Future electric cars: new EVs due in 2021 and beyond
There’s a vast array of new electric cars on the way: here’s what to expect over the next few months...
The next few years are going to deliver an embarrassment of riches for buyers of electric cars. With hundreds of electric models arriving, consumers will be absolutely spoilt for choice.
Electric cars are rapidly becoming available across all sections of the car market, with prices trending downwards as more and more manufacturers benefit from better economies of scale. That process is only going to continue as we move forwards with EVs, with millions of drivers set to embrace the zero-emissions, low-cost reality made possible by the latest technology.
Need something small that’ll do the school run and the weekly supermarket shop? There’ll be an electric car for that. Need to commute daily along country roads or motorways? There’ll be an electric car for that too. Need to travel long distances? The rapid-charging infrastructure is on its way and maximum driving ranges on a single battery charge are on the up.
And if it’s too early to consider making the switch, you could always consider a plug-in hybrid vehicle instead.
To give you an idea of just how many electric cars are coming in the very near future, we’ve put together an exhaustive list of the electric models that are in the pipeline from all of the major manufacturers. These will add to an already impressive list of highly capable EVs that are already making waves in the world of cars today…
Future electric cars due in 2021 and beyond...
Audi e-tron GT
- On sale: Spring 2021
The Audi e-tron GT will be a rival for the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan, and in fact it’s based on the same platform that underpins the latter of those cars. This all-electric, four-door coupe is due in the spring of 2021, and is expected to use a 96kWh battery that will allow more than 250 miles of range between charges. Performance should be pretty phenomenal, with 0-62mph slated to take just 3.5 seconds. According to Audi’s boss, this will be the manufacturer’s “most important” vehicle to date.
Read more about the Audi e-tron GT…
Audi Q4 e-tron
- On sale: Autumn 2021
The Audi Q4 e-tron will be the brand’s second electric SUV after the Audi e-tron. This new model will be smaller, and as such it will be the German company’s answer to the Tesla Model Y. The Q4 e-tron will be built upon the MEB platform found in the Volkswagen ID.4, so it’s expected to offer the same line-up of batteries and powertrains: the top-spec mode should come with 302bhp and four-wheel drive, as well as an 82kWh battery with a WLTP range of 280 miles or so. A coupe-SUV version - called the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback - is also in the works.
Read more about the Audi Q4 e-tron…
BMW i4
- On sale: 2021
While the car seen here is a concept, the BMW i4 will enter production largely unchanged. The final specs are still to be confirmed, but the Concept i4 (above) has a 523bhp electric motor, which BMW says is good for 0-62mph in four seconds and a top speed of 124mph. It carries an 80kWh battery pack, which will provide a Tesla-beating maximum range of 373 miles. Like Tesla’s Model 3, the i4 will have a huge infotainment screen that’s responsible for controlling almost all vehicle functions.
Read more about the BMW i4…
BMW iX
- On sale: Winter 2021
First shown to the public as the BMW iNEXT concept in 2018, the BMW iX is due to hit production in the latter stages of 2021. BMW says the car marks a “dawn of a new era”, such is its importance in BMW’s plans for the future. Expected to cost around £100,000, the iX promises a dual-motor powertrain capable of more than 500bhp, with a 0-62mph figure of under five seconds. A 100kWh battery will afford 376 miles of range when fully topped up, with an 80 per cent charge feasible in just 40 minutes thanks to rapid-charging at up to 200kW.
Read more about the BMW iX…
Byton M-Byte
- On sale: Winter 2021
The Byton M-Byte is a 4.9m-long SUV that’s set to be built at a new facility in China, and according to the company’s co-founder the car will eventually be made available in right-hand drive and sold in the UK. No specs or prices have been confirmed as yet, although the M-Byte’s spectacular 48-inch, 4k infotainment display is a feature that will make it from the prototype to production. ‘Meditation’ mode plays soothing music and fills the cabin with accompanying images, and it’s also capable of playing high-definition films to keep you occupied while charging.
Read more about the Byton M-Byte…
Citroen e-C4
- On sale: January 2021
The fully-electric Citroen e-C4 is set to go on sale alongside the petrol and diesel versions of the vehicle. Prices will start from under £29,180 (a figure which factors in the government’s plug-in vehicle grant of £3,000), with the car using a 50kWh battery capable of 217 miles on a single charge. A single electric motor provides front-wheel drive, with the powertrain delivering 135bhp and hitting 0-62mph in 9.7 seconds. Ride quality should be good, with every example of the C4 getting a new hydraulic suspension designed to reduce body movement over potholes.
Read more about the Citroen e-C4…
Cupra el-Born
- On sale: 2021
There’s a lot of excitement about the potential of electric hot hatches, and the Cupra el-Born will be one of the first to market when it’s launched in 2021. Official stats have been kept under wraps, but when SEAT (Cupra’s parent company) was overseeing production the firm had promised as much as 201bhp via a rear-mounted electric motor and 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds. Range could top-out at 310 miles using the biggest available battery - an 82kWh unit - although smaller-battery versions will be lighter, faster and perhaps more appealing to the typical hot hatch buyer.
