rivian electric car plans
- Rolls-Royce electric car plans
- Seat electric car plans
- Skoda electric car plans
- Smart electric car plans
- Sony electric car plans
- SsangYong electric car plans
- Subaru electric car plans
- Suzuki electric car plans
- Tesla electric car plans
- Toyota electric car plans
- TVR electric car plans
- Vauxhall electric car plans
- Volkswagen electric car plans
- Volvo electric car plans
Almost every major car maker has electric vehicles available to buy or planned for the next few years, so we’ve created a brand-by-brand guide to the upcoming battery-powered cars.
By the end of 2021, at least 50 pure-electric cars were available to buy from British showrooms and that number is set to grow considerably in the coming years, with sales of new petrol and diesel cars banned from 2030. It’s reckoned there will be 200 models for UK buyers to choose from by the end of 2022.
The upcoming slew of pure-electric vehicles will be diverse, too, ranging from superminis to SUVs, sports saloons to supercars.
Here are all the pure-electric cars on sale in the UK right now, as well as all the models we know will be gracing a dealership forecourt near you soon.
Jump to car company by letter:
A ¦ B ¦ C ¦ D ¦ F ¦ G ¦ H ¦ J ¦ K ¦ L ¦ M ¦ N ¦ P ¦ R ¦ S ¦ T ¦ V
Alfa Romeo electric car plans
On sale now None
Coming soon Brennero (2023)
Alfa Romeo is currently planning a new entry-level compact SUV, the Brennero, for 2023, which will share its underpinnings with Stellantis stablemates, the Citroën C4, Peugeot 2008 and Vauxhall Mokka. Electric options are expected to feature a 134bhp electric motor driving the front wheels and a range of around 200 miles.
In early 2021, Alfa’s parent company Fiat Chrysler merged with PSA – which offers a number of EVs through its brands Peugeot, Citroën, DS and Vauxhall – to form Stellantis. This means Alfa now has access to well-established electric platforms and tech.
The company has hinted that it will revive the GTV name as a four-door electric coupé – along the lines of the BMW i4. Platform collaborations with Maserati suggest that, in addition to the GTV, the Giulia and Stelvio replacements due in 2023 and 2024, respectively, may also be available as electric models.
The Tonale SUV, due in mid-to-late 2022, will feature a plug-in hybrid option.
Alpine electric car plans
2020 – Show-car Alpine A110 SportsX
On sale now None
Coming soon R5 hot hatch (2024), GT X-Over crossover (2024 – TBC), new sports car (2026)
Alpine is set to have an all-electric line-up by 2026, with three new models launching from 2024.
First up will be a hot version of Renault’s upcoming retro R5 supermini. Back in the 1970s and ’80s, Alpine built a faster variant of the original Renault 5 at its Dieppe plant, though because Chrysler held the rights to the Alpine name in the UK it was badged as the Renault 5 Gordini here.
Rather than the standard R5’s 134bhp electric motor, the Alpine R5 will use the same 215bhp motor as the Renault Mégane E-Tech Electric following some reworking to make it fit into the smaller car.
Next in line is a sporty crossover, possibly to be called the GT X-Over, based on the same underpinnings as the Mégane E-Tech Electric. Alpine has hinted at something more potent — probably twin-motor and all-wheel drive — positioning it as a rival to the upcoming Porsche Macan Electric and Lotus Type 132.
Speaking of Lotus, Alpine’s third EV, launching in 2026, will be a sports car co-developed with Lotus due not just to replace the A110, but the Emira too, Lotus’s last petrol-engined model. Given that it’s still quite some way away though, further details are scarce.
While those models have been officially confirmed by the company, there might be something else coming in the meantime to bridge the gap between the current A110 and Alpine’s future electric sports car.
In July 2022, the company unveiled the E-ternité concept, a fully electric version of the A110 with a 60kWh battery, 261 miles of range and, crucially, only a 258kg weight gain over the combustion-powered model. By the time the new electric sports car launches, the A110 will be getting on a bit and so, having proven that a fully electric A110 is at least technically feasible, something based on the E-ternité concept could potentially see the light of day in the coming years.
Aston Martin electric car plans
On sale now None
Coming soon Pure-electric sports car in 2025; electric SUV in 2025 or 2026
Aston Martin had planned the development of the Rapide-E, an all-electric GT, but that project was sunk with the ousting of former boss Andy Palmer in May 2020, whose brainchild it was, following the brand’s disastrous stock market flotation and financial losses. At the same time, the company also put on hold (or likely cancelled) a reboot of the Lagonda badge as a luxury electric sub-brand.
That allowed Aston to focus on its first SUV, the DBX, which has unsurprisingly proved to be the firm’s most popular and profitable model. Then Aston was able to finalise its hybrid hypercar, the Valkyrie, deliveries of which began in early 2022 (somewhat later than planned).
Now the focus can shift to its electrification strategy proper. It no longer has to worry about developing its own electric powertrains, now that Mercedes-Benz has agreed to lend its considerable expertise, as well as its electric chassis underpinnings, in return for a larger slice of Aston Martin shares. That deal applies until 2027, buying Aston a healthy dose of time to regain its footing.
In March 2022 Aston signed an agreement with the Northumberland-based battery manufacturer Britishvolt to jointly develop and productionise new battery tech meaning that it is also aiming to find its own path as regards the batteries that will underpin its electrification.
Aston’s first plug-in hybrid model, the Valhalla supercar, is due to begin deliveries in 2024 with, according to the firm’s latest boss Tobias Moers, an electrified powertrain option across all product lines by 2026. The company intends that all of its core models will be fully electric by 2030.
Audi electric car plans
On sale now e-tron; e-tron sportback; Q4 e-tron; Q4 e-tron sportback; e-tron GT; RS e-tron GT
Coming soon At least 14 other pure-electric models by 2025
Few car makers come close to matching Audi’s planned pure-electric product onslaught. The e-tron SUV and its sportback counterpart are already available, as is the flagship Audi e-tron GT and sportier RS e-tron GT, and the Q4 e-tron and Q4 e-tron Sportback are the latest to hit showrooms. Next up will be the Q6 e-tron, a sporty large SUV built on a new platform shared with Porsche. Audi has also confirmed that there will be an electric version of its next-generation A6 saloon. Rumours abound of an electric A2, as well as battery-powered reinventions of the TT and the R8. By 2025, Audi will offer more than 20 battery-electric models and is aiming for 40% of its sales to be electrified.
Bentley electric car plans
On sale now None
Coming soon Unspecified pure-electric model due by 2025
Bentley boss Adrian Hallmark has made it clear that the company’s well-to-do clientele are “desperate for a luxury electric product”. For a short while, Bentley customers could scratch that itch with the Bentayga plug-in hybrid, but that powertrain has been pulled from sale in the UK.
However, amid the news that the government will ban all petrol and diesel cars by 2030 (with hybrids granted a five-year extension), Bentley confidently assured the press that it would be ready for the deadline, with Hallmark confirming that by 2030, the marque’s entire line-up will be electric. It’ll no doubt be a sad day when we say goodbye to the famous W12 engine.
It’ll be a quick turnaround, though, with the car maker previously saying that its first electric effort isn’t set to arrive until 2025. It makes things easier that the Crewe-based car maker can lean on sister-brands Audi and Volkswagen for electric drivetrain tech, though as ever, Bentley will want its own electric products to have a distinct character and there’s zero chance it will rush out a model.
