The third generation of America’s sports car, the Corvette, had an incredibly long run: 1968 to 1982. So when it came time for GM to launch the next-generation C4 Corvette, there was wild speculation about the car. Some predicted it would use a midengine chassis, like an Italian exotic. And others thought it might use a rotary engine, like Mazda’s.
In the end, the next Vette wasn’t radical. It still had a small-block Chevy V-8 up front driving the rear wheels. That first year, it cranked out a meager 205 hp. But after a switch to a new, tuned port fuel-injection system in later years, horsepower jumped—and so did performance. Five years later, Chevy debuted the first ultra-performance Vette since the 1960s: the 375-hp ZR-1.
Little-Known Fact: There is no production 1983 Corvette. Although 1982 was the last year for the third-generation Corvette, Chevy decided to wait until the 1984 model year to launch the all-new car. Why? Some sources claim tighter emissions regulations necessitated more time for development. Others say that quality glitches at the factory were the real reason. All we know is every 1983 Corvette prototype was destroyed, except one: a white car that now lives at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky.
The AMX/3 was a stunningly-cool mid-engine exotic. Its development was an international collaborative effort between an AMC team led by Dick Teague (head of design), ItalDesign, Italian engineer Giotto Bizzarrini and even some work was done by BMW. The 3,300-pound sports car was powered by an AMC 390 cid V8 that packed 340 hp and was backed by a four-speed manual. It could reportedly accelerate to 60 mph in just over 5 seconds and top 170 mph—solid numbers for the time.
But the machine never officially made it to AMC showrooms, in part because of cost. It would have required a sticker price reportedly close to $15,000 and just a few thousand dollars shy of Lamborghini’s Miura.
Little Known Fact: Six prototypes were of this car were built (plus a rumoured seventh parts car) and some of them ended up in private garages. These surviving AMX/3s look more like production cars than they do prototypes. And one of them sold at an auction in 2017 for almost $900,000.
Baldwin-Motion was the first Corvette tuner and the machines that company created were legendary. Baldwin Chevrolet, a dealer in Baldwin, NY would deliver new Corvettes to Joel Rosen’s Motion Performance speed shop down the road for modifications. Motion would build these serial production specialty Corvettes to order. It was Rosen’s dream in late-1968 to build a new, fast and functional all-American GT sports car.
The sensuously styled Phase III GT was a stunner. It had a unique fastback rear window, a performance suspension and as much as 600 dyno-tuned horsepower from either a 427 cid or 454 cid big-block V8s. Although one Motion Vette did receive a smaller LT1-spec 350 cid V8.
Little Known Fact: When the father of the Corvette, chief engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov caught wind of their operation—it could have been bad news for Motion. Instead, when Duntov first saw the GT at its launch at the 1969 New York International Auto Show, he gave the machine his blessing. According to Marty Schorr who worked closely with Rosen on the cars, Duntov said, “I really like your Corvette, Joel. Unfortunately, we cannot do what you do.”
The Super Bee was essentially a high-performance version of the Dodge Coronet. In 1968, the ‘Bee came standard with a 383 cid V8 or the legendary monster 426 cid Hemi. But halfway through the 1969 model year, Dodge made the 440 cid Six-Pack (three, two barrel carburetors) available. Known internally as option code A12, it wore a matte-black, lift-off fiberglass hood with a massive forward-facing scoop. The A12 Super Bee produced 390 hp and a ridiculously potent 490 lb-ft of torque. And that happened to be same torque spec as the Hemi. So, you received nearly the same thrust, in a more streetable package at a lower price, too.
Little Known Fact: The Six-Pack-equipped A12 Super Bees went through final-assembly by an outside vendor called Creative Industries in Detroit. The first 100 were built as 383 Coronets at the Chrysler Assembly Plant and then shipped to Creative for 440 Six Pack engine installation along with some of the A12-specific features. And those first 100 of these big block engines were equipped with an Edelbrock aluminum intake manifolds. After this engine received regular production status they were fitted at the plant with Chrysler-cast aluminum intakes.
The first two years of Carroll Shelby’s Mustangs are the most desirable to many Mustang purists. Those 1965 and 1966 GT 350s were light, simply styled, and perfect for track work. But the later 1967 and 1968 cars offered more fun under the hood and were the machines of choice if you wanted to win drag races.
For the first time, ’67 to ’68 GT 500 Shelbys came with 355-hp 428-cubic-inch big-block power under the hood. Car testers of the day saw quarter-mile time slips in the mid-to-low 14-second bracket—quick for the day. The Shelby Mustangs received more scoops and flashier styling than the older cars to match the new-found power and torque. And the even quicker KR (King of the Road) high-performance model was available in 1968 too.