Read more about the Cupra el-Born…
Dacia Spring Electric
- On sale: 2021
Dacia bosses say the Spring Electric will be the cheapest electric car in Europe when it goes on sale next year, indicating a sub-£17,500 starting price after EV grant incentives. It sits between the Volkswagen Up! and MINI hatchback in size, although the Dacia’s SUV stance should aid interior space. While no official figures have been released, other than its 124-mile range, the Spring Electric is based on the Chinese-market Renault K-ZE, which has a 26.9kWh battery and a 44bhp electric motor.
Read more about the Dacia Spring...
Hyundai Ioniq 5
- On sale: Summer 2021
First revealed as the Hyundai 45 concept in 2019, the Ioniq 5 will be used to launch an entirely new electric-car sub-brand for the Korean company when the car is launched in 2021. The production model is set to embrace the striking design language of the concept car, with the car set to be an alternative to the Volkswagen ID.4.
The Ioniq 5 will be built on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform, with 800-volt charging technology set to give it the same rapid-charging functionality as the Porsche Taycan. This will enable it to use the IONITY fast-charging network, which boasts charging rates of up to 350kW.
Read more about the Hyundai Ioniq 5…
Jaguar XJ
- On sale: 2022
The Jaguar XJ is the company’s lowest-selling model, so bosses are hoping that a radical overhaul for the next-generation car will bring better fortunes with it. An all-electric, ultra-luxurious car is planned, putting it in direct competition with the likes of the BMW 7 Series and the upcoming Mercedes EQS. No performance details have been made public at this stage, although Auto Express has exclusive images which show what the car could look like when it’s eventually unveiled. Speaking exclusively to Auto Express last year, Jag’s design director Julian Thomson said the electric XJ would be a “very calm, tranquil piece of transportation” without being “overtly flashy”.
Read more about the Jaguar XJ…
Kia EV
- On sale: 2021
Kia has impressed with the e-Niro and Soul EV electric SUVs, and now it plans to take the next step with a flagship, coupe-SUV designed to rival more premium offerings on the market. The car is known internally as the Kia CV, and it was previewed in the shape of the Imagine by Kia concept that made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 2019.
The production car has been spotted testing wearing large amounts of cladding to obscure the design, which is set to adopt some (but not all) of the elements demonstrated by the concept. Like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Kia EV will be built on Hyundai’s E-MGP platforming, which means 350kW charging is a distinct possibility, as is 300 miles of range.
Read more about the Kia EV…
Mercedes EQA
- On sale: early 2021
Mercedes’ EQA is poised to be the only fully electric compact crossover on the market when it goes on sale early next year. Despite its name suggesting otherwise, the EQA will be an SUV, which is a shape better suited to maximising interior space in an electric vehicle. Mercedes will offer the car with a range of battery sizes, and it claims around 250 miles will be possible on a single charge. Our exclusive image shows it’ll borrow styling cues from the brand’s larger EQC.
Read more about the Mercedes EQA…
Mercedes EQB
- On sale: early 2021
Along with the EQA, the Mercedes EQB is set to appear in 2021. The EQB will be a compact SUV akin to the Kia e-Niro and Hyundai Kona Electric, although in order to save development costs it will borrow its platform from the internal-combustion-engined GLB SUV. The powertrain will be replaced by an under-floor battery and a pair of electric motors producing 270bhp and 500Nm of torque, which should result in similar performance to the EQA.
Read more about the Mercedes EQB…
Mercedes EQS
- On sale: 2021
Traditionally, the Mercedes S-Class has always shown the way when it comes to the German marque’s technology, and that trend is set to continue with the all-electric alternative to the luxury limo; the EQS. Mercedes has already given us a glimpse of the MBUX Hyperscreen infotainment system that’s set to grace the car, with the 55.5-inch unit dwarfing even that of the Byton M-Byte.
The curved glass panel will combine the dashboard, digital instrument cluster and climate controls into a single sweeping unit, with 24Gb of RAM - several times more than is found in a standard computer or laptop - needed to run it all. Meanwhile, 435 miles of range is being targeted, as is a 0-62mph time of 4.5 seconds.
Read more about the Mercedes EQS…
MG E-Motion
- On sale: 2021
We first saw the MG E-Motion in concept form at the Shanghai Motor Show in 2017, and the company says it will finally make production and land in the UK in 2021. The car - which wowed onlookers with its striking design - will act as the flagship model, ushering in a new era for the company under its Chinese ownership. 0-62mph in under four seconds is claimed, while a full charge should afford a range of 310 miles. Impressive, cutting-edge technology has also been promised, with some suggestion that the entry-level version of the car could cost less than £30,000.