BMW electric car plans
On sale now i3 (being discontinued), iX3, i4, iX
Coming soon iX1 (2022), i3 saloon (2023), i5 (2023), i7 (2023)
BMW’s plans to expand its EV offering are nothing if not ambitious. By 2023, it will include 25 electrified cars in its model range with more than half featuring fully electric powertrains.
The company turned heads (and stomachs) when it revealed the polarising iX last year, but the SUV, which has a range of up to 370 miles, is an impressive technical package, as is the i4, with the i4 M50 being the first EV to which BMW’s performance M division has turned its attention.
Starting from the bottom, BMW plans to replace the existing i3 supermini on two fronts. The i3 name will likely be taken over by an electrified 3 Series saloon using i4 underpinnings. The current i3’s position in BMW’s range will be assumed by the iX1, an electric version of the company’s new compact X1 SUV.
In addition to an electric 3 Series (currently only for the Chinese market), the company plans to launch electric versions of the 5 and 7 Series models, named the i5 and i7, respectively.
The i7 will launch in late 2022 before any other new 7 Series models and, for starters, the i7 xDrive60 will feature a 101.7kWh battery, twin front and rear electric motors, 537bhp, a range of up to 388 miles and a 0-62mph time of 4.7 seconds. Like the iX, the i7’s styling won’t be to everyone’s taste, but the interior is a sumptuous affair and the prospect of a range-topping i7 M70 xDrive with more than 600bhp arriving further down the line could prove exciting.
Citroën electric car plans
On sale now Ami, e-C4, e-Berlingo, e-Dispatch, e-Spacetourer
Coming soon e-C4 X (2022), pure-electric or PHEV versions of entire range
Citroën and then-PSA stablemate Peugeot were early adopters of modern electric cars, releasing the C-Zero and iOn electric city cars around the same time as Nissan launched the Leaf, in 2010. Citroën has also previously sold an electric version of the Berlingo van.
More recently, the car maker has committed to launching a pure-electric or plug in hybrid version of every new model, and by 2025 there will be an electrified version of every car and van in the entire range, it says.
The new wave of Citroën electric vehicles has started with the e-C4, which has broadly similar electric stats to the successful Peugeot e-208 and e-2008 — that’s a 50kWh battery pack enabling a claimed 217 miles of range. There are two MPVs in the range with the Citroën ë-SpaceTourer and ë-Berlingo (and their commercial equivalents), all using that same Stellantis electric powertrain. Also using those underpinnings will be the ë-C4 X, a niche fastback/crossover/saloon due to arrive towards the end of 2022.
Adding to Citroën’s electric line-up is the Ami, which is technically a “quadricycle” rather than a car, which means it can be driven in Europe by anyone over the age of 16, with or without a driving licence — like the Twizy from rival Renault (though driver and passenger sit side-by-side in the Ami, rather than in line).
Cupra electric car plans
On sale now Born
Coming soon Tavascan crossover (2024), UrbanRebel city car (2025)
Opening Cupra’s electric range at present is the Born, a lightly reworked version of the Volkswagen ID.3 with which it shares its underpinnings. The Born has a reasonable claim on being the world’s first electric hot hatch and, with its sporty chassis set-up and plenty of power on tap, it’s more fun to drive than its German cousin. Pricing for the Cupra Born starts from £34,660 and, hot hatch credentials notwithstanding, it’s still a fine electric car with a spacious, eco-friendly interior.
Going head-to-head with the likes of the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Kia EV6 from 2024 will be the Cupra Tavascan with styling based on that of the company’s 2019 concept car and whose interior is set to be a funky, modern affair, giving the whole vehicle an entirely different look and feel to the Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.5.
Following the Tavascan in 2025 will be the cool little UrbanRebel, which aims to compete in the same electric supermini segment as the Renault Zoe, though with a sportier edge than other cars in its class and with a lightweight 3D-printed and 3D-knitted construction for lower weight and greater eco-credentials despite being based on the same modular platform as the Born.
Dacia electric car plans
On sale now None
Coming soon TBC
“Great news!”, as James May might say: Dacia will soon launch its very first pure-electric vehicle. It comes in the form of the Spring SUV, which is touted to be Europe’s cheapest electric car.
Rivalling models including the Seat Mii Electric city car, it is diminutive in size but also adopts SUV styling cues like a high stance and roof rails. A Napoleon complex in a car, if you will.
Hiding beneath all that is a 26.8kWh battery, which should allow the Spring to travel 140 miles on a single charge — with an extra 43 added onto that if you’re only doing urban driving.
The bad news is that the Spring isn’t coming to the UK — for now at least. Dacia’s CEO, Denis de Vot, said that the company is “actively considering” producing right-hand-drive versions of the Spring and a decision on whether to sell it in the UK may be made later this year.
DS Automobiles electric car plans
On sale now DS 3 Crossback E-Tense
Coming soon DS 4 E-Tense (TBC)
DS Automobiles has stepped out from the shadow of Citroën and has several of its own models currently on sale, one of which is pure-electric: the DS 3 Crossback E-tense, the car maker’s contribution to the burgeoning market for electric compact SUVs. With a maximum 201 miles between charges, it’s got an average range for the money but is luxuriously appointed and loaded with kit.
DS plans to launch a fully-electric version of its recently revealed new DS 4 model, which will debut with a plug-in hybrid option to sell alongside the DS 3 Crossback, DS 7 Crossback and DS 9 PHEVs. The brand is planning a fully-electric model to be based on the Stellantis STLA Medium platform, so expect a C- or D-segment vehicle like a medium sized saloon or crossover. It plans to go all-electric by 2024, which, if it happens, will make it the first brand under the Stellantis umbrella to do so.
Much of DS’s expertise with EV powertrains is derived from its work with Techeetah, a Formula E team that won the Formula E driver’s and constructor’s championships in 2019 and 2020.
Ferrari electric car plans
On sale now None
Coming soon Pure-electric model expected in 2025
After years of dismissing the idea, Ferrari has confirmed that it will produce a pure-electric car by 2025. Ferrari’s parent company, Exor, struck a deal in September 2021 with design-duo Sir Jony Ive and Marc Newson – formerly of Apple, and the styling hands behind the iMac and iPad.
Their first assignment will be to help develop an electric Ferrari.
While it’s dabbled with hybrid tech in the LaFerrari — and the newer Ferrari SF90 plug-in hybrid and 296 GTB have some electric range, albeit only 16 miles — its first pure-EV isn’t expected until at least 2025. Leaked patent documents from earlier this year appear to suggest that the first fully electric Ferrari could be a GT in the vein of the current 812 superfast.
At the Ferrari Capital Markets Day in June 2022, Ferrari gave a few more details: it’s expanding its factory for electric vehicle production; batteries will be produced by suppliers at first but to Ferrari specifications; the electric motor will be produced entirely in-house, though, as will the controller, and the company is aiming for the most power-dense motors available; and the sound of a Ferrari EV is of critical importance.
At the end of 2020, former Ferrari CEO Louis Camilleri said his company would never go fully electric, and in fact not even 50% of the model line-up will be pure-electric. In June, chief executive officer of Exor clarified that by 2030, 40% of Ferrari’s output will be pure-electric, with 40% hybrid and the rest remaining pure-petrol powered.