Little-Known Fact: The 1967 Shelby Mustangs used Mercury Cougar tail lamps, but the 1968 models used lamps from the ’66 Ford Thunderbird.
The legendary 1965 Mustang Shelby GT350 were serious high- performance machines. In fact, some buyers that very first year felt these cars were a little too hardcore and at the same time Shelby was on a rampage to cut costs. So, for 1966, Shelby replaced, deleted or made optional some of the car’s signature high performance features like the adjustable Koni shocks, the fiberglass hood, free-flowing (and loud) side exhaust outlets and that fully locking Detroit Locker rear differential.
Little Known Fact: But if you checked the fine print there was a Paxton supercharger option available for 1966. The $700 option was claimed to boost the 289 cid V8’s 306 hp output by 46 percent. That’s probably a bit generous, but it was still an excellent power adder. But the supercharger cost nearly a quarter of the car’s original pricetag and just 12 customers were willing to pay.
All new cars in the UK will be "effectively zero emission" by 2040, under plans to tackle air pollution.
The government is under pressure to bring forward this deadline and ban all sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2032, after a report by a parliamentary committee described its plans as "vague and unambitious".
But with electric cars currently accounting for less than 1% of new sales, the switch will mean seismic changes, and gives rise to a host of pressing questions.
Why are petrol and diesel cars being banned?
Poor air quality is the "biggest environmental risk to public health in the UK" – thought to be linked to about 40,000 premature deaths a year – the government says. While air pollution has been mostly falling, in many cities nitrogen oxides – which form part of the discharge from car exhausts – regularly breach safe levels .
Diesel vehicles produce the overwhelming majority of nitrogen oxide gases coming from roadside sources.
The government was ordered by the courts to produce a new plan to tackle illegal levels of harmful pollutant nitrogen dioxide, a form of the nitrogen oxide pollutants emitted by vehicles.
Hybrid vehicles, which combine petrol and electric motors, will not be included in the sales ban.
Why now?
Concern about air pollution is not new, but the issue has risen to prominence because the UK government lost court cases over its plans to reduce nitrogen dioxide levels. It has been compounded by the fact car makers were found to be cheating emissions tests.
Scientists are also more certain about the ways air pollution harms people. Recent studies have linked it to heart disease, lung problems and even dementia, although that link remains debatable.
It also comes amid growing concerns about the impact of global warming.
A report by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned that "rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society" are needed to keep global temperatures from rising by more than 1.5C.
Among its recommendations, the report urges people to switch to electric vehicles to reduce carbon emissions.
What else is being done to reduce pollution?
As well as the future ban on petrol and diesel cars, more than £200m is being given to local authorities to draw up plans to tackle particular roads with high pollution. This is all part of the same package of measures from the government.
Will tax revenues from petrol and diesel dry up?
It’s likely the government will have to change the way fuel is taxed to make up for losing billions of pounds at the pump.
The government raised about £27.9bn from fuel duties in 2016-17, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility. That’s getting on for 4% of the total tax take.
Say I buy an electric car… where will I recharge it?
There are more than 6,500 locations with charging points around the UK, according to website Zap-Map.com and new locations are being added daily.
But if mass market ownership of electric cars is to be viable, there will need to be on-demand access to power points. This raises a number of potential problems. For example, where will power points be sited? Will roads have to be dug up for cabling? Will drivers have to share power points, and so be restricted to certain charging times?
For people who live in a flat or don’t have off-street parking, electric vehicles may not be practical if there is not a public charging point nearby.
One option is to ask the local authority to install a charge point in the relevant street. The government has set aside £4.5m to fund such applications over the next two years and will cover up to 75% of installation costs.
It also offers subsidies to employers who install charging points at workplaces.
However, it can take up to eight hours to charge an electric vehicle, so more efficient batteries will be needed.
While some vehicles can only travel up to 50 miles between charges, others can manage more than 200 miles. This puts commuting and city driving within reach, but makes long distance journeys more of a challenge.
§On the road electric style
§Electric cars: What if you live in a flat?
What would happen if I ran out of charge mid-drive?
It doesn’t happen a lot, said Tom Callow, of Chargemaster, the UK’s largest provider of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Cars alert drivers in plenty of time.
Electric cars give drivers a range or countdown. On long journeys, drivers need to plan ahead. Navigation systems in electric cars can factor in charging points on the way to a destination as they plot a route for the driver.
"The reality is that once you start driving an electric car it is a different kind of culture," said Mr Callow. "You are not filling up, you are topping up and you drive differently and top up when available."
Will the National Grid be able to cope? The electricity demands will be massive.
