New electric cars coming soon: the fresh EVs of 2024 and beyond
The EV explosion has brought a huge range of choice to the market already but it’s only going to get bigger in the coming months
Car manufacturers are under ever-increasing pressure to fill out their ranges with zero-emissions vehicles. The result is that electric car buyers will soon be spoiled for choice, with 2024 set to be a vintage year for new EVs of all shapes and sizes.
Large multi-brand organisations like Stellantis and the Volkswagen Group are leading the way with cost-saving platform sharing, which helps ever-improving technology to trickle down to cheaper cars – and that’s especially true with electric models.
While electric cars remain more expensive to buy than their internal-combustion counterparts, an encouraging wave of cost-effective options is on the horizon, with many set to arrive this year.
That’s not to say all electric cars are the same, of course – even those sharing similar underpinnings are developed by their respective brands to feel distinct and suitable for their typical customer. And of course, plenty of manufacturers are going it alone with great results.
At the top end of the market, constant development is producing some of the most powerful electric series production cars we’ve seen, as well as ever-increasing range figures and charging speeds.
Here are some of the exciting electric cars set to arrive before 2024 is over. Whatever your budget, it’s likely that you’ll find something interesting to look forward to.
Abarth 600e
Abarth was one of the first brands to create an electric hot hatchback with its 500e, a sporty take on the successful Fiat 500e complete with aggressive styling and a faux exhaust sound.
The same recipe will be followed with the Fiat 600e-based Abarth 600e, set to arrive later this summer as the brand’s most powerful model ever with 273bhp on tap. Performance upgrades include bespoke Hankook tyres, a mechanical limited-slip differential and specially-tuned suspension.
Prices haven’t been confirmed yet but expect the Abarth to carry a considerable premium over the Fiat 600e, which recently went on sale starting at just under £33,000.
Alfa Romeo Junior
Formerly known as the Milano, the Alfa Romeo Junior was renamed on Italian government orders to remove any suggestion that the car will be built in Milan. Manufactured in Poland, the Junior was revealed in April 2024 and will soon go on sale with electric power only in the UK with prices starting at just under £34,000.
Based on the same platform as its Fiat 600, Peugeot 2008 and Jeep Avenger Stellantis siblings, the Alfa Romeo Junior uses a 54kWh battery that can be charged at up to 100kW.
Two electric motor options will be offered, with the Junior Elettrica getting 154bhp and the higher-spec Junior Elettrica Speciale matching its Abarth 600e relative’s 237bhp. Claimed range is pitched at 255 miles and 215 miles for the Elettrica and Elettrica Speciale respectively.
Alpine A290
The recently revived Renault 5 was conceived to take on the might of MINI – and it’s the job of the Alpine version to battle it out with the sportiest MINI JCW. Bursting with retro charm, the Alpine A290 is inspired by sporty Renault 5 models of the 1970s and 80s but packs a choice of 178bhp or 217bhp motors to deliver very modern performance.
Wider track and wheels, bespoke suspension and a range of driving modes will help keen drivers get the most out of the A290’s extra power, while front brakes borrowed from the A110 sports car help slow things down. A 52kWh battery is good for up to 235 miles, with charging speeds of up to 100kW.
Prices are expected to start at around £32,000, with sales likely to begin at the end of the year.
Audi A6 e-tron
Audi is planning a revamp of some of its most popular models over the next few years and the stalwart A6 is next on the list. We’ve spotted the new car testing in recent months and while official details are still unconfirmed, we expect the new A6 to feature the same powertrain options as the recently revealed Q6 e-tron SUV – namely dual motors, a 94.9kWh battery and the same Volkswagen Group PPE 800V platform, allowing for very fast charging in the right circumstances.
Both saloon and Avant estate versions will arrive to take on the BMW i5, along with sporty S6 and RS 6 e-tron variants. Interestingly, the current internal-combustion A6 is likely to become the A7: Audi has decided that its electric models will be even-numbered from now on, with odd numbers for ICE cars.
Audi Q6 e-tron
We’ve just driven the new Audi Q6 e-tron at time of writing and it’s an impressive if rather large and heavy take on the electric car recipe. Performance and efficiency suffers as a result of that heft, but there’s no denying its best-in-class in-car tech and great refinement.