Fiat electric car plans
On sale now 500
Coming soon e-Ulysse (2022), e-Doblo (late 2022), 500 “Giardiniera” estate (2023 – TBC), electric Panda (2023 – TBC)
One of the criticisms of some electric cars is that they lack character. The phrase “laptop on wheels” has been thrown around, while Jeremy Clarkson has referred to them as “husks”. However, with the new pure-electric 500 city car, Fiat seems to have done a fairly stellar job when it comes to retaining the cuteness that has made the modern Fiat 500 such a popular model, adorning it with a number of characterful features such as a melodic acoustic alert and a key fob that looks like a pebble.
When the late and great Sergio Marchionne announced the new generation of the 500 in 2018, he revealed that it would be joined by an electric Giardiniera estate version. Since that announcement, there has been little-to-no news about the progress of the Giardiniera, although rumours say that it could be revealed in 2022 ahead of 2023 sales.
In the meantime, the company’s second electric car, the e-Ulysse is a rather more prosaic affair. Based on the Scudo van and sharing its platform with its Stellantis stablemates, the Peugeot e-Traveller and Citroën e-SpaceTourer, the e-Ulysse is an MPV with plenty of space, a choice of body lengths and, with the larger 75kWh battery, a range of up to 205 miles.
Next up will be the new Fiat E-Doblo, available in both commercial and passenger versions, based on the same underpinnings as the Peugeot Partner and Citroën Berlingo and sharing the now ubiquitous 100kW electric motor and 50kWh battery giving the E-Doblo around 174 miles of range. This will likely arrive in the UK either in late 2022 or in the first quarter of 2023.
As well as that, an electric Panda is on the way that will be based on the Centoventi concept that Fiat displayed at the 2019 Geneva motor show. It’s expected to cost a decent amount less than the £27,000 Fiat 500, and to be revealed later in 2022.
Ford electric car plans
On sale now Mustang Mach E; E-Transit van
Coming soon New crossover model (2023), Tourneo Connect (2023 – TBC), Sports Crossover (2024), Puma Electric (2024), Tourneo Custom (2024)
Following the Mustang Mach-E’s launch in 2021 to considerable acclaim, Ford of Europe announced in March 2022 that it would introduce seven new electric models by 2024. While a few of these models are set to be vans (the E-Transit with a 196-mile battery range arrives later in 2022, for example), others are aimed squarely at a particularly hot section of the passenger car market.
First up in 2023 will be a medium-sized crossover based on the same Volkswagen MEB electric vehicle architecture as the VW ID.4, ID.Buzz and Skoda Enyaq as part of a platform-sharing agreement between Ford and Volkswagen. That’ll be followed by an electric version of the Transit and Tourneo Courier, the latter of which is a passenger model, also sharing its underpinnings with the VW Caddy.
Next in line will be what Ford describes as a “sports crossover”, again based on the MEB platform and likely a sort of VW ID.5 to the previous model’s ID.4. After that comes an electric version of the Puma, set to be built in Romania alongside the petrol-powered model. Rounding out Ford’s electric range in Europe by 2024 will be the Transit and Tourneo Custom, a mid-sized van and MPV in between the smaller Courier and full-sized Transit.
In launching these models, Ford is attempting to follow-through on its plan to sell 600,000 electric vehicles annually in Europe by 2026. Not only is the company investing some £1.54bn in its Cologne plant and an attached battery-production facility, but it is also expanding its battery-making capacity in Turkey and Romania, too.
Genesis electric car plans
On sale now GV60
Coming soon G80 (2022), GV70 (TBC)
Korean brand Genesis recently launched in Europe with its handsome range of well-appointed saloons and SUVs.
Currently on sale is the Genesis GV60, a crossover sharing the same underpinnings as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, so think 77.4kWh battery, 350kW rapid DC charging, a choice of single or dual motors and a range of up to 321 miles. As a car from a premium brand, the GV60 is more upmarket than its Kia and Hyundai cousins and makes a convincing rival for the likes of the Mercedes EQA and Volvo C40.
Also arriving shortly is the Genesis G80, a large saloon with dual motors, up to 364bhp and a similar 320-mile range to the GV60 thanks to an 87.2kWh battery. Coming a little further down the line will the company’s first electric SUV, a version of the GV70 with 429bhp.
Genesis plans to only launch electric models from 2025 onwards.
Hispano-Suiza electric car plans
On sale now Carmen
Coming soon TBC
Initially expected to be just another electric hypercar start-up making big promises before going mysteriously quiet, Hispano-Suiza, a revival of an old Spanish luxury car marque, has begun delivering cars.
Making an appearance at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Hispano-Suiza Carmen is the company’s oddly-styled electric car looking a blend of 1930s streamliner and mid-2000s Audi. Reports vary as to how many Carmens the company plans on building (no more than 25), but one thing’s for sure: with an 80kWh battery supplying power to a pair of electric motors sending 1,005bhp to the rear wheels, it’s quite quick.
If the standard Carmen’s sub-three-second 0-62mph time wasn’t fast enough, there’s an even hotter version, the Carmen Boulogne, with 1,098bhp and which can make the 0-62mph dash in 2.6 seconds. The starting price for Hispano-Suiza’s electric hypercar is somewhere around the £1.3m mark.
Honda electric car plans
On sale now Honda e
Coming soon e:Ny1 crossover (2023)
Despite being an early pioneer in the field of hybrids, Honda has become something of a laggard in the field of electric vehicles with just one EV currently on sale, the admittedly accomplished and roundly well-liked Honda e city car.
Its plans for the next decade are a bit more ambitious, however, with plans to launch 30 new EVs by 2030 and for 40% of its sales in Europe to be either electric or fuel-cell vehicles by 2030 (80% by 2035) and to phase out internal combustion globally by 2040.
To this end, over the next decade the firm will invest £31.2bn in electrification and will form joint-ventures with companies such as General Motors and Sony to reduce the overall cost of electrifying its range globally.
Due to arrive next year is the e:Ny1, which is an electric vehicle around the same size as the current HR-V crossover, sharing many of the HR-V’s handsome styling cues. The e:Ny1 is based on the Honda e:NP1/e:NS1 models that are sold in China, and if those Chinese models are anything to go by when it arrives in Europe the e:Ny1 could feature a 68.8kWh battery, giving it a range of just over 300 miles.
Hyundai electric car plans
On sale now Kona Electric, Ioniq Electric, Nexo (hydrogen fuel cell electric), Ioniq 5 crossover
Coming soon Ioniq 6 saloon (2022), Ioniq 7 SUV (2024)
Hyundai has already shown itself to be an accomplished maker of electric cars through its current offerings. The Kona Electric SUV has one of the best ranges in its segment, with nearly 300 miles on a single charge when fitted with the 64kWh battery pack. The Ioniq Electric has been praised as a great electric family car and the new Ioniq 5 is an impressive flag-bearer for the brand, mixing high performance with a long range and eye-catching design.
Meanwhile the Nexo, which converts hydrogen to electricity in a fuel cell stack, rather than storing it in a battery, shows Hyundai’s looking down several avenues towards a zero-emission future.
First up, with order books opening later in 2022, will be the sleek, streamlined and ultra-efficient Ioniq 6, the production version of the well-received Prophecy concept. The Ioniq 6 shares the same platform as the Ioniq 5, meaning there’ll be a 77.4kWh battery in top models, up to 321bhp, a choice of single or dual motors and a very impressive range of up to 379 miles.