The National Grid says electric vehicles could drive large increases in peak power demand, but it will be able to cope. This is despite concerns the grid is already strained at times by the demands of charging electric vehicles.
A 2017 report by the think tank Green Alliance warned that as few as six vehicles charging at the same time, close to each other, could cause localised power drops.
Smart charging, which intelligently controls when vehicles draw electricity from the grid to avoid peaks and troughs, is one way of managing the situation. It is a developing technology and there is even speculation car batteries could return power to the grid to help smooth out demand.
But if the additional demand from vehicles is not managed carefully, it will "create challenges across all sections of the energy system, particularly at peak times", according to forecasts in the grid’s Future Energy Scenarios report, released earlier this year.
However, not all vehicle owners will switch to electric replacements when their petrol or diesel ones finally stop running. For example, it is expected that some of the owners of heavy goods and public service vehicles may switch them to natural gas or hydrogen powered modules rather than electric.
What about paying for old cars to be scrapped?
According to its consultation, the government believed a so-called scrappage scheme would take 15,000 of the most polluting diesel and petrol cars off the road in a year.
Drivers would be given about £8,000 to switch to a fully electric alternative, meaning the government would have to fork out £110m. The impact on emissions of nitrogen dioxide would be to cut them by 0.02%, not a huge change in the grand scheme of things.
§Main report: Clean air strategy ‘not enough’
§Does pollution cut short 40,000 lives a year?
The Treasury is believed to have objected strongly because of the cost, but also on the grounds it would be hard to target the scheme at those who most need it – and prevent it becoming a subsidy for drivers who could already afford to change to electric vehicles.
Why not ban the dirtiest vehicles from the most polluted roads?
Environmental campaigners believe creating what are termed "clean air zones" (CAZs) in the most polluted towns and cities is the most effective and speedy way of reducing emissions of nitrogen dioxide. Councils will be able to impose these zones and will be able to block certain vehicles or impose a daily charge on drivers.
But the government hopes they won’t do this. While its own research suggests CAZs are the most effective means of getting emissions down, cutting them by 18% compared with 0.02% for a scrappage scheme, policy makers argue they are too blunt an instrument and can cause all sorts of complications for local areas. For example, if a council in one town imposes a clean air zone and its neighbour doesn’t, will traffic (and the emissions they cause) merely move to the cheaper location?
Most of the breaches with diesel emissions happen on 81 roads around the UK, says the government, in vast swathes in the hearts of urban areas. It wants councils to target these roads with a range of tactics that cut nitrogen dioxide, including removing speed bumps and changing traffic lights so that traffic isn’t slowing or speeding.
However, recognising that this might not be enough, the plan does give local authorities the power to charge or ban drivers on certain sections of road.
How do diesel and petrol compare as pollutants?
Sales of diesel cars surged in the early 2000s as drivers were encouraged to choose them because they had lower climate-warming carbon dioxide emissions than petrol cars.
While diesel cars are the biggest single source of nitrogen oxide emissions, diesel powered buses, coaches and – especially – heavy goods vehicles are the really heavy polluters, producing eight to 10 times the amount of gases per kilometre than cars. There are, however, many more cars.
Does this mean London’s congestion charge will spread to other cities?
The government isn’t keen. Establishing a clean air zone (CAZ) for which motorists would be charged to drive into could simply move the pollution problem elsewhere rather than solve it. Policy makers believe that by targeting the 81 roads around the UK that are the main cause of the problem, they can prevent the type of emissions transfer that could happen if one town has a big CAZ and its neighbour did not.
What about those who need a larger car in the class of a Ford Galaxy, or one to tow a caravan?
Tom Callow, of Chargemaster, told the BBC: "There are a couple of cars available on the market now which are capable of towing trailers. While they are not exactly like a Ford Galaxy they are equivalent to SUVs or estates or saloon cars."
Will motorcyclists be affected?
Potentially, but only those who drive the very oldest bikes. Essentially, motorcycles built before the year 2000 could face fines if councils decide to impose charges or bans on some roads. The government is currently giving a grant of £1,500 for the purchase of an ultra-low emission motorcycle.
What about other vehicles?
The government’s 2040 target only applies to cars and vans.
However in its Road to Zero Strategy published earlier this year it said ultimately it wants a transition to zero emissions across all vehicle types.
The government said it was working with industry to develop an ultra-low emission standard for trucks and is introducing a voluntary industry-supported commitment to reduce heavy goods vehicle greenhouse gases by 15% by 2025, from 2015 levels.
It is also working to clean up its bus fleet by investing in new low emission buses and retrofitting emission-reduction technology to existing vehicles.
What about aero planes? How much air pollution is caused by aircraft?