The standard car gets a 94.9 kWh battery powering two motors with the equivalent of 383bhp, with a claimed range of up to 381 miles; the faster SQ6 version gets 510bhp with a lower 357-mile range. Prices start at just over £64,000.
BMW i5 Touring
Freshly revealed at time of writing, the BMW i5 Touring is the hotly anticipated estate version of the German brand’s executive saloon, built to take on the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo. Spacious and great to drive, it impressed us on our first drive in eDrive40 specification.
Efficiency of nearly 4 mi/kWh on our test equates to something like 325 miles of real-world range from the 81.2kWh battery, which is very impressive for a large, heavy EV. The BMW i5 Touring is on sale now, with prices starting at £70,000.
Citroen e-C3
The latest, reimagined Citroen e-C3 is a seriously impressive electric car – so impressive that we crowned it Auto Express Car of the Year for 2024. Keen pricing puts it on par with petrol-powered alternatives, while tiny running costs are paired with great space and comfort. There’s very little to dislike.
Prices start at just £22k, which is great value for such a capable car with a near-200-mile range, 100kW charging – and the good news is that an even cheaper variant is on the cards for next year, most likely starting at around £19,000.
Cupra Tavascan
Recently revealed sporting Cupra’s new-look styling and the latest version of the Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform, the Tavascan will be available with two powertrain options that balance performance with efficiency and range when it arrives in the last quarter of this year.
Single- and dual-motor versions with 286bhp and 335bhp respectively make up the range, both utilising the same 77kWh battery. We’ve sampled the more powerful car, badged VZ, and found it rode well and boasts great refinement – and we’ve no doubt its slick coupe-SUV styling will be a big hit with buyers.
Dacia Spring
Dacia is known for its great-value offerings and its first crack at an EV is no different, with prices starting at just £14,995 in the UK. It’s not an all-new model – it’s already been on sale elsewhere since 2021 – but the Spring has become the cheapest electric car on the market.
A small 26.8kW battery provides a modest claimed range of 137 miles, but that’s more than enough for most smaller trips generally undertaken in small cars. Performance is similarly modest, with 0-62mph taking 19 seconds, while standard equipment on entry-level cars is as Spartan as you’d expect.
Fiat Grande Panda
Another model in the Stellantis small SUV flood, the Fiat Grande Panda promises to combine the utilitarian edge of its iconic namesake with the great electric powertrain we’ve already sampled in the excellent Citroen e-C3.
Exact specifications are still under wraps but it’s safe to assume the Panda will use the same battery and motor as its Citroen cousin, and occupy a similar price-point. The first examples are expected to hit these shores at the very end of 2024, possibly tipping over into 2025.
The good news for enthusiasts of the original Panda is that this is expected to be the first of many new models in a wider modern Fiat Panda range.
Ford Capri
The revived Ford Capri will take the form of a coupe-SUV based on the new Ford Explorer, which itself uses Volkswagen underpinnings (to great effect) as part of a deal between the two firms.
Details remain scant at time of writing but it is expected the new car will take on the Cupra Tavascan and BMW iX2 as a more stylish alternative to boxier electric SUVs.
It’s safe to expect the same electric powertrains as found in the Explorer, namely a 52kWh, 168bhp base model and perhaps a 79kWh, 335bhp spec at the top of the range.
Ford Explorer
Ford had been lagging behind its rivals in the electric car stakes but that looks set to change with the new Ford Explorer, an all-new family SUV based on Volkswagen’s MEB platform and aimed squarely at the Skoda Enyaq, Renault Scenic and Tesla Model Y.
Three powertrains will be on offer once the range fills out: 52kWh rear-wheel drive, 77kW rear-wheel-drive and 79kWh four-wheel drive, with a claimed range of up to 374 miles in the latter.
Prices start at around £46,000 in launch specification, but the entry-level version is expected to cost £40,000 and is expected later in 2024.
Ford Puma Gen-E
While Ford’s other new electric offerings use Volkswagen underpinnings, its forthcoming small EV effort is based on the same platform as the petrol-powered Puma. The Puma Gen-E will go up against the MINI Aceman and Alfa Romeo Junior as a small-yet-sporty electric SUV, most likely using the same electric drivetrain as the Ford E-Transit Courier – perhaps with the option of a more powerful motor.