If that wasn’t exciting enough, coming in 2023 will be an “N” performance version of the Ioniq 5 and, further down the line, a hot version of the Ioniq 6 if July’s exciting RN22e concept is anything to go by.
The last model confirmed by Hyundai is the logically-named Ioniq 7, a large SUV releasing in 2024. The brand hopes that these releases can make it the world’s third-largest electric car maker by 2025.
Jaguar electric car plans
On sale now I-Pace
Coming soon J-Pace; All models to be electric by 2025
The Jaguar I-Pace made quite the impact when it was launched in 2019 — so impressed were we with it here at The Sunday Times, it was crowned Car of the Year at our inaugural Motor Awards.
A bigger impact came in February 2021, when Jaguar Land Rover boss Thierry Bollore stunned the world by announcing Jaguar would become an “all-electric luxury brand” by 2025. A new large SUV, the J-Pace, is expected to be launched next.
However, plans for an electric version of the XJ limousine have been put on ice (as predicted by The Times), and the fate of the XE, XF, F-Pace and E-Pace are to be confirmed.
Richard Porter reviews the Jaguar I-Pace
Jeep electric car plans
On sale now None
Coming soon unnamed electric model (2023)
In March 2022, Carlos Tavares, the boss of Jeep’s parent company, Stellantis, announced that Jeep would launch a fully-electric model in 2023. The company released an image of the vehicle with slightly more aerodynamic styling than traditional Jeeps and a blanked-off take on the familial seven-slot grille.
Details are scarce, but it is expected that the as-yet-unnamed model will compete in the segment below Jeep’s current smallest model, the Renegade, meaning that it could potentially sit on the same Stellantis e-CMP platform as the Peugeot 208, 2008, Vauxhall Corsa and their electric equivalents. If that is the case and the electric Jeep uses the same powertrain as those models, expect a 50kWh battery and, in theory, around 180 miles between charges. It isn’t known whether that platform could potentially accommodate all-wheel drive, until now a prerequisite for all Jeeps.
In the meantime, Jeep currently sells plug-in hybrid (4xe) versions of its Renegade and Compass models in the UK, and its Wrangler off-roader in other markets.
Kia electric car plans
On sale now Niro EV, Soul EV, EV6
Coming soon 11 new pure-electric models worldwide by 2025
Like sister brand Hyundai, Kia has firmly cemented itself as a key player in the electric car market. It already has three battery-powered models on sale in the UK, the Soul EV electric SUV and the distinctive EV6 crossover.
An all-new version of the Niro crossover has gone on sale, replacing the old e-Niro, which though accomplished in its time, was getting a bit long in the tooth. That said, the powertrain hasn’t changed significantly — there’s a 201bhp electric motor driving the front wheels through a single-speed gearbox, and it’s fed by a 64.8kWh lithium-ion battery, all of which is around the same as the old model. Officially, it has a 286-mile range, which is less than four miles better than the old e-Niro, which isn’t much of an improvement and is one of the factors preventing the Niro EV from sitting at the top of its class.
By 2025, the Korean car maker expects to have 11 pure-electric models on sale worldwide, including a hot version of the EV6 that takes aim at the Audi e-tron GT and Porsche Taycan, with a 0-60mph time of under three seconds.
There are also rumours of an electric Sportage joining the powertrain line-up for the SUV’s fifth generation, probably later in 2022, though as yet these are unsubstantiated.
Kia and its sister brand Hyundai have together also invested €100m (around £85m) into the UK tech firm Arrival, as part of plans to develop and launch a range of pure-electric small and medium-sized vans. The recently-unveiled EV9 concept for a three-row SUV was a bold statement of intent as regards the company’s electric future.
Land Rover electric car plans
On sale now Range Rover PHEV, Defender PHEV, Discovery Sport PHEV
Coming soon Electric Range Rover, Discovery and Defender (from 2024)
In February 2021, Jaguar Land Rover boss Thierry Bolloré stunned the world with an aggressive electrification strategy. While Jaguar will become a pure-electric luxury brand by 2025, Land Rover will welcome an onslaught of six pure-electric variants over the next five years, with the first set to arrive in 2024. The six variants will span all three Land Rover families: Range Rover, Defender and Discovery.
JLR expects three of every five Land Rovers sold by 2030 to be zero-emission models, the same year in which the UK government will ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars.
All diesel Land Rovers will be phased out by 2026, and Land Rover projects 100% of its sales will be pure-electric by 2036. In the UK, sales of new hybrids, including plug-in hybrids, will be banned from 2035.
Lexus electric car plans
On sale now UX 300e
Coming soon RZ (2022)
Lexus has extensive experience with hybrids, of course, and now Toyota’s luxury division has decided to make its first pure-electric car: the UX 300e.
Having just come in for a mild visual refresh, it packs 201bhp, can manage 196 miles on a single charge and recharges to 80% in 50 minutes using a 50kW charging station. That means it’s not the cheapest or longest-range EV, but it comes with Toyota’s reputation for reliability attached, and will be more luxurious than some of its competitors.
Lexus will launch a new compact electric SUV in 2022, the RZ, based on the same e-TNGA platform as the upcoming Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra. As a clean-sheet design, the RZ features several innovative features such as steering-by-wire, dual electric motors and the option of a Tesla-style yoke instead of a steering wheel. Powering those motors is a 71.4kWh battery pack which, according to Lexus’ estimation, is good for around 250 miles between charges.
Lotus electric car plans
On sale now Evija
Coming soon Eletre SUV (2023); Type 133 saloon (2023); Unnamed electric sports car (2026)
Fifteen years after production of the legendary Esprit ended, Lotus is returning to supercars. The extraordinary Lotus Evija (pronounced “eh-vai-ya”) is the firm’s first pure-electric production car and its most extreme car ever. Lotus says its 1,973bhp and 1,254 lb ft of torque are good enough for a 0-62mph time of under three seconds, a staggering sub-nine-seconds time for 0-186mph and a top speed of 200mph+.
The mid-mounted battery pack, developed by the Williams Formula 1 team’s Advanced Engineering division is good for 250 miles per charge under the WLTP test cycle, and is capable of charging speeds of up to 800kW meaning an ultra-rapid full recharge will be possible in just nine minutes, Lotus claims.
Lotus boss: Evija hypercar back on track as company expands after lockdown
Lotus has also announced an electric SUV, called the Eletre (el-etra), which is slated for launch in 2023. The SUV is based on bespoke underpinnings from Lotus’s parent-company, Geely, and will be built at Geely’s facilities in China.
Lotus then plans to launch a four-door electric saloon in 2023, codenamed Type 133, and is expected to add an electric sports car by 2026.
Don’t discount the idea of further variations on the SUV theme in the interim, as they’re profitable and popular, which would allow the further development of electric sports cars. Like it or not, that’s business.
Lucid Motors electric car plans
On sale now: Air
Coming soon: Gravity SUV (2023 – TBC)
At Lucid Motors’ helm is Peter Rawlinson, the man who led the development of the Tesla Model S and who has vowed to beat Tesla when it comes to luxury, acceleration, price and range. By a couple of metrics, Lucid already has; its Air Dream Edition model has been officially certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States as having a range of 520 miles, which is some 25% more than a Tesla Model S Long Range. It achieves that partly through ultra-efficient aerodynamics but mainly through efficient battery management techniques derived from the company’s experience with the Atieva Formula E team. The fact that the Air Dream Edition features a substantial 113kWh battery helps too.