In the UK about 1% of nitrogen dioxide emissions are caused by aviation. Far more are caused by people driving to airports in their cars.
What about hydrogen-powered vehicles, as opposed to electric?
The government has already announced a £23m fund to boost the uptake of hydrogen vehicles.
At the time it said hydrogen vehicles could play a "vital role" alongside electric vehicles in cutting harmful emissions.
These days, if you are in the market for a fully electric, long-range vehicle, your options are pretty limited.
In fact, Tesla vehicles are currently the only cars that have an official range of more than 200 miles per charge.
But it won’t be long before there’s an influx of long-range electric cars hitting the market.
Most major automakers, including Ford, Volkswagen, and General Motors have vowed to roll out more than one fully electric car by 2020.
Here’s a look at some of the vehicles coming to market in the next few years.
Tesla is unveiling its Model 3 this year and aims to begin production by 2017.
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P Photo/Ng Han Guan
Tesla will reveal its first mass market, long-range vehicle March 31st, but the car won’t go into production until 2017.
The car will cost $35,000 before incentives and will be about 20 percent smaller than the company’s Model S.
Tesla’s also has plans to introduce a next generation Roadster in 2019.
AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere
Tesla will reveal a new Roadster in 2019, according to a statement by CEO Elon Musk in July of last year.
Almost no details have been revealed about the new car, except for the fact that it will be built for speed.
Musk said in the statement that the new car will be capable of going from zero to 60 in less than 2.8 seconds, which is faster than its cars can go in “Ludicrous Mode.”
The Bolt EV is going into production this year.
Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider
General Motors revealed the pre-production model of its first affordable, long-range car called the Chevrolet Bolt EV.
The car will become available before the end of 2016, have a range of about 200 miles per charge, and will cost around $30,000 after tax incentives.
Audi will launch its first electric SUV based off the e-tron quattro concept by 2018.
Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider
Audi confirmed in January that it was planning to begin production of its first all-electric SUV at its Brussels plant in 2018.
The new vehicle will be heavily inspired by the company’s e-tron quattro concept, which the company originally unveiled at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in September.
The new SUV will have three motors, a range of 310 miles on a single charge, and quick charging capabilities, the company also confirmed in January.
The name of the new car has not been officially announced, however, it is rumored to be called the Q6.
Porsche plans to begin making its Mission E Concept by 2020.
Porsche
Porsche also unveiled an impressive electric car concept in September and in December the company confirmed that it would be investing some $1.09 billion in new facilities to begin production of its first all-electric car.
The concept car, dubbed the Mission E, boasts a range of about 310 mile per charge and is capable of charging about 80 percent in just 15 minutes.
However, it’s worth noting that the range is likely based on European testing and not EPA standards, so its range could be more in the 240 mile range.
In addition to the long range and quick charging time, the car will also be capable of going from zero to 60 miles per hour in just 3.5 seconds.
Aston Martin has plans to develop its RapidE concept by 2018.
Aston Martin
The British luxury car maker Aston Martin said in mid-February that it is teaming up with the Chinese technology firm LeEco (formerly LeTV) to develop a production version of its all-electric Aston Martin RapidE Concept by 2018.
The RapidE concept, which is based on the company’s Rapide S sedan, is expected to have a range of 200 miles per charge and price between $200,000 to $250,000.
The company will also be collaborating on “a range of next-generation connected electric vehicles” with the electric car start-up Faraday Future, which is also in a partnership with LeEco.
Faraday Future says it will have a car on the road within the next four years.
Cadie Thompson/Tech Insider
The mysterious car start-up Faraday Future is promising it will have a car on the road sometime during the next few years.
The company revealed its first concept car, the FFZero1, at CES in January, but it was a true concept car that is unlikely to go into production.
However, Faraday told Tech Insider at CES that it’s working on having its first production car on the roads in the next few years.
Richard Kim, the company’s lead designer, also said that it’s first car will be for the premium side of the market, meaning it will likely price in the same range as a Tesla.
The Volkswagen Group plans to launch several electric cars by the end of the decade. One will be similar to its Budd-E concept.
Cadie Thompson/Tech Insider
Volkswagen said in September that it will roll out a total of 20 electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids by 2020.
Volkswagen is the parent company of both Audi and Porsche, so we already know that the Mission E and etron quattro will make up two of these 20 cars.
But in early January the company revealed another fully-electric concept car called the Budd-E, which has a range of 230 miles on a single charge.
In late January, Volkmar Tanneberger, the company’s head of electronic development, told CAR Magazine that the company will produce a car that looks a lot like the Budd-E reach production by 2020.
