Sit-up, turn on, and plug-in - because the electric revolution is set to continue apace in 2021.
And these are the all-electric cars you can look forward to the most in 2021.
Manufacturers have been falling over each other to release EVs over the past 12 months, from the likes of the recently-revealed Fiat 500, to the brilliant Volkswagen ID.3 and the futuristic, stylistically-sublime Honda e. You can’t stop the march of progress. Which is why 2021 looks to usher-in a new era of electrified car technology, as EVs become ever more sophisticated, advanced and, ultimately, desirable.
Here we take a look at some of the headline-grabbing models you can expect to catch your eye over the coming 12 months:
BMW iX
This new BMW is hot off the press, having only been teased earlier this week.
And while the ‘clear and minimalist’ styling might not please BMW purists who don’t like to see the firm’s signature grille meddled with, there’s no getting away from the fact the iX is sure to make jaws drop. While the car is still in development, BMW says it will be officially launched at the end of 2021.
The iX will be given the fifth generation of the manufacturer’s ‘eDrive technology’, featuring two electric motors, to produce around 500 hp. And that’s enough to send the iX down the road from 0-62mph in under 5.0 seconds.
As for how far it will travel between charges, BMW says advances in battery tech should equate to a range of ‘more than 300 miles’, which is not too shabby at all for a large ‘SAV’ - or ‘Sports Activity Vehicle’.
Mercedes-Benz EQA
The electric crossover EQA first saw the light of day as a concept at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt back in 2017. Since then delays in production have seen it not only change shape ever so slightly, but also shunted back to a 2021 launch.
It’s based on the firm’s GLA crossover and will do battle with the likes of the VW ID.3 while also boasting chunkier styling than its rival. The EQA is set to have a range of around 249 miles, and will be the trailblazer for a whole batch of ‘EQ’ cars, including an EQC and EQB set of SUVs.
What’s more, a sporty AMG performance model of the EQA is on the cards, too. As Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer, says: “This car is simply sexy.“
Ford Mustang Mach e GT
Can any premium SUV really call itself a Mustang? We’ll leave that for the muscle car enthusiasts to discuss amongst themselves, probably during a bar brawl.
But what we do know is that the Mach e GT would give any V8 a run for its money. Power of 465 PS equates to a truly blistering 0-62mph time of just 3.7 seconds. And all of that grunt comes from a 88 kW battery that also gives the Mach e GT a range of 310 miles - which really is giving owners the best of both worlds.
The first Mach e GTs are due to arrive early in 2021, with a long range version to follow later in the year, which boosts the distance of travel to 379 miles, which is very much in class-leading territory.
Tesla Model S Plaid / Tesla Roadster
Tesla, the original purveyors of electric cars for the real world, are not resting on their laurels in 2021, with a host of new cars due to roll off the production line in California.
Arguably the most eye catching will be the new Roadster, which Tesla is calling the ‘quickest car in the world’. What qualifies them to say that? Well, it’ll do 0-60mph in 1.9 seconds, 0-100mph in 4.2 seconds, and hit a top speed in excess of 250mph.
If all that wasn’t impressive enough, it has a claimed range of 620 miles. The only catch is that it’s expected to cost around £150,000 for the base model. Elsewhere you can expect a ‘Plaid’ - aka potent, track-ready - version of the Model S, which has 1100 hp, will hit 60mph in under 2 seconds, and has a range of 520 miles.
Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge
The XC40 P8 Recharge was one of the big motoring stories of 2020, with first deliveries still not due to arrive until the spring of 2021.
First thing’s first, the difference between a normal XC40 Recharge and a ‘P8’ Recharge is that the P8 is all-electric, the other a plug-in hybrid. And what’s great about the XC40 is that it’s already the perfect base for electrification, proving massively popular as a family SUV.
The P8 has 201bhp, four-wheel-drive, and will sprint from 0-62mph in just 4.9 seconds, courtesy of a large 78 kWh battery. It should be good for a range of 248 miles, with an 80 per cent charge done in just 40 minutes. The only issue is that the P8 Recharge costs from £59,985, a good deal more than the £25,420 combustion-engined XC40s.
CUPRA el-Born
CUPRA, the performance division of SEAT and a force in its own right these days, has been quietly chucking out some great cars in 2020, including the ferocious-looking new Formentor SUV.
And in 2021 CUPRA will unleash its first all-electric car - the striking el-Born hot-hatch. A 82kWh battery gives owners a range of 310 miles, and by plugging it in for just 30 minutes, you’ll have enough juice to cover 161 miles. It should prove fairly rapid, too. CUPRA bizarrely list a ‘0-to-31mph’ time as ‘only 2.9 seconds’, though we’re still not sure how long it’ll take to reach 62mph.
While CUPRA CEO Wayne Griffiths says: “CUPRA el-Born displays all the genes of the CUPRA brand and we have taken the original concept to the next level creating a new sporty and dynamic design and reengineering the technological content. CUPRA el-Born is the living proof that performance and electrification are a great match.”
Hyundai Ioniq 5
The Hyundai Kona Electric has been something of a smash hit in 2020 - an affordable electric small SUV that can cover 279 miles between charges.
So, how do you top that? Well, Hyundai now plans to have a whole ‘Ioniq’ range of electric cars. And one of the most eagerly-anticipated is the Ioniq 5, first revealed as the ‘45’ concept car that made heads spin at the Frankfurt Motor Show. You can expect it to be a midsize crossover - similar in size to the Skoda Enyak - and which will combine retro looks with cutting edge tech.
If you take this and the Honda e as barometers of car fashion, then nostalgic, evocative design could definitely be ‘in’ for 2021.
Audi e-tron GT
You’ll do well to find a better looking car in 2021 than the Audi e-tron GT - a vehicle that’s as sleek and low-slung as it is aggressive.
The electric supercar is another vehicle to make the leap from the concept drawing board to fully-fledged production. The GT shares an EV platform with the Porsche Taycan, but they’re two very different cars and don’t really warrant too much comparison. Audi has promised 590 hp, all-wheel-drive with torque vectoring, and a 0-62mph time of less than 3.5 seconds. It should also have a range of around 250 miles.
What’s more, despite its extreme underpinnings, it’s still a five-door family car designed for crossing continents in utmost comfort.
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