Not every Lucid Air has the Dream Edition’s all-wheel drive, efficiency and 1,086bhp power figure though. The Air Pure opens the range with rear-wheel drive, an 88kWh battery and a range of 406 miles. At the other end of the spectrum, the Dream Edition Performance offers up to 1,111bhp with 0-60mph dispatched in just 2.5 seconds.
The Air is currently on sale in the US, but hasn’t yet made it to Europe. Lucid, however, has said that it will bring the Air to Europe including a right-hand-drive version for the UK market. In 2023, the company also plans to launch an SUV, likely called the Lucid Gravity and based on the Air’s running gear.
Maserati electric car plans
On sale now None
Coming soon MC20 supercar (2021), Grecale SUV (2022), GranTurismo grand tourer (2022), electrified versions of Levante and Quattroporte by 2023
Maserati relaunched its entire brand with the unveiling of the MC20 supercar in 2020, and it’s given it a boost of productivity, with three electric models due from the brand in the next few years. There’s an electric version of the MC20, which will, in swapping the twin-turbo V6 for a tri-motor set up, add around 100kg to the ICE model’s 1500kg, as well as around 80bhp.
The Maserati Grecale, due in 2022, will feature V6 power as well as mild-hybrid options and, from later in the year, the option of a pure-electric powertrain. The company’s electric models will be badged “Folgore” — Italian for “lightning” — and the replacements for the Gran Turismo, Levante and Quattroporte models will receive the option of fully-electric powertrains, too.
Mazda electric car plans
On sale now MX-30
Coming soon TBC
Like many of its fellow carmakers, Mazda is making the mass-production foray into the world of electric motoring with a compact crossover — unsurprising, given the modern appetite for them.
Potential buyers may be put off by the small 124-mile range of the Mazda MX-30 — smaller even than the Honda e — but Mazda says it has done its research, and thinks that its clientele aren’t looking for anything more than that. Plus, a smaller battery (35.5kWh, in the MX-30’s case) is also better for the environment, and means less weight.
It’s definitely competitive price wise, with costs starting at £25,545. What’s more, Mazda claims that it costs just 4p a mile to run. For those still antsy about the range, a plug-in hybrid version with batteries charged by a rotary-engine range extender is due later in 2022.
Mazda plans to launch a dedicated EV platform by 2025 and has said it will launch three new EVs in the meantime, though details are scarce.
Mercedes-Benz electric car plans
On sale now EQA, EQB, EQC, EQE EQS, EQV
Coming soon EQG (2025)
Mercedes is another car maker going on the offensive when it comes to electric car releases. It already has five fully electric models on sale under its EQ sub-brand. The EQC SUV and EQV MPV are joined by the EQA, a compact SUV based on the GLA, and the compact seven-seat EQB SUV.
The EQE, launched in 2022, should prove a popular and less-expensive alternative to the flagship EQS, which crowns the current EQ line-up and is the company’s flagship electric car with a massive 478-mile range. There is also AMG versions of the EQE and EQS with greater performance outputs.
At the Munich motor show in 2021, the company announced a number of upcoming models including a Maybach SUV also called the EQS, and an electric G-Class set to arrive by 2025 – probably called the EQG.
In the longer term, Mercedes will launch three new electric-only vehicle platforms that will underpin most of its future models across its luxury Maybach and AMG performance sub-brands plus its commercial vehicle line-up.
A better of idea of what the company says will be its approach to EVs going forward was seen with the unveiling of the Vision EQXX at CES in Las Vegas in early January 2022. The sleek concept car won’t make series production, but will remain a “road legal research prototype” claimed to be capable of 621 miles between charges through efficient battery management, smooth aerodynamics and a lightened design. Mercedes says this will be its approach towards electric cars in future rather than just applying bigger and bigger batteries to solve the issue of range.
MG electric car plans
On sale now ZS EV, MG 5 EV
Coming soon Cyberster (TBC), MG4 (2023)
MG has emerged as a bit of a dark horse in the electric motoring world, thanks to the success of its well-priced ZS SUV (recently updated) and the similarly priced MG5 electric family estate.
Both hit a sweet spot financially and in terms of range: the MG5 Long Range costs £27,945 and has a 250-mile range; the ZS EV come in both standard- and long-range guises with prices starting from £27,495 for the former (with 200 miles of range), while a longer-range version with a 72.6kWh battery and 273 miles of range is also available. Add in MG’s mammoth seven-year warranty and they make attractive, practical propositions. A facelifted version of the MG5, already on sale in continental Europe, is due to arrive in the UK in the next year or so.
Also arriving towards the end of 2022 or early in 2023 is the MG4, a hatchback designed to take on the likes of the Volkswagen ID.3 and Nissan Leaf. It will be based on MG’s new MSP (Modular Scalable Platform) architecture, that it will be rear-wheel drive only and will be initially available with battery capacities from 51kWh to 64kWh. That should give it a range of between 217 miles and 281 miles between charges.
What appears to be lined up after that for MG is something quite different indeed: the company’s first sports car since the demise of the elderly TF in 2011. Patent images leaked in June show a pretty little convertible around the same size as a Mazda MX-5 with follow-up teaser videos showing something with the scissor doors of the 2021 Cyberster concept on which the design was based. There also appears to be a Tesla-style yoke in place of a steering wheel.
Contrary to initial suggestions that it would be all-wheel drive, given that the sports car will likely use the same underpinnings as the MG4, it’s probably going to be rear-drive only. As to what it could be called, intellectual property filings by MG’s parent, SAIC, hint that it could be named something along the lines of the MGC EV or MG Cyber MGC EV, potentially reviving the name of the company’s six-cylinder sports car from the sixties. It hasn’t officially been confirmed yet if or when a production sports car will actually emerge, but the signs are good that it may see the light of day by 2023.
Mini electric car plans
On sale now Mini Electric
Coming soon Electric Countryman (2023), Aceman compacy SUV (2023)
With the launch of the Mini Electric in 2020, Bernd Körber, head of Mini, told Driving.co.uk that he felt that driving the new Mini Electric (which Will Dron tested long-term throughout the second half of 2020) is even more fun than its internal-combustion compatriot, thanks to a “go-kart feel” that he said suits the ethos of the brand.
Körber revealed that Mini was planning the release of two new electric models by 2023 or 2024: an all-electric version of the Mini Countryman SUV (to go on sale alongside the combustion-engined versions) as well as a then-unnamed small crossover to sit below the Countryman in Mini’s range.
In July 2022, the company unveiled the concept car on which that small crossover would be based. Dubbed the Aceman, it previews the company’s future design language as well as offering a fairly accurate preview of the crossover that will go into production mostly unchanged. The design represents a departure for Mini, eschewing the soft, rounded lines and chrome fittings of previous models in favour of stronger, sharper lines and a cleaner design.
The Aceman will fit into Mini’s range between the new 2023 Mini Hatch (which is set to shrink compared to previous models) and the new Countryman, which is due to grow.
The next-gen Mini Hatch will also be offered with an electric powertrain option from the start. Interestingly, it won’t be based on the same platform as the petrol-powered model, but rather on architecture co-developed with BMW’s Chinese partner, Great Wall.
Nissan electric car plans
On sale now Leaf, e-NV200 Combi
Coming soon Ariya SUV (summer 2022), Micra replacement (2024 – TBC), seven other electric models worldwide by 2023, possibly including large SUV
Despite being one of the early pioneers of modern mass-market electric cars, Nissan’s electric vehicle range isn’t that extensive: it currently only comprises the Leaf hatchback and van-derived e-NV200 people carrier.
