If you’re searching to buy an electric vehicle, you’ve come to the right place. Our specialists have driven nearly every new electric vehicle on the market, and we’d be pleased to send you in the correct direction. After all, Tesla isn’t the only firm selling electric vehicles these days. There are many different types of electric vehicles, and some may be better suited to you than others. However, how could you know which one of them is the best?
We can’t tell you which electric vehicle is ideal for you, but we can help you narrow down your choices. Do you want something that is less expensive and has a lower range, or do you want to pay a bit more dollars for luxury features and enough range for charge-free long drives?
At Roadshow, we’ve driven nearly every variant of every popular electric car in the United States, so now we have a deeper understanding of what’s good and what isn’t in EVs right now.
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Best small Electric Vehicle
A great electric vehicle is more than the sum of its parts. The Polestar 2 may not have the best specs in its class, but it’s easy to like and a fantastic car in general.
For a variety of reasons, we adore the Polestar 2. It’s fast enough with two motors, and no matter how many motors it has, the polestar 2 is a blast to drive. Inside and out, the styling is stunning. There’s also a lot of clever technology in here, including a Google-powered infotainment system that’s one of our favorites. It doesn’t have the segment’s longest range, but it’s appealing in many ways.
Mini is new to the EV game, but the company’s first effort is excellent. What it lacks in the entire array, it makes up for by being a lot of fun to drive and a lot of fun to be in, all at a shockingly low price. We also adore the electrical outlet-style wheels.
The Mini SE may only go 110 miles on a single charge, but with 181 horsepower and a ton of torque in such a little chassis, they’ll most likely be 110 miles of fun. The good news is that you can get an 80 percent charge in about half an hour with a 50-kilowatt fast charger.
Mini is new to the Electric Vehicle game, but the company’s first effort is excellent. What it lacks in the entire array, it makes up for by being a lot of fun to drive and a lot of fun to be in, all at a shockingly low price. We also adore the electrical outlet-style wheels.
The Mini SE may only go 110 miles on a single charge, but with 181 horsepower and a ton of torque in such a little chassis, they’ll most likely be 110 miles of fun. The good news is that you can get an 80 percent charge in about half an hour with a 50-kilowatt fast charger.
Best midsized Electric Vehicle
We’d been dying to get our fingers on a Hyundai Ioniq 5, but now that we’ve had some time with one, we simply cannot wait to suggest it.
The Ioniq 5 is a midsize EV; don’t let its tiny appearance in photos fool you. Riding on Hyundai’s E-GMP specialized EV platform, which also supports the Kia EV6, we found the Ioniq 5 to be a comfortable cruiser with enough range and nicer appearance than most other EVs. A digital key, as well as four USB ports on a smooth sliding central panel, are standard. There are numerous active and passive safety features available, along with a HUD that rivals that of some luxury vehicles.
Best medium-sized Electric Vehicle
The Mustang Mach-E is Ford’s first dedicated EV platform, and it’s a great attempt. While the Mach-E has a contentious moniker, it has a fantastic cabin and superb driving characteristics in a practical design with 29 cubic feet of luggage capacity with all seats up.
The Mach-E comes in a variety of colors. However, even the basic model is enjoyable to drive and worthy of its Mustang moniker. With 290 hp in RWD and 346 hp in AWD, the Mach-E effortlessly jumps through its own way. The chassis is superb, as is the interior. The Mach-E is one of the best all-rounders EVs on sale now.
Best full-sized Electric Vehicle
The fact that the RS E-Tron GT and the Porsche Taycan share a platform does not imply that they are carbon copies of one another.
In overboost mode, the RS E-Tron GT develops an astonishing 637 horsepower and 612 lb-ft, enough to reach 60 mph in just over 3 seconds. That may sound dramatic, but Audi has infused so much refinement into this vehicle that it always feels calm and composed, even when you’re hurrying the hell out of it. The RS E-Tron GT, like the Taycan, isn’t cheap, but you get your investment back.
Best extra-large electric car
Do you enjoy being big and in charge? The GMC Hummer EV, on the other hand, is the only electric vehicle that fits this criterion.
We’ve only spent a brief time on the road of a Hummer EV, but what we’ve seen thus far has left us with some fond recollections. In Watts to Freedom, or WTF, mode, its acceleration is quite astounding for something that could easily weigh 9,000 pounds. Given that this object is the size of a building, that can mess with your head. It’s a bit pricey right now, with Edition 1 vehicle going for a whopping $113,000, but if you wait till 2024, you can get a reduced trim for nearer to $80,000.