Par-for-the-course specifications could mean a 50kWh battery and 100kW charging for around 250 miles of range, but we’ll have to wait until the car breaks cover later this year to find out for sure.
Hyundai Ioniq 7
Hyundai has assumed a leading role in the electric car market in recent years, thanks in no small part to the success of its Ioniq line of EVs. Set to join the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 later this year is the Ioniq 7, a full-size SUV that shares its underpinnings with the similarly large Kia EV9.
It’s safe to expect the usual array of ‘pixel’ details throughout its design, although it’s expected to be toned down from the concept car shown in 2021. Also expected is the same 99.8kWh battery and single- or dual-motor setup as found in the EV9, plus 800V charging. We’ll find out more later this year.
Kia EV3
Kia insists it has no plans to get rid of its huge-selling Niro EV, so the similarly sized new EV3 looks set sit alongside the car that helped kick off the electric SUV boom of recent years.
Unlike the Niro, the EV3 will be electric-only, with styling inspired by the EV9 and bang-up-to-date powertrains. Two batteries will be offered, with the smallest good for a claimed 254 miles and the largest boasting an impressive 372 miles – but we’ll have to test that for ourselves when the car arrives later in 2024.
Lotus Emeya
We’ve just driven the Lotus Emeya and it’s a seriously impressive electric sports GT – and perhaps the first to really challenge the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT.
With 604bhp and 710Nm of torque on tap, the Emeya S offers Taycan Turbo-esque performance but with a starting price that’s more on a level with the Taycan 4S. Prices start at £101,950, which while expensive seems to translate to lots of value and plenty of high-end trinkets inside. Go for the Emeya R and there’s even more power to play with.
Claimed range is 379 miles, or up to 408 miles in city driving – impressive figures that we’ll soon get to test for ourselves on UK roads.
Mercedes G 580 with EQ Technology
Revealed earlier this year, the first electric Mercedes G-Class may not have a snappy name but it does retain much of what makes its internal-combustion-powered siblings so much fun. Crucially, it’s seriously impressive off-road too, with very little skill required from the driver to tackle very serious obstacles.
Weighing in at over 3,200kg, the electric G-Class isn’t exactly the most efficient EV around, but it’s more powerful than its G63 AMG sibling and can do a claimed 285 miles on a single charge. It goes on sale this Autumn, with prices starting at just over £180,000.
MG Cyberster
While electric hot hatches have been enjoying a recent resurgence, sports cars are a bit thin on the ground – but MG has seen to that with its new Cyberster. Taking on a similar GT character to its 1960s ancestors, the Cyberster pairs a smooth ride with impressive performance – 496bhp, 725Nm and 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds.
Taking its place as the halo car in the hugely successful MG range, the Cyberster is priced at just under £60,000 and currently sits in a class of one – all its rivals use internal combustion engines, at least for now.
MINI Aceman
Pitched as a compact crossover to take on the Volvo EX30 and Renault Megane E-Tech, the Aceman slots in between the MINI Hatchback and Countryman in the brand’s recently modernised range, with a similarly stylish exterior and minimalist interior treatment.
The entry-level Aceman E gets a 42.5kWh battery, 181bhp and a claimed range of 192 miles, while the SE gets 54.2kWh, 215bhp and 252 miles of range. It’s safe to expect sportier Cooper models further down the line, too. The Aceman is available to order now, with prices starting at £31,800.
Omoda 5 EV
Chinese manufacturers have taken the UK market by storm recently and the Omoda 5 looks set to jump on the bandwagon. We’ve driven some late prototypes and were impressed, especially given the electric variant’s expected £33,500 starting price and keen finance deals in the works.
A 61kWh battery gives a 257-mile claimed range, the infotainment system is snappy as per Chinese EV tradition and the example we drove was comfortable, spacious and felt well-built for the price. Watch this space.
Polestar 3
Joining the popular and pioneering Polestar 2 as a larger SUV to take on the BMW iX and Audi Q8 e-tron, the Polestar 3 sits on the same platform as the forthcoming Volvo EX90. The current entry point to the range is the £75,000 launch edition, with 485bhp on tap from its dual motors as standard, or 510bhp in Performance Pack guise.
With its spacious, minimalist interior and great 350-mile range, there’s lots to like – but it’s worth waiting for the range to fill out with more attainable options later this year to get the best value.