That comparatively meagre line-up will soon be bolstered by the Ariya crossover SUV, which will arrive with up to 310 miles of range. It’ll come with a whole host of powertrain options: two-wheel drive with either 215bhp or 239bhp, or dual-motor four-wheel drive with 275bhp, 302bhp or 389bhp. There will also be a choice of two battery sizes: 63kWh or 87kWh. The Ariya is due to arrive by late spring or early summer 2022.
Also coming down the line is an electric replacement for the Nissan Micra supermini set to be based on a new Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance platform, which is due to arrive in 2024. Nissan says the platform will provide a battery range of around 250 miles and be shared with Renault’s revival of its own R5 retro-styled supermini. The new Micra will be engineered by Nissan, but built in France by Renault.
Ora electric car plans
On sale now none
Coming soon Funky Cat (2022)
Ora is a Chinese manufacturer and a sub-brand of car-maker Great Wall that once sold pick-ups in the UK until it fell afoul of emissions regulations. From later on this year, the company will launch the amusingly named Ora Funky Cat, a cute electric hatchback with styling cues seemingly drawn from Mini, Alpine and even Porsche.
Pricing for the Funky Cat will start from £30,495 once the government’s plug-in grant is applied and customers will get plenty of spec for their money with a reversing camera and 18in alloy wheels, as well as LED headlights, wireless phone charging, adaptive cruise control, electrically adjustable front seats, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring featuring as standard.
Using a 48kWh battery, the Funky Cat will manage 193 miles (WLTP) between charges and feature rapid charging at up to 80kW.
The Funky Cat should provide a keenly priced rival for cars such as the Mini Electric, Fiat 500e and Peugeot e-208.
Peugeot electric car plans
On sale now e-208, e-2008, e-Rifter
Coming soon e-308 (2022), e-3008 (2023)
Peugeot is attempting to electrify its entire line-up by 2023, meaning that all models will have some form of plug-in variant. With its smaller offerings, like the already-available (and well received) 208, it’s going full bore with pure-electric, while larger models like the 5008 will be plug-in hybrids.
The next pure-electric model will be the 308 hatchback and its 3008 SUV counterpart. The former is likely to be revealed in the coming months, and will rival models like the VW ID.3, while the latter most likely won’t hit roads until 2023, but will reportedly bring with it a 404-mile range.
When asked if hybrids with no pure-electric running would be an option, a spokesperson told us, “No, as we’re in it for the environmental benefits, not as a tax dodge.”
Polestar electric car plans
On sale now Polestar 2
Coming soon Polestar 3 SUV (2022), Polestar 4 SUV (2023), Polestar 5 saloon (2024), Polestar 6 convertible (2026)
Most brands are (understandably) continuing to flog their engine-based wares while they make the transition to electric motoring. Polestar, though, started as an electric car brand.
Its first offering, the stunningly-designed Polestar 1, was a plug-in hybrid, while the Polestar 2 arrived in 2020 as the brand’s first pure-electric car, to stellar reviews. The company’s next model will be the Polestar 3, a mid-sized performance SUV due for launch in 2022. Following that, another, smaller SUV, the predictably named Polestar 4, will arrive in 2023, while the Porsche Taycan- and Tesla Model S-rivalling Polestar 5 saloon coming in 2024, based on the well-received design of the company’s Precept concept.
The innovative, lightweight bonded aluminium architecture of the Polestar 5 will also be employed by Polestar’s first sports car, the Polestar 6, expected to arrive in 2026. Based on the stunning O2 roadster concept revealed in March 2022 (which, like the Polestar 5, borrowed its design language from the Precept concept), Polestar said in August that with the enthusiasm shown by the press and public for the design, that it would make the sports car a production reality.
While little else has been confirmed about the final production model, Polestar did promise some pretty impressive performance figures, with a power output of up to 872bhp and 664lb ft of torque from a dual-motor system, giving the Polestar 6 a potential 0-62mph sprint time of 3.2 seconds.
Pricing, it said, would be around the £165,000 mark and that while it won’t be a high-volume car like the Polestar 2, it won’t be ultra-low-volume like the Polestar 1.
Porsche electric car plans
On sale now Taycan, Taycan Cross Turismo
Coming soon Macan Electric (2022), Cayman and Boxster Electric (expected 2022)
Sports car maker Porsche has no qualms about embracing the potential of electric power. Its first pure-electric model, the Taycan, came out earlier last year to rave reviews, and there’s now a little family of them including the 4S, the Turbo and the Turbo S (even though electric cars can’t technically be turbocharged).
A rugged estate version of the Taycan, called the Cross Turismo, launched this year and it’s a compelling mix of high performance, long range and crossover-like ability.
An electrification of Porsche’s wider line-up is scheduled to take place next, with the Macan SUV due to be made electric for its next generation in 2022, and pure-electric versions of the 718 Cayman and 718 Boxster models being developed for launch in the same year. It will come as welcome news to many that an electric version of the much-adored 911 is not expected this side of 2030.
Pininfarina electric car plans
On sale now Battista
Coming soon Three new models by 2024
More than 90 years after it was founded as a coachbuilder, Pininfarina has finally begun deliveries of its first homegrown car: the pure-electric Battista hypercar, which rivals the similarly ludicrous Lotus Evija (see above). The Battista’s sensational performance claims include 1,874bhp, a top speed in excess of 217mph and 0-60mph in less than 2sec, all thanks to underpinnings from Croatian hypercar-maker Rimac (see below).
Pininfarina is set to build just 150 Battistas which, if you’re interested, will set you back £2m plus tax, with personalisation options allowing customers to spend well in excess of £3m to get the car they want.
Pininfarina has also said it’s working on a new pure-electric car platform that will underpin three future models to be released in the three years after the Battista hits roads. Two of these will reportedly be SUVs, but that’s not been officially confirmed.
Renault electric car plans
On sale now Zoe, Twizy
Coming soon Megane E-Tech Electric (2022), six other new electric models globally by 2025
Like sister company Nissan, Renault got into the electric car game very early, with the likes of the Fluence Z.E., Twizy and Kangoo Z.E, but its electric model range is currently quite limited: the only electric car it sells in Britain is the Zoe supermini. The Twizy is considered a quadricycle.
That’s set to change soon, however, as Renault plans to have eight pure-electric models in its global portfolio by 2025. That will include a reinvention of the Mégane, which will morph into a small SUV, the Mégane E-Tech Electric, which goes on sale in 2022 as a pure-electric model.
Powertrains in the Renault Mégane E-Tech will consist of two power outputs and two battery options. Both 128bhp and 215bhp electric motors will be available, the latter allowing a 0-62mph time of 7.4 seconds. A 40kWh battery delivers a claimed range of 186 miles, while the larger 60kWh pack manages 292 miles.
More exciting, perhaps, is the reinvention of two iconic old Renaults, the R5 and the R4, as affordable electric hatchbacks. The Renault 5 EV is promised to be cheaper than the current Zoe when it goes on sale in 2023. Renault hasn’t indicated how many of its eight electric models will come to the UK.
Rimac electric car plans
On sale now Nevera
Coming soon TBC
The Croatian company, Rimac, famous for creating the Concept One hypercar that Richard Hammond infamously crashed on the Grand Tour, has been collaborating with more established manufacturers like Aston Martin, Jaguar and Seat lately on battery and drivetrain technology and has even taken a controlling stake in Bugatti.