Hyundai’s Ioniq EV is expected to become available in some markets in 2017.
Hyundai
Hyundai will show off its all-electric Ioniq EV at the Geneva Motor Show in early March, but will likely not become available until next year.
The company has not yet revealed details about the car’s range, but it is expected to have a range of more than 155 miles per charge.
Citroen is rolling out a new all-electric E-Mehari this year.
Citroen
The French company Citroën is launching its E-Mehari in France this Spring, but it will roll out in other European countries by the end of 2016.
The cute little car has a range of 124 miles per charge when driving in the city and a range of about 62-miles when driving in a non-urban setting.
Mercedes-Benz is aiming to launch at least one new electric car by 2018.
The B250E has a range of almost 90 miles per charge, but the company’s next car will
Mercedes already offers an all-electric car called the B250E, which has a range of about 87 miles per charge. But the company has plans to launch at least one new all-electric car by 2018.
According to the German magazine AutoBild, Mercedes will launch an electric version of its GLC crossover at the end of 2018.
Ford is going to roll out at least one fully electric car, but hasn’t shared many details yet.
Ford
Ford has big plans to build some 13 new hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric cars by 2020.
The company CEO Mark Fields said that he wants 40% of Ford’s nameplates to have an electrified version by 2020.
So we can expect to see of the company’s most popular cars converted into fully electric vehicles.
Currently, Ford only offers one fully electric vehicle, the Focus Electric. With a full charge, the Focus Electric has a range of 76 miles, according to EPA ratings.
Volvo will build its first all electric car by 2019.
The plug-in Volvo
In October, Volvo’s CEO Håkan Samuelsson said that by 2020, 10% of its global sales will be from electrified vehicles.
The company said that it will roll out its first all-electric vehicle, though, by 2019.
Volvo hasn’t released any details about its first fully electric EV. However, it’s likely to have a range comparable to its competitors of 150 miles per charge or more.
The company kicked off its electrification plan with the launch of the plug-in hybrid version of its XC90 SUV in August. The vehicle has a pure electric range of about 26 miles.
The shift towards electric mobility is gaining momentum. Several manufacturers are looking to the future and introducing electric vehicles (EVs) to the mass market. While electric cars aren’t prevalent in the local market at present, things are changing steadily… Here are 5 significant electric car introductions that you can expect to see in South Africa next year (or in the near future).
Vast distances, lack of charging infrastructure, range anxiety and the prohibitively high purchase prices of electric vehicles are likely to remain key factors that will continue to stifle the adoption of electric cars in South Africa for the foreseeable future.
However, the wheel is slowly turning and rapid technological developments in terms of fast charging, improved electric vehicle range, design and integration are addressing these concerns. A recent example is the R30-million investment that Jaguar (in partnership with GridCars) has made to install 82 new charging stations in major hubs and along major holiday routes across South Africa, which will be known as the Jaguar Powerway. Furthermore, brands such as BMW and Nissan have also collaborated to increase access to public charging infrastructure across the country. Much still needs to be done, but a slow start is a start nonetheless…
With fuel prices reaching historical record highs in South Africa, demand for electric cars might very well be at the start of a long upward trajectory in the medium to long-term and the arrival of these 5 electric cars might be the start of a major shift in public perception towards electric mobility.
5 Electric Cars Destined for SA
New Nissan Leaf
The Nissan Leaf has been on sale in South Africa since 2013 and the 2nd-generation Leaf, which was revealed last year, is expected to arrive in South Africa in the first half of 2019. The new Leaf is powered by an electric motor developing 110 kW and 320 Nm of torque in conjunction with a 40 kWh Lithium-ion battery.
The Leaf now has a projected range of 400 km and can be charged in 8 hours using a 6 kW outlet or alternatively, 16 hours using a 3 kW outlet. Fast charging will rapidly decrease charging times and 80% charge can be achieved in about 40 minutes.
Watch Ciro De Siena reporting from the new Nissan Leaf International Launch in Tokyo, Japan.
Jaguar I-Pace
The Jaguar I-Pace is scheduled to arrive in South Africa in the first half of 2019. This EV is powered by electric motors driving the front and rear axles with total outputs of 294 kW and 696 Nm. Jaguar says throttle response is immediate, which means the I-Pace will offer fast acceleration with the 0-100 kph sprint taking 4.8 seconds.
An in-house designed, liquid-cooled 90 kWh Lithium-ion battery is capable of rapid charging where it will obtain 80% charge in only 45 minutes using a DC 100 kW charger. A 7 kW home charging wall box will achieve the same result in just over 10 hours. The I-Pace is said to have a range of about 480 km and with an average daily commute of between 40 and 50 km, the I-Pace will only have to be charged once a week.