Polestar 4
Logic would suggest the Polestar 4 is larger than the Polestar 3 above, but it’s not – the firm simply likes to name its cars in a chronological fashion. This means the Polestar 4 will take on the Tesla Model Y and Porsche Macan Electric when it arrives on sale later this year with a starting price of around £60,000.
We enjoyed the Polestar 4’s clean interior, huge performance and great range – up to a claimed 385 miles – but like its larger sibling, it’s not the most engaging electric SUV from behind the wheel.
Porsche Macan Electric
You can count on Porsche to make a great-driving car and the latest Macan Electric is no exception. We’re particularly fond of the base Macan 4 trim with its 402bhp output, which we’d pick over the faster Turbo variant.
Ride quality isn’t the best and efficiency will drop if you drive the car as Porsche intended, but a real-world range closer to the claimed 381 miles should be possible with a lighter right foot.
The Porsche Macan Electric is on sale now priced from £69,800, with deliveries starting in the second half of 2024.
Range Rover Electric
Due to be revealed later this year, the hotly anticipated all-electric version of the latest Range Rover will target the most luxurious electric cars around. We’ve only seen some teaser images so far, but it’s unlikely that the standard car’s clean look will change much.
Details of the car’s electric drivetrain have not been revealed but will all be produced at JLR’s new Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton. Performance is said to be ‘comparable to a flagship V8’, while 800V electrical architecture will facilitate ultra-rapid charging.
Naturally, the electric Range Rover is expected to retain its off-road excellence – including an 850mm wading depth to match that of a coil-sprung Defender.
Renault 5
Revealed in full earlier this year after plenty of concept-car preview time, the all-new Renault 5 looks set to storm the electric supermini market when cars start to arrive in the UK very early next year.
Designed to capture the essence of the iconic original, the new Renault 5 gets a choice of 121bhp or 148bhp electric motors, with ranges of 186 and 249 miles likely from 40kWh and 52kWh batteries respectively.
It’s likely the Renault 5 will give the MINI a serious run for its money when it arrives – we can’t wait to get behind the wheel.
Skoda Elroq
Skoda’s extensive SUV range is set to expand later this year with the Elroq, an electric offering intended to sit below the Enyaq in the range. Based on the familiar Volkswagen MEB platform, the car will get a total of four powertrains, with power ranging from 186bhp to 282bhp and battery sizes from 55kWh to 82kWh.
We’ve driven an Elroq prototype and found it to be typically practical and well-judged; we’ll have to wait for the full production car to arrive later this year to make a full assessment.
Vauxhall Frontera
Manufacturers are enjoying reviving old nameplates at the moment and Vauxhall has joined in the fun with the Frontera. The new version is an SUV as with its Isuzu-based namesake, but this time set to be much smaller and with the option of electric power.
The new Frontera will sit on the same platform as the Citroen e-C3, Alfa Romeo Junior and forthcoming 2025 Fiat Grande Panda; two battery sizes are expected with around 186 and 248 miles of range respectively.
The Frontera will be a direct replacement for the ageing Vauxhall Crossland when it arrives later this year.
Vauxhall Grandland
The largest SUV in Vauxhall’s lineup is also set for a revamp. The new Grandland will share its STLA-M platform with Stellantis stablemates like the Peugeot
e-3008, and is set to use a range of mild-hybrid and electric powertrains – as well as sporting improved styling inside and out.
The electric version will get a choice of 73kWh or 98kWh batteries, with the former getting two motor configuration options. Claimed range tops out at an impressive 435 miles for top-spec models.
Prices for the electric Grandland are expected to start somewhere close to £50,000 when it arrives later in 2024.
Volvo EX90
The XC90 has been a long-serving cornerstone of the Volvo line-up but will be replaced by the electric-only EX90 later this year. Sharing its platform with the Polestar 3, the new model remains the largest in the Swedish manufacturer’s range.
We are yet to drive the EX90 but have experienced the car from the passenger seat, where a clear focus on comfort and refinement was clear to see. Two dual-motor options will be available from launch later this year, with the base car sporting 402bhp and a claimed range of 364 miles from a 111kWh battery. Prices will start from £96,255 when the Volvo EX90 arrives later in 2024.
Which EV are you most excited to see? Tell us in the comments section below...