Watch Richard Hammond have another go at fateful Rimac hillclimb in The Grand Tour Game
Its current flagship, the Rimac Nevera is capable of mind-bending performance figures. A 340-mile WLTP range is promised and fast, 500kW charging delivering 0-80% charge in around 19 minutes. That’s good, but not as impressive as Rimac’s claimed performance figures. Think 1,888bhp, 258mph and 0-60mph in 1.85 seconds, though these have yet to be independently tested. If true, that would make it the fastest-accelerating production car in the world. Rimac plans to build just 150 units starting at £1.7 million each.
Rivian electric car plans
On sale now: R1T, R1S
When American electric vehicle company Rivian began producing its quirkily styled pick-up, the R1T, in September 2021, not only did it beat established manufacturers such as Ram, Ford and Jeep to market with an electric truck, but Tesla too, the arrival of whose Cybertruck still appears to be some time off.
Rivian is initially focusing on what it believes is the most profitable market segment — pick-ups and SUVs. The R1T and R1S use a 135kWh battery pack to deliver 314- and 316 miles of range respectively according to figures released by the EPA in the United States; longer-range models are expected to follow. Prices for the R1T start from the equivalent of just under £50,000 while the seven-seat R1S is priced from around £51,000.
While Rivian’s vehicles, having won praise for their style, appear to be in high demand relative to the company’s production capacity, Rivian is currently devoting a lot of its energies to fulfilling an order from Amazon for 10,000 electric delivery vans by 2025.
That means if, as it says, it plans to launch in Europe by the end of 2023, it’ll need a factory on this side of the Atlantic. Rivian is currently in negotiations with two European countries to build a battery and vehicle assembly plant, and the UK government recently offered the company significant financial incentives to set up a facility on a 635-acre site in Somerset.
Rolls-Royce electric car plans
On sale now none
Coming soon: Spectre (2023)
Rolls-Royce is due to launch its first electric vehicle, to be called the Spectre, in late 2023. Not a great deal is yet known about the Spectre, though it will be based on Rolls-Royce’s “Architecture of Luxury” platform that it will share with the current Phantom, on sale since 2017. The platform is exclusive to Rolls-Royce models and is not used by any other members of the BMW group, the parent company of Rolls-Royce.
Judging by the silhouette revealed in teaser images, the Spectre will be a coupé, along much the same lines as Rolls-Royce’s current Wraith model. The Spectre is currently undergoing testing around the world that will see up to 1.6 million miles covered to simulate, what the company says, is more than 400 years of use.
Seat electric car plans
On sale now none
Coming soon TBC
Seat’s next pure-electric model, after the plug-in version of the Mii Electric, was supposed to be the el-Born hot hatch but the marketing people at Volkswagen Group HQ have decided to stick a Cupra badge on that car instead (see above), meaning that Seat will have to wait a bit longer for its new electric model.
With the Mii no longer on sale, Seat doesn’t currently have an electric car in its line-up, though we do know that new electric Seat models are on the way — we’re just not sure what they’ll be or when they’ll arrive.
Skoda electric car plans
On sale now Enyaq iV, Enyaq Coupé iV
The Skoda Enyaq iV shares its MEB platform with the Volkswagen ID range and is Skoda’s equivalent of the ID.4. It has thus far drawn much praise as a highly competent and well-made car, though due to the global semiconductor shortage and, latterly, the war in Ukraine, it has been in short supply. With the 82kWh battery fitted, the Enyaq is one of the longest-range electric cars on the market with a quoted distance between charges of 330 miles, though a shorter range (and cheaper) Enyaq iV 60 model is also available.
Joining the Enyaq is the Enyaq Coupé, a very similar car but with a sloping, coupé-like roofline, making it Skoda’s version of the VW ID.5. The first version of the Enyaq Coupé to arrive in the UK will be the 295bhp all-wheel-drive vRS model. Other versions will arrive down the line including a tamer rear-drive model with 201bhp and a 339-mile range – thanks in part to improved aerodynamics over the standard Enyaq.
Both the Enyaq and the Enyaq Coupé go towards fulfilling the promise Skoda made to have 10 new electric models on the road by 2025, including six pure electrics.
Smart electric car plans
On sale now EQ fortwo, EQ fortwo cabrio, EQ forfour
Coming soon #1 (2023)
Smart ditched combustion engines entirely in 2019 and is preparing to launch its first purpose-built EV, a compact SUV around the size of Mercedes’s EQA crossover.
Named the #1 (ridiculously pronounced “hashtag one”), the new model is a collaboration between Smart’s parent companies Mercedes and Geely, with the latter undertaking the engineering and construction and the former responsible for interior and exterior styling. Its architecture is based on the same Geely platform that will underpin a future small Volvo.
That Geely platform means that the Smart #1 gets a 66kWh battery, which means a (still TBC) range of around 273 miles. Power comes from a 267bhp electric motor, making it by quite some distance the most powerful Smart model yet, but expect a Brabus version with even more performance to be available from launch in the UK.
The #1 is expected to go on sale in 2023, with UK deliveries from autumn next year, and will be built at Geely’s plant in China alongside replacements for the ageing fortwo and forfour.
What comes after that is yet to be announced, though Smart did confirm to us they’re already working on the follow-up. We’d expect a smaller option based on the same platform, perhaps with two doors, but at the moment that’s pure speculation. We’d like to see a new Roadster at some point, too, but is that type of car popular enough for the ambitious new Smart?
Sony electric car plans
On sale now none
Coming soon Vision-S saloon (TBC), Vision-S 02 SUV (TBC)
When Sony unveiled the Vision-S saloon at CES Las Vegas in 2020, it tried to quash rumours that it had plans to become a car maker, insisting that the model was a development testbed for sensor and communications technologies. With the reveal of Vision-S 02 SUV at CES in 2022, however, it said that it was actively considering entering the car business with a new division, Sony Mobility Inc, to be established later in the year.
Both the Vision-S saloon and seven-seat SUV are based on the same underpinnings and use a pair of 200kW electric motors to send around 540bhp to the front and rear wheels. Beyond that, however, there’s little indication of battery size or range.
Sony’s plans for the two vehicles and the extent of its intentions in the car-making sphere are still unclear, but both Sony and Honda have announced that they will form a joint venture by the end of 2022 with a view to establishing a standalone car company with Honda working on the hardware and production elements of the vehicles and Sony on the complex electronics systems. Given how far developed both the Vision-S models are, they seem to be likely candidates for the first cars that could be produced by any new Honda/Sony venture.
SsangYong electric car plans
On sale now None
Coming soon Pure-electric Korando variant (2021); J100 mid-sized SUV (2022)
SsangYong’s first pure-electric vehicle, a version of its Korando SUV model that will be known as the Korando e-Motion, has already gone into production and will go on sale in the UK later this year. When it arrives, it should offer low-cost electric SUV competition to the likes of the MG ZS.
The Korando e-Motion is set to be driven by a single motor producing 187bhp and will provide a range of around 200 miles.
SsangYong plans to launch a larger, mid-sized electric SUV, currently codenamed the J100, which it envisages launching in 2022 and which may include a pick-up variant.
The company is working to develop an all-new EV platform and aims to launch its first vehicle on that platform by 2024.
