People who believe electric cars are the future are wrong. They are the present.
The market is on the verge of being flooded with EVs in the next few years, from brands as diverse as Hyundai and Bentley. Unlike the original expectation that EVs would be all-about economy and efficiency, the modern electric car is just as much about performance as it is emissions.
GALLERY: Exciting EVs coming our way
Modern EVs offer near instant torque, so accelerate with the ferocity of a sports car. Which is why more and more car makers are using electric motors and batteries to build performance EVs.
Here are five of the most exciting new EVs coming our way in the near future.
Porsche Taycan – 2021
Originally due to arrive by the end of 2020 the obvious challenges this year has thrown up means the Taycan won’t make local roads until the calendar ticks over.
The Taycan will be the brand’s first all-electric vehicle but anyone doubting its credentials as a Porsche need not worry. It will be offered in a range of variants topped by the Turbo S variants. It will boast 560kW and 1050Nm which is enough to launch 0-100km/h in supercar-like 2.8 seconds.
Pricing for the Taycan has been confirmed and will begin at $191,000 for the 4S model, which includes a three-year subscription to the ChargeFox network of public charging stations.
Audi e-tron GT – 2022
The four-ring brand has big plans for its electric future – including an attack on the Dakar Rally to prove the longevity of its batteries. Having launched the e-tron and e-tron Sportback SUVs in 2020, next year will bring the brand’s new electric sports sedan – the e-tron GT.
Based on the same underpinnings as the Taycan it will boast a 430kW powertrain with a 3.5 second 0-100km/h time and a 400km range.
If that doesn’t sound enough for you, Audi has already revealed it will introduce its first Audi Sport EV – the RS e-tron GT. It will turn the dual motors up to 440kW (with bursts of 475kW on overboost) and 830Nm.
Expect this pair to reach your local Audi showroom sometime in 2022.
Jaguar XJ – 2022
Buoyed by the success of its all-electric I-Pace (and with the UK announcing a ban on petrol and diesel powered cars by 2030) the British brand is pushing ahead with a battery-powered future. The next big model in the line-up is the brand’s biggest model – the XJ executive sports sedan.
Due to be unveiled next year and likely to come to Australia by 2022, the all-new, all-electric XJ will represent a major turning point for the leaping cat.
The XJ has been the brand’s flagship for decades so, unlike the unique I-Pace, it must uphold the legacy of what has come before it. Which is why Jaguar’s management has been talking up its bold design (teased in a single image during a press conference) but is keeping any performance and range credentials under wraps until the unveiling for maximum impact.
Porsche Macan EV – 2023
The German brand isn’t pinning all of its hopes to the Taycan and has already committed to making the next-generation Macan SUV all-electric. Due to arrive by 2023 at the latest, this will arguably be Porsche’s most important EV, given the global demand for SUVs.
Importantly, the Macan will be based on an all-new EV architecture being developed by the company for use across multiple Volkswagen Group brands. The new Porsche Platform Electric (PPE) should be able to take advantage of all the lessons learnt on the Taycan’s ‘J1’ platform to provide more efficient motors for better performance and increased range.
Whether on purpose or not, Porsche recently leaked what appeared to be a clay model of the new Macan EV and it shows a sporty-looking SUV that should carry-on the Macan’s strong sales run – even if it does make the switch from petrol to battery power.
Ford Mustang Mach E – 2025
If you want to understand how seriously the car industry is taking the EV switch, look no further than Ford. It has applied its most famous badge – Mustang – to its first serious EV; despite the fact the Mustang Mach-E has little in common with the famous pony car.
It’s a fastback SUV which is very different to the Mustang we know, but what it does have in common is performance. The Mach-E will be available with a range of powertrain options, either rear- or all-wheel drive with a variety of power outputs. The standard model will boast 190kW of power and 414Nm (RWD) or 565Nm (AWD) of torque. Stepping up to the Premium model will raise power to 210kW (RWD) or 248kW (AWD) while the range-topping GT will boast 342kW and 830Nm in AWD only.
Unfortunately, Ford is limited with the amount of batteries it can acquire for the Mach-E so production is limited to 50,000 vehicles per year and all of those are expected to be snapped up by US buyers. However, if battery supply improves we should be hopeful that Ford Australia will push to add this electric performance SUV sometime during this decade.
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