Watch the Jaguar I-Pace travel from London to Brussels on a single charge below.
Mercedes-Benz EQC
The recently-revealed Mercedes-Benz EQC is expected to reach South Africa in mid-2019 and will be powered by a pair of electric motors, combining to deliver 300 kW and 765 Nm of torque. There’s a motor on the front axle and a 2nd at the rear, making it an all-wheel-drive vehicle.
The battery has an energy content of 80 kWh and there are 5 driving modes, each of which results in different performance and ranges. The Mercedes-Benz EQC features a water-cooled onboard charger (OBC) with a capacity of 7.4 kW, making it suitable for AC charging at home or at public charging stations. If you opt for the latter, you can go from 10%-80% in just 40 minutes. The Mercedes-Benz EQC is expected to offer a range of 450 km.
Watch the Mercedes-Benz EQC testing below.
Audi e-tron
Audi recently revealed its first all-electric series production e-tron model and it is expected to arrive in South Africa in mid-2019. The e-tron is powered by 2 electric motors (one over each axle) that are virtually silent in operation and generate 300 kW and 560 Nm of torque.
Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system ensures maximum traction and dynamic ability by regulating and distributing torque between the axles instantaneously. Zero to 100 kph is achieved in about 5.5 seconds and the e-tron will reach a top speed of 200 kph.
The 95kWh battery system is positioned low and central in the vehicle, contributing to a more sporty character. The e-tron is engineered for AC and DC charging and has fast-charging capability of up to 150 kW at high-speed charging stations. 80% charge can, therefore, be achieved in about 30 minutes. Charging at home is achieved using a standard 9.6 kW AC capsule charger, which also includes plugs for a standard 120V outlet as well as a fast-speed 240-volt NEMA 14-50 outlet.
The e-tron’s range is expected to be over 400 km. You can watch the global reveal of the Audi e-tron below.
BMW iX3
While the i3 premium compact electric city car has been on sale in South Africa since 2015, BMW has a new electric SUV in the pipeline. Although the iX3 SUV was only shown in concept form at the 2018 Beijing Motor Show, it’s due to go into production in 2020 and will prove to be a fitting rival to the other premium electric SUVs on this list. The BMW Concept iX3 draws styling inspiration from the new X3 which is produced at the firm’s plant in Rosslyn, Pretoria.
The Concept iX3 is fitted with BMW’s 5th-generation electric drive system which offers 200 kW from its electric motor while a high-voltage 70 kWh battery will allow for a range of more than 400 km. A newly-developed Charging Control Unit can be hooked up to fast-charging stations generating up to 150 kW. A full charge will take only 30 minutes using a fast-charging station.
Watch a short video previewing the upcoming BMW iX3 below.
End your dependence on fossil fuels with one of these amazing electric cars
A decade ago, the idea of driving an electric car seemed inconceivable to most Americans, but these cars with plugs are definitely here to stay. Technological improvements, stricter emissions standards, and changes in consumer tastes are driving electric cars further into the mainstream, and while they still aren’t close to replacing their gas-powered cousins, their ever-increasing ranges and penchant for quick acceleration make them a far better option than they once were.
Many of the most promising cars are still trucking down the long road toward production, but there are plenty on the market. These are the best electric cars available.
At a glance
Product
Category
Rating
Tesla Model 3
Best electric car overall
5 out of 5
Chevrolet Bolt EV
Best long-range EV alternative
4 out of 5
2018 Nissan Leaf
Best affordable EV
Not yet rated
BMW i3
Best luxury electric car
Not yet rated
Tesla Model S P100D
Best electric performance car
Not yet rated
Jaguar I-Pace
Best electric crossover/SUV
Not yet rated
TESLA MODEL 3
The best
Tesla Motors
Why should you buy this? It is simply the best electric vehicle on sale.
Who’s it for? Those willing to expand their horizons and experience the future of transportation — today.
Why we picked the Tesla Model 3:
The most exciting vehicle on the market isn’t a million-dollar supercar, a broad-shouldered truck, or a seven-passenger SUV. No, the car the world can’t wait to drive is an all-electric sedan from a startup automaker called Tesla.
Modestly stylish on the outside, luxurious on the inside, surprisingly fun to drive, and available with up to 310 miles of range, the Tesla Model 3 checks all the right boxes. But that’s just the beginning. Where the Model 3 truly impresses is its innovative convenience and safety features (including some of the industry’s best semi-autonomous driving aids) and future-proofed technology. Thanks to Tesla’s over-the-air updates, the Model 3 is always improving, and can be reconfigured according to your needs and wants — even after you buy the car.