Subaru electric car plans
On sale now None
Coming soon Solterra (2022)
Subaru’s brand-synonymous “Boxer” combustion engines are on borrowed time, it seems, as the car maker has been working with Toyota on a new pure-electric car platform.
The fruits of that collaboration come in the form of the Solterra SUV, which shares its underpinnings with the Toyota bZ4X and Lexus RZ.
The new model isn’t as alarmingly angular as its concept and, like the bZ4X features a 71.4kWh battery pack. There’s a choice of motor arrangements, with the entry-level Limited model powered by a single motor producing 201bhp and coming in with a maximum range of 289 miles. Above that, there’s the Touring model which offers a dual-motor system with four-wheel-drive and a combined output of 215bhp. Range is a bit shorter on that one though, falling to 257 miles.
Earlier this year Subaru unveiled a conceptual high-performance STI version of the Solterra hinting that a hot version could potentially be coming down the line.
Suzuki electric car plans
On sale now None
Coming soon Compact electric car (date TBC)
Suzuki will soon enter the electric car fray, as it’s currently co-developing a new pure-electric model with the Japanese car making giant Toyota. We don’t yet know when it will go on sale or whether it will be offered in the UK, though it has been confirmed the car is being pitched as a compact vehicle — suggesting the pure-electric Suzuki will either be a small hatchback or a small SUV.
Tesla electric car plans
On sale now Model 3, Model S, Model X, Model S Plaid, Model Y
Coming soon Cybertruck (TBC), Roadster (2023)
The world’s most valuable car maker already has one of the most impressive EV line-ups in Europe, with the Model 3, Model S and Model X all already available to purchase in the UK and the Model Y starting deliveries here shortly.
The next-gen Tesla Roadster, which the company is claiming will be able to do 620 miles on a single charge and sprint from 0-60mph in under two seconds, has been pushed back to 2023 for now.
The stainless steel Cybertruck, which has already been pushed back several times and was most recently slated for arrival in 2022, has been delayed further, any reference to its 2022 launch date being removed from Tesla’s website. Recent rumours suggest that it still hasn’t advanced much beyond a prototype stage.
Don’t expect to see versions of either car in the UK until 2023 at the earliest.
Toyota electric car plans
On sale now Mirai FCEV, bZ4X (2022)
Coming soon 10 pure electric models globally by 2025
Toyota has long been a world leader in hybrid cars, with the ubiquitous Prius hitting the road more than two decades ago. It’s taking the transition to electric cars at its own pace, though, and exploring all avenues, with the second-generation Mirai hydrogen fuel cell car launched recently.
It has also partnered with a number of other Japanese car makers, including Mazda, Subaru and Suzuki, to develop future battery-electric models, and expects to have 10 models in its global portfolio by 2025.
Toyota has launched the bZ4X for mid-2022, which is a crossover based on the same underpinnings as the Lexus RZ and Subaru Solterra, and features a 71.4kWh battery pack offering 330 miles or so of range, with front- and all-wheel drive versions.
TVR electric car plans
On sale now None
Coming soon Three EVs, one of which could be based on the Griffith (TBC)
To call TVR’s revival long-delayed is quite an understatement. The Griffith model was originally planned to spearhead that revival, having been first seen in 2017.
Production still isn’t underway at the company’s plant in Wales, but with a new financial backer in the form of South American lithium mining firm Ensorcia, it has been suggested that maybe, just maybe, production of the Griffith could begin within the next year.
As well as hinting that the Griffith was closer to production than before, in April 2022, TVR announced that it was partnering with the Formula E racing series to promote its electrification ambitions. It said that following the launch of the V8 Griffith, it would launch an electric version in 2024, to be followed later by two other electric models. Further details, however, remain elusive.
Vauxhall electric car plans
On sale now Corsa-e, Mokka-e, Combo-e
Coming soon Astra-e (2023), possible Monza crossover (2024), Manta (2025)
With its sister brands Citroën, DS and Peugeot pursuing their own pure-electric projects, it’s no surprise that Vauxhall is also adding plug-ins to its line-up. By 2024, every car it makes will have a hybrid or electric variant, and by 2028 the brand plans for all its models to be electric.
Vauxhall’s electric car range currently consists of the Corsa-e supermini and the Mokka-e small SUV.
Electric versions of the Combo Life and Vivaro Life people carriers are also available, as are their van equivalents.
A pure-electric version of the new Astra will be on sale in 2023, too. Vauxhall hasn’t released any details about range or powertrains yet but it will almost certainly share technology with the upcoming electric Peugeot e-308, which is expected to have a range of around 250 miles.
There are also rumours that Vauxhall will reboot the Monza name as an electric crossover, but that won’t be revealed until at least 2024 if confirmed, and we expect the Manta to be reborn as an electric car in 2025.
Volkswagen electric car plans
On sale now ID.3, ID.4, ID.5
Coming soon ID.Buzz (2022), ID.1 (2025), ID.1 X (2025)
Volkswagen placed great importance on the ID.3 at its launch test drives calling it a third chapter in the brand’s history — after the Beetle and the Golf. It put special emphasis on its environmental benefits: it’s produced in a carbon neutral manner, which is great PR for a brand still haunted by the spectre of the dieselgate emissions scandal.
A coupé version of the ID.4 SUV, called the ID.5 is on sale now, though a larger SUV, the ID.6 is destined for China only.
Order books are open too for ID.Buzz, the long-awaited revival of Volkswagen’s iconic Microbus model, concepts for which were first revealed way back in 2001. Though featuring retro styling, it’s an entirely modern MPV with roughly the same dimensions as VW’s T6.1 Multivan, built on the same underpinnings as the ID.3 and ID.4 and using a similar dash layout to both. Also shared is a 77kWh battery promising around 250 miles between charges. It’s due to arrive before the end of 2022 as both a passenger car and as a commercial vehicle.
In June, 2022, VW unveiled the ID.Aero concept, the production version of which will replace the outgoing Passat. Like the Passat, it’s a saloon, albeit with slightly more of a crossover stance thanks to its larger wheels and battery pack under the floor. If the concept is anything to go by, the production model will be bigger than the Passat thanks to the MEB modular architecture shared with the ID.3 and ID.4, and the new model will likely share some of the rest of the ID. range’s design language too.
At the 2021 Munich motor show, Volkswagen unveiled the ID.Life concept, a cute crossover based on VW’s MEB platform that will likely share underpinnings with Cupra and Skoda stablemates. It may provide a glimpse of a future compact urban car for VW that could possibly launch in 2025.
Volvo electric car plans
On sale now XC40 Recharge P8, C40 Recharge
Coming soon four pure-electric models by 2025
Volvo unveiled its first pure-electric model in 2020 in the form of a battery-powered XC40 compact SUV. The Swedish company plans for its sales to comprise entirely either pure-electric or plug-in hybrid models, in a 50:50 split, by 2025, and in order to make that happen it will release a pure-electric model every year until then. All its new car sales will be pure-electric from 2030.
The company’s latest electric model is the C40, a fastback-roofed version of the XC40 featuring a range of up to 275 miles.
Volvo’s next pure-electric model is expected to be a smaller crossover than the XC40 and share underpinnings with another small SUV from Geely stablemate Smart.
Enjoyed reading about car makers’ electric car plans? You might want to read about 10 electric cars with 317 miles or more of range.
Keyword: Car makers’ electric vehicle plans for 2022 and beyond