The Ford F-150 Lightning. Tim Levin/Insider
- I’ve driven more than a dozen electric models from BMW, Tesla, Ford, and more.
- Tons of EVs boast interesting designs and capabilities, but only the coolest features cut through the noise.
- Rivian’s R1T offers a one-of-a-kind gear tunnel, while Porsche’s Taycan can charge incredibly quickly.
Slowly but surely, car companies are going electric. More buyers than ever are considering the switch from fossil fuels.
The Ford F-150 Lightning. Tim Levin/Insider
What’s great for early adopters is that automakers are using cutting-edge electric models as a testing ground for new and interesting designs and capabilities.
The Tesla Model Y. Tim Levin/Insider
I’ve driven more than a dozen electric cars from Ford, Tesla, Porsche, and others and experienced plenty of cool features, but a handful stand out.
The 2021 Porsche Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo. Tim Levin/Insider
California upstart Rivian is looking to become the Tesla of rugged pickup trucks and SUVs.
The Rivian R1T. Tim Levin/Insider
Its vehicles are jam-packed with interesting features, but the coolest part of the R1T truck has to be its Gear Tunnel.
The Rivian R1T. Tim Levin/Insider
It’s a bonus, one-of-a-kind storage area running between R1T’s back seats and bed.
The 2022 Rivian R1T. Tim Levin/Insider
Plus, buyers can add on a slide-out Camp Kitchen complete with a sink, cutting board, utensils, and induction cooktop.
The 2022 Rivian R1T. Tim Levin/Insider
The Gear Tunnel opens from both sides. Both doors house extra goodies like a first aid kit.
The 2022 Rivian R1T. Tim Levin/Insider
Rivian’s R1S SUV sets itself apart with extraordinary off-road capability.
The Rivian R1S. Tim Levin/Insider
Simply point the seven-seat SUV at a deep creek, steep incline, or mass of boulders, and step on the accelerator. Its four powerful motors, adjustable air suspension, and advanced all-wheel-drive system handle the rest.
The Rivian R1S. Tim Levin/Insider
In Tesla’s Model Y, the star of the show is its minimalist, technology-packed interior.
The Tesla Model Y. Tim Levin/Insider
Tesla rejects almost all conventional buttons and gauges in favor of a sleek and uncluttered look.
The Tesla Model Y. Tim Levin/Insider
And tech geeks will get a kick out of the big, snappy touchscreen that controls basic vehicle settings and receives software updates.
The Tesla Model Y. Tim Levin/Insider
Fun built-in features like a racing game (which uses the actual steering wheel), drawing pad, and Netflix ensure you’ll never be bored while charging up.
The 2022 Tesla Model Y. Tim Levin/Insider
Kia’s spaceship-like EV6 has a trick up its sleeve in the form of bidirectional charging capability.
The 2022 Kia EV6 GT-Line. Tim Levin/Insider
The clever feature involves using an adapter that plugs into the charge port.
The 2022 Kia EV6. Tim Levin/Insider
From there, you can power things things like speakers, an electric cooktop, or a coffee maker. I used the EV6 to make breakfast.
The 2022 Kia EV6. Tim Levin/Insider
Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 shares its guts with the EV6, so it can also power your toaster or hair dryer on the go.
The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Limited AWD. Tim Levin/Insider
But the best thing about driving the Ioniq 5 is just how cool it makes you feel.
The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5. Tim Levin/Insider
Its retrofuturistic styling — complete with origami-like angles and lights comprised of dozens of little pixels — makes it stand out from regular blob-shaped SUVs.
The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5. Tim Levin/Insider
In addition to top-tier handling and absurd acceleration, the Porsche Taycan delivers astonishingly quick charging speeds.
The 2022 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo Turbo S. Tim Levin/Insider
It can charge at a peak rate of 270 kilowatts, faster than most electric cars, meaning 5% to 80% can happen in just 22.5 minutes.
The 2022 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo Turbo S. Tim Levin/Insider
That’s a game-changer for long road trips with multiple charging stops.
The 2021 Porsche Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo. Tim Levin/Insider
The Polestar 2 showed me that big touchscreens in cars don’t have to be scary.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
The thought of going without regular buttons may repel some buyers. But the sporty sedan’s Google-powered infotainment system isn’t clunky like some other vehicle touchscreens.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
Instead, both the main display and digital instrument panel are remarkably intuitive, simple, and pretty to look at. Hyper-realistic graphics of the vehicle are a nice touch.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
BMW’s first electric SUV for American buyers makes up for its polarizing, slightly buck-toothed looks with a palatial interior.
The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50. Tim Levin/Insider
The $96,000 iX I drove cocooned me in generous amounts of supple leather.
The 2022 BMW iX xDrive60. Tim Levin/Insider
It had a massaging driver’s seat, a slim, floating screen, and plenty of gold trim.
The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50. Tim Levin/Insider
The Ford F-150 Lightning’s biggest superpower is how normal it feels. Ford took the F-150 and injected it with electric power without sacrificing the familiarity of America’s favorite truck.
The Ford F-150 Lightning. Tim Levin/Insider
But the Lightning brings some big advantages. It has outlets throughout that can provide serious amounts of electricity for power tools and tailgating accessories.
The F-150 Lightning Lariat. Ford
With the right adapter, it can even charge other electric vehicles.
The Ford F-150 Lightning charging an E-Transit van. Ford
The Lightning’s goofily named Mega Power Frunk also deserves a mention. The front trunk gives truck buyers something they’ve never really had before: Lockable, weather-proof storage outside of the bed.
The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning. Tim Levin/Insider
It also offers power outlets and a big, wide opening to make loading things even easier.
The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning. Tim Levin/Insider
Likewise, one of the Ford Mustang Mach-E’s handiest features is its frunk.
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E. Tim Levin/Insider
It’s made of hard plastic and has a drain hole, making it the perfect spot to stow muddy shoes and wet gear. Lots of electric SUVs go without a frunk, giving the Mach-E a leg up.
The Mustang Mach-E’s frunk. Ford
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Keyword: I've driven 15 different electric cars. These are my 13 favorite features, from the F-150's frunk to Rivian's camping kitchen.