Read more about the MG E-Motion…
Nissan Ariya
- On sale: 2021
Although Nissan led the way in the electric-car market with the high-selling Leaf, which made its debut in 2011, it has rather fallen behind in recent times as rival manufacturers push the boundaries with newer, more capable models. The Nissan Ariya will mark the beginning of an attempt to get back on top when it launches in 2021, with the coupe-crossover promising long-range, zero-emissions driving with a body similar in size to the X-Trail SUV.
The top-spec model will get an 87kWh battery delivering over 300 miles of range, with a four-wheel drive powertrain offering up to 389bhp. Buyers will be able to choose smaller batteries and less powerful motors if they wish, with entry-level prices expected to start around £37,500.
Read more about the Nissan Ariya…
Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
- On sale: 2021
The Porsche Taycan was launched in 2020, and the Taycan Cross Turismo - an estate variant of that car - is set to follow it in 2021. The extended roofline hasn’t made the Taycan any less attractive (if anything, it’s arguably better looking in this form), and it should be more practical for drivers with added legroom and extra space in the boot. It’s anticipated that the Taycan Cross Turismo will offer the same powertrain options as found on the saloon, with more than 600bhp on tap from the top-spec car. 0-62mph should take 3.5 seconds, with a top speed of 155mph. Ultra-rapid charging should allow 250 miles of range to be added in just 15 minutes, with the car’s maximum range in the region of 310 miles with a full battery.
Read more about the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo…
Skoda Enyaq
- On sale: January 2021
Enyaq will be Skoda’s first bespoke all-electric car, based on the VW Group’s MEB platform which it’ll share with the VW ID.3, among others. It’s a little smaller than the Kodiaq, but interior space is excellent. And during a recent drive in a prototype, we found it to be exceptionally refined on the move, with pliant suspension. Depending on the version, the Enyaq has a claimed range of between 211 and 286 miles, and using 125kWh DC charging, it can be topped up from 10 to 80 per cent in 40 minutes.
Read more about the Skoda Enyaq…
Tesla Model Y
- On sale: Summer 2021
Tesla’s Model Y could be the car to really drive the manufacturer to mainstream sales success. It packages all we love about the Model 3 saloon into the SUV bodystyle that buyers love so much. The similarities to the Model 3 are more than skin deep: it shares the same powertrains, platform, interior and tech. That tall stance brings not only improved interior space and a larger boot, but also a higher centre of gravity. Still, it’s great fun to drive and sharper than the larger Model X.
Read more about the Tesla Model Y…
Tesla Roadster
It still isn’t known for certain when the next-generation Tesla Roadster will go on sale, although we’ve known about the performance targets that Elon Musk has set for the car for some time. Back in 2017, the company’s founder said that the new electric sports car would achieve 620 miles of range and hit 0-60mph in 1.9 seconds. He also claimed the Roadster will pass 0-100mph faster than the Porsche Cayman GTS can hit 0-62mph. And the top speed? 250mph. Whether or not the Roaster will reach these goals is anyone’s guess…
Read more about the Tesla Roadster…
Vauxhall Mokka-e
- On sale: early 2021
The second-generation Mokka will move to PSA’s CMP platform which, as with the Vauxhall Corsa and Peugeot 208, allows full electrification. It’ll be about the same size as today’s car, but thanks to the use of high-strength steel, it will weigh 120kg less. It’s likely the Mokka-e will use the same 50kWh battery and 134bhp electric motor as the Peugeot e-2008 which, combined with the weight reduction, will give it a range of around 200 miles. It will be the first car to adopt the ‘Vauxhall Vizor’ nose.
Read more about the Vauxhall Mokka…
Volkswagen ID.4
- On sale: early 2021
The Volkswagen ID.4 compact SUV follows in the footsteps of the ID.3 hatchback, using the same MEB platform that will be a common component in dozens of VW Group products over the next few years. Two battery sizes - 55 and 77kWh - are set to be made available when the car lands in the UK, with the latter of those achieving 324 miles on a single charge according to WLTP standards. In the real world, you should see around 250 miles even in cold weather. At over two tonnes, the ID.4 weighs almost as much as two VW Golfs would have done three decades ago, but acceleration is smooth and the ride disguises the vehicle’s heft extremely well. Prices should start from £43,000 or so.
Read more about the Volkswagen ID.4…
Volkswagen ID. Buzz
- On sale: 2022
In 2017 Volkswagen previewed an all-electric ‘Microbus’ which is due to hit production in 2022. The company has since revealed and then shelved niche projects like the ID. Buggy, although the ID. Buzz remains on the cards for now.
Quite what form it will take when production starts is anyone’s guess, although the concept vehicle previewed a campervan-like vehicle designed for adventure and reminiscent of the Type 2 Microbus of the 1950s. A 3.3-metre wheelbase would help maximise space inside for passengers, while a rear-wheel drive model could produce 268bhp and hit 0-62mph in eight seconds.
Read more about the Volkswagen ID. Buzz…
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