Best affordable Electric Vehicle
Many folks looking after their first electric motor may want something economical. While EVs have yet to achieve price parity with internal combustion vehicles, there are plenty of excellent models available for less than $50,000. The Hyundai Kona Electric is our favorite of the bunch. We chose the Kona because it has a long-range, a practical small-SUV-style body, and a fantastic guarantee.
The Kona Electric has a reasonable 258-mile range and a 201-horsepower engine, all in a package that will suit most families. It boasts a reasonable amount of cargo capacity (19.2 cubic feet with all the seats up), and because it’s a Hyundai, it comes standard with a slew of creature amenities. Let’s not even get started on the warranty. If you really can live with the aesthetics (which we like) and stretch your budget that far, the Kona is a nearly perfect first EV.
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Best affordable electric car runner-up
The Volkswagen ID 4 may not have the same level of affordability as the Hyundai Kona Electric, but with a base price that’s not too far off, the ID 4 creates a powerful argument for itself.
The VW ID 4 has a good appearance for a crossover, with unique shapes on all sides. The cabin is plain in a usual VW way, but there’s plenty of storage and the overall design is pleasing. You can have it with all-wheel drive or with a rear-drive variation to keep costs down. The technology may be a little odd, however, the ID 4 remains an inexpensive EV.
We knew the Mercedes EQS would be a hit with purchasers after a test drive. We walked away after even more seat time thinking along the same lines, and that’s unlikely to change.
Simply said, the Mercedes-Benz EQS is an incredible electric luxury vehicle. It takes the coddling comfort of the fuel S-Class and adds a dash of electromobility to it. Even in its EQS450 Plus configuration, there’s plenty of acceleration available, and it doesn’t mind taking curves with ease – but a future AMG model does provide something a little sprightlier out of the box. Then there’s the technology, which includes the navbar Hyper screen, which has to be seen to be believed.
Best luxury Electric Vehicle runner-up
In a variety of ways, the Lucid Air is astounding. It may not be able to stay on the road as long as being like the Mercedes EQS, but Lucid’s smart engineering is not to be messed with.
To begin with, the Lucid Air is one of the greatest EVs available today, with a maximum range of 520 miles in the proper configuration. Throw in a slew of good design aspects both inside and out, along with a smooth ride and supportive seats, and you’ve got yourself quite the luxury electric stew on your hands. We’ll have to wait and see if Lucid can keep its promise to supply as many trims and configurations as it wants, but for the time being, we’re delighted with what we’ve seen so far.
Best electric SUV or crossover
Perhaps you’re looking for an electric SUV in particular. There simply aren’t that many to pick from right now, and many of those that are are quite little. That’s why we’re recommending Ford’s Mustang Mach-E once more. It has a lot of cargo space, a lot of passenger space, a good range, fantastic driving characteristics, and good infotainment. It’s also extremely reasonably priced.
Nothing sells like SUVs these days, so Ford’s decision to build its first dedicated EV as an SUV was a wise one. It’s even better for the Blue Oval that the Mach-E is so damned pleasant to drive and live with. Despite its rakish appearance and sporty emblem, the Mach-E should be a wonderfully practical midsize EV that practically any family would be happy to live with. If you’re looking for something more sporty, Ford has a GT variant on the way.
Best luxury electric SUV or crossover
BMW i3 has a lovely class in styling and material quality, it has a very unique and immersive set of interior which is top-notch and hard to get in the price segment they are offering. All these unique set of characteristics has been aesthetically incorporated into the new BMW iX SUV
Its structure includes carbon fiber plastics and a very robust framework which is very identical or we can say inspired by the earlier BMW i3. Its external styling aced the interior with a very state-of-the-art look and modern era design. It has 516 HP and 564 lb-ft, the iX is a beast of a car to drive
Best electric pickup truck
Rivian has beaten up the carmakers to make up with the R1T electric pickup. We can say with reliability that it is the first of its kind battery-powered electric pickup on the road
We were impressed by its drive and overall performance on the road. It has a quad motor that generates massive acceleration on road, its battery gives the backup of about 314 miles which is impressive for the longer road trips for enthusiasts. Top-of-the-line build quality and massive robustness have made up its spot in the line of rivals. It is interesting to see how other automakers will through their respective models into the market against R1T electric pickup.
