There’s a lot of buzz around electric vehicles right now. And it’s no surprise: Automakers are trying to change their business models as gasoline is becoming more expensive and consumers start to see the benefits of EVs.
As a result, there’s a whole new wave of ev car brands on the horizon. Here’s a look at some of them.
Lotus Evija
The Lotus Evija is the first vehicle produced under Lotus’s new ownership by China’s Geely. It’s a hypercar that’ll accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than three seconds and reach 186 mph in under nine seconds.
Designed with aerodynamics in mind, the Evija has an active front splitter and rear air ducts that use the wind to reduce drag and funnel cooling air into the battery pack. It also has a deployable F1-style Drag Reduction System that’s activated at higher speeds to add additional downforce.
As if that wasn’t enough, the car has a 70-kWh battery pack capable of delivering 1972 horsepower from a standstill. It will also come with an independent torque vectoring system to help it achieve its top speed of over 200 mph.
The interior of the Evija features a floating wing dashboard and carbon fiber shell seats with Alcantara-finished pads. It’s also the first Lotus to feature a full suite of modern digital infotainment with periodic software updates.
Lucid Motors
Lucid Motors is one of the newest automakers to make waves in the electric vehicle world. The company, founded by Tesla’s former VP of Engineering Peter Rawlinson and backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, is on a mission to build THE best electric vehicle available for sale.
The Lucid Air is the brand’s first car, and it comes with a number of features that are sure to impress customers. It boasts an EPA estimated 516 miles of range, can hit a quarter-mile in under 10 seconds, and has room for up to five passengers.
As an EV startup, Lucid has faced many challenges. Its production ramp-up was troublesome, and supply chain disruptions almost tripped the company up once.
Rivian
The Rivian brand of electric vehicles pegs itself as a high-end EV for adventurous people. The company’s first two consumer offerings, the R1T pickup truck and the R1S SUV, made a big splash when they were unveiled in 2018.
Unlike most electric trucks on the market, the R1T and R1S are designed with an off-road focus. They also boast premium features not found in conventional pickups and SUVs, like an optimal camp stove integrated into a compartment between the back wheels and the rear passenger seats.
While the R1T and R1S are currently finding homes in customers’ driveways, they won’t be the only Rivian EVs on the road in the future. CEO R.J. Scaringe has promised a series of more EVs to come, including commercial vehicles and a new vehicle that’s still in development.
The EV maker is hoping to open a $5 billion battery assembly and manufacturing plant near Atlanta by 2021. The state of Georgia is offering a $1.5 billion incentive package for the project, including tax credits.
Genesis
Genesis is Hyundai’s luxury division, and the brand is getting into electric cars in the US. It’s currently building a new, dedicated EV platform and will soon offer several electrified models.
The automaker is taking orders for its first electric car, the GV60, which enters the market with a $58,890 MSRP (plus $1,090 DST) and three years of free public charging sessions from Electrify America. The EV has a range of 248 miles and can accept DC quick charging.
It also features a number of world-first automotive technologies, including Face Connect with fingerprint authentication and a Crystal Sphere. The latter is a gear-change mechanism that flips over to show a drive selector with a glowing orb at its center.
The GV60 is an excellent choice for a luxury EV, and its dual-motor configuration gives it 235 miles of range on a single charge. Its performance is a little below the PS47,957 Kia EV6’s 321hp dual-motor version, but it can still deliver more than enough power for a long journey.