Tesla may be experiencing the growing pains most mainstream automakers have long overcome, and the Model 3 hasn’t been immune from quality-related problems, but the tech startup has much to teach the automotive industry about how to build a compelling product. Though it may be a while before your Model 3 order is fulfilled, we can assure you this one is worth the wait.
Read our full 2018 Tesla Model 3 review
CHEVROLET BOLT EV
The best long-range EV alternative
Why should you buy this? It’s the first affordable electric car worthy of a road trip.
2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV
The Bolt EV is the perfect blend of accessibility, usability, and fun.
Who’s it for? Drivers who want to give up gas without sacrificing range.
Why we picked the Chevrolet Bolt EV:
For years, consumers essentially had two choices when it came to electric cars — low price or usable range. Relatively affordable EVs like the original Nissan Leaf could be procured for under $30,000, but they needed recharging after about 80 miles which is inconvenient at best. On the other end of the spectrum, luxury EVs like the Tesla Model S could top 300 miles between charges, but their price tags made them an unrealistic option for most.
In 2018, we finally have an electric car for the everyman — the Chevy Bolt EV. Boasting a range of up to 238 miles and a cost under $30,000 after tax credits are factored in, the crossover-esque Bolt is reshaping the world of EVs by making them accessible to the masses. Consider the glass ceiling broken. Practicality and affordability are just two elements of a good car though, but thankfully, the Bolt has much more up its sleeve. While we prefer the more expensive Model 3, if you won’t be able to your hands on a Model 3 for a while (and need an electric commuter ASAP), the Bolt is a fantastic alternative.
With a total output of 200 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, the Bolt EV is quite zippy indeed. Factor in the low center of gravity afforded by the floor-mounted battery pack, and you have a planted, stable, and surprisingly responsive people-carrier that never needs to visit the gas station. Add in a spacious and comfy cabin, a standard 10.2-inch touchscreen, and DC fast charging options, and you have an industry game-changer you’ll actually want to drive. It’s available in all 50 states and there’s no waiting time to get one.
2018 NISSAN LEAF
The best affordable EV
Why you should buy this? The Nissan Leaf is one of the most well-rounded electric cars on the market. It’s affordable and it’s available right away all across the nation.
Who’s it for? Eco-conscious commuters seeking a zero-emissions ride to work.
Why we picked the Nissan Leaf:
Nissan made waves when it introduced the original Leaf in 2010. The UFO-styled hatchback was the first affordable, mass-market electric car of the 21st century. The Japanese firm let it wither on the vine for too long, however, and it undeniably showed its age as it entered its seventh year on the market. We recently drove the brand-new, second-generation model and concluded it was worth the wait.
Not as wild-looking as its predecessor, the new Leaf offers 150 miles of range thanks to a 40kWh battery pack that feeds a 147-hp electric motor. It still doesn’t qualify for the coveted “long-range” label but it’s a lot more usable than its predecessor. If that’s not enough, be patient — we hear Nissan will launch a version with more range in the coming months.
The redesign ups the Leaf’s tech quotient, too. It’s now available with ProPilot Assist, which is Nissan-speak for a suit of semi-autonomous driving aids that lets the Leaf accelerate, steer, and brake on its own when the right conditions are met. We tested the system and concluded it’s basically an adaptive cruise control system with added steering assist.
BMW I3
The best luxury electric car
Why should you buy this? It looks, feels, and drives like nothing else on the road.
Who’s it for? Metropolitan drivers that want to stand out, ride comfortably, and park easily.
Why we picked the BMW i3:
The BMW i3 is about as different from other cars as can be. It’s not just the electric powertrain — the i3 features an advanced carbon fiber-reinforced plastic body shell, wheels that look like pizza cutters, and an interior trimmed in a plant-based material called kenaf. Some people buy electric cars to save gas, and some buy them to make statements. Can you guess which customer this one is for?
Weirdness aside, the i3 is one of the most energy-efficient cars currently sold in the U.S., with an EPA-rated 118 MPGe combined for the 2017 model, which also has up to 114 miles of range. It’s quiet, smooth, and luxury car cozy, but with a handling prowess absent from most battery-powered cars currently on the market. That’s because the car’s carbon fiber construction keeps its weight under 3,000 pounds, and the steering remains quick enough to keeps things lively behind the wheel.
BMW also offers the i3 REx with a two-cylinder gasoline engine that acts as a generator to provide up to 180 miles of range. The REx model is no longer a zero-emissions car, but it becomes a lot more usable than the standard battery-powered i3.
TESLA MODEL S P100D
The best electric performance car
Why should you buy this? It’s ludicrously quick and you’ll never have to stop for gas.