Best electric station wagon
2022 Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo
The majority of Porsche Taycan station wagon models are of the Cross Turismo kind, which features a ride-height increase and extra shielding around the wheel wells. If you just want a tried-and-true, minimal wagon, you just have one choice: the Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo.
The Taycan GTS would be the only trim level available in the United States, which is perfect because that’s the only one we need. This car hustles just like every other Porsche with a GTS emblem on the back, and it beats the tar out of curving roads like it’s being paid to do it. And, like with past Taycan models, the EPA-estimated range should be easy to beat.
Best electric vehicle if money is not a problem
Electric hypercars are becoming more common, but for the time being, if we had a limitless sum of cash to spend on one, we’d consider the Rimac Nevera.
This Croatian electric hypercar has some seriously astounding stats, including a four-motor engine that generates a whopping 1,914 hp and 1,740 lb-ft of torque. It’ll hit 60 mph in less than 2 seconds before accelerating to a top speed of 258 mph (!). In the United States, the 120-kWh battery pack will provide a range of roughly 300 miles. This also helps that it is also a knockout on the inside and out. However, for $2.45 million, it had better be.
The electric vehicle that we are looking
Legacy manufacturers have always valued their light-duty pickup lineups, so Ford’s announcement of the F-150 Lightning came as no surprise. It’s more than just an electric pickup; it’s laden with technology and personal comforts that should appeal to buyers, and it should arrive on dealership lots years before its main competitors.
When the F-150 Lightning comes up for sale in 2022, it will be available with two separate battery packs, each having a range of 230 or 300 miles, according to the firm. Whereas one competitor is taking a moonshot approach, filling its first-year production queue with six-figure vehicles stuffed to the gills with goods, the Lightning will be more democratized, offering a choice of trims across several price points for purchasers from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. You may also buy a Lightning for $90,000 if you want to. Demand for the F-150 Lightning has been so strong that Ford has already stated – twice – that it will increase production to keep up with the demand. We’re overjoyed.
When making the switch to an electric vehicle, choosing a car may not be the only factor to consider. The fact that you can’t just fly over to the petrol station around the corner complicates things a little, so we can help you with that as well.
Consider this before buying an EV
The first thing you should think about when buying an electric vehicle – indeed, even before you start looking – that’s how you’re gonna charge it. The fact is that, while every EV comes with an adaptor
that allows you to hook into any old 110-volt outlet (at least in the United States), the size of current EV batteries means that you may be waiting for days for a reasonable charge.
If you own your own house, you should consider installing a Level 2 charger. Fortunately, these aren’t prohibitively pricey on their own. While installing one does necessitate the services of a contractor (we’re dealing with deadly voltages and currents here), there may be tax benefits to doing so, especially if you opt to go solar at the same time.
You will be using a charging infrastructure if you do not own your own house. You should investigate which ones are the most well-established in the area where you reside and drive the most. This is really simple if you own a Tesla. You’ll need to do some research if you have different EVs, but the most popular publicly available systems are Electrify America, Chargepoint, and EVGo. They all have various apps and prices, but they all work in the same way. These charging networks will provide Level 2 charging as well as DC rapid charging. The latter is significantly more expensive, but it is significantly faster.
The following consideration is maintenance and service. EVs, in general, require far less maintenance than an internal combustion-powered vehicle. Still, if you have your heart set on a Tesla and don’t live near a Tesla service center, you may find yourself in an awkward situation if something goes wrong. In this instance, perhaps a more traditional brand’s EV might be preferable for you.
Tax breaks are a major factor in many people’s choice to transition to an EV, which is quite understandable. It’s crucial to note, however, that not all manufacturers (particularly Tesla) qualify for all of the incentives, and not all purchasers will be able to take full advantage of the strong federal incentive, even if it’s given.
It’s interesting to talk to a tax specialist before factoring a $7,500 tax credit into your purchase — even if an automaker tries to include that in its advertised prices. Also, check to see if you qualify for any state or local tax breaks; don’t leave money on the table.
Finally, be ready to address your electric vehicle. People will inquire about it, including friends, family, and strangers, especially if you live in an area where EVs aren’t currently widely available. Some of those questions may sound frivolous or even stupid, but you’ll hear them, and dependent on how you respond, you might just persuade those individuals that an EV could work for them as well.