Who’s it for? Adrenaline junkies, executives, YouTube stars.
Why we picked the Tesla Model S P100D:
If we were to judge based on capability alone, the Tesla Model S would unquestionably be our top pick for the best electric vehicle. We live in the real world though, and with a starting price of $84,300, the fact remains that many people simply can’t afford to drive a Tesla. The $35,000 Model 3 will change that sooner or later, though the company is having a difficult time ramping up production and the waiting list is getting excruciatingly long.
If you can swing the Porsche-like base price and you’re looking for something fast, comfy, and emissions-free, the range-topping Model S P100D is right up your alley. With its 100kWh battery, the P100D boasts a 0 to 60 time of just 2.5 seconds, making it one of the quickest production cars on the planet. The big battery gives the sedan an impressive 315 miles of range as well, so you’ll have plenty of juice to test the Model S’ incredible acceleration.
Performance is just one part of the equation, though, because Tesla continues to push the boundaries of semi-autonomous convenience and safety features. Moving forward, all Teslas will include full self-driving hardware, which means truly driverless capabilities are just around the corner — assuming lawmakers keep up with the technology.
JAGUAR I-PACE
The best electric crossover/SUV
Why should you buy this? It’s fast and luxurious like a Jag should be (and electric).
Who’s it for? Buyers willing to pay a little bit more for luxury and convenience.
Why we picked the Jaguar I-Pace:
We would have lost money on this bet. Who would have thought that Jaguar, a brand rarely seen as the industry’s most reactive player, would take the first direct shot at Tesla? The firm’s executives showed a surprising amount of foresight and beat the Germans to the punch with the I-Pace, a brand-new type of Jaguar that puts a fresh spin on the values that have defined the British brand for decades. It’s the one worth paying attention to.
The I-Pace exists at the intersection of crossovers and sports sedans. The compact dimensions of an electric powertrain gave designers the freedom to think outside of the box and explore new proportions. The interior is comfortable, high-tech, and fully connected, though Jaguar’s infotainment system isn’t the most intuitive software in its class.
Power for the I-Pace comes from a 90-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. It zaps a pair of electric motors — one over each axle — into motion. Jaguar pegs the I-Pace’s output at 394 horsepower and 512 pound-feet of torque, and it quotes a zero-to-60-mph time of 4.5 seconds. It feels every bit as fast and it takes a turn well thanks to a low center of gravity. The I-Pace boasts up to 240 miles of range, too, which should be enough to keep your range anxiety in check.
It’s not the cheapest option on the market, sure, but at least Jaguar gives buyers what they pay for.
Read our full 2019 Jaguar I-Pace review
How we test
The Digital Trends automotive team tests vehicles through a comprehensive scrutinizing process. We examine the qualities of the exterior and interior and judge them based on our expertise and experience in the context of the vehicle’s category and price range. Entertainment technology is thoroughly tested as well as most safety features that can be tested in controlled environments.
Test drivers spend extensive time behind the wheel of the vehicles, conducting real-world testing, driving them on highways, back roads, as well as off-road and race tracks when applicable. When we weren’t able to get behind the wheel ourselves, we leaned on our experiences with each automaker and compared vehicles on a statistical basis, using metrics like cost, range, performance, and available features to make our decision.
Common electric vehicle terms you may not know
AC: Short for alternating current. This type of electric current reverses direction at regular intervals and is very efficient. Most modern electric cars, such as Teslas, use AC.
DC: Short for direct current. This type of electric current stays constant in its direction. DC electric motors are generally simpler and cheaper than AC electric motors, however they are less efficient.
EV: Short for electric vehicle.
Fast charge: Fast chargers utilize a higher current than a standard domestic outlet. For example, a Tesla Supercharger can charge a 90kWh Model S to 80 percent in 40 minutes. In a standard outlet, the same process would take a few hours.
kWh: Short for kilowatt hour.
Lead Acid Battery: An older style of battery that uses lead and sulfuric acid to transfer and store energy. They are much cheaper than Lithium-Ion batteries but have a shorter service life.
Lithium-Ion Battery: Often shortened to Li-Ion, batteries of this type are common on modern electric cars and use a compound called lithium-cobalt oxide to transfer and store energy.
MPGe: Short for miles per gallon (of gasoline) equivalent. To calculate MPGe numbers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calculated that there are approximately 115,000 BTUs of energy in one gallon of gasoline, and used that formula to convey the amount power an electric car uses in terms most drivers are familiar with.
Nickel-Metal Hydride Battery: Often shortened to NiMH, batteries of this type are found on some older electric cars, however, most automakers prefer Lithium-Ion.
Regenerative braking: A system that uses energy created by braking to refill the battery.
