BMW i3
BMW has redefined the small car genre with the i3 and there’s plenty more to come from this line of carbon-fiber/aluminium bodied machines.
A range of 81 miles is the limiting factor, although you can order your i3 with a range extender engine that turns it into more usable transport with a 150-mile range. In 2017, the i3 will have a range of 114 miles without petrol power.
It charges in 3 hours on a 220-volt outlet and with a rear-drive set-up it should be fun. Intrusive electronics and a 2600lb kerbweight mean it isn’t quite the pure driving machine that built BMW’s reputation.
It is, however, a premium city car that means people can enjoy zero emissions without slumming it. It’s a lifestyle statement and a fashion accessory, as much as a usable car, but the world still loves a designer label.
There are neat tricks on the i3, including regenerative braking that means you can leave the brake pedal alone if you plan your drive. It will also hit 60mph in 6.5s, which in the confines of the city is all you are likely to need.
It isn’t the total package, but it’s a good first attempt from BMW and a clear sign of what is to come.
BMW i3 key specs
Range: 125 miles (201 km)
Battery: 35.8 kWh
Top speed: 93 mph (165 km/h)
Torque: 214 lb-ft (290 Nm)
Power: 134 hp (100 kW)
Weight: 3,391 lb (1,538 kg)
BMW i3 price
$42,275
Tesla Model 3
The Tesla Model 3 is the entry-level EV that is all set carry the weight of Elon Musk’s zero emissions campaign on its shoulders.
The Tesla Model 3 release date was set for the second half of 2017 and while some units have been making their way to customers, Tesla is definitely off to a slow a start. Anyone who reserves the Model 3 now can expect a delivery in a year to 18 months.
It still boasts the novelty factor. Tesla stuck to his lithium-ion guns when the mainstream motoring world wrote him off as a nut. Now, with the help of the Tesla Gigafactory and the growing momentum of EV motoring, Tesla finds itself at the head of the pack. The Model 3 is a massive step for the company and electric cars in general. It’s the first plug-in EV to go to battle in the highly competitive field that includes established masters like the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Mercedes C Class and Jaguar XE.
The Tesla Model 3 may be off to a rough start, but consumer interest continues to grow. Which isn’t really surprising, given that it easily outshines all of its similarly-priced competition. If Tesla can quickly sort out their production concerns, it will once again find itself a front runner in the budget EV market as well.
Tesla Model 3 specs
Range: 220 miles (350 km)
Battery: 50 kWh
Top speed: 130 mph (210 km/h)
Torque: 317 lb-ft (430 Nm)
Power: 258 hp (192 kW)
Weight: 3,549 lb (1,610 kg)
Tesla Model 3 price
$35,000
Everything you need to know about Tesla Model 3
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Hyundai Ioniq Electric
Like Honda and Toyota, Hyundai proclaimed the superiority of hydrogen fuel cell technology over battery-powered EVs, and the Korean manufacturer put its money where its mouth was with the hydrogen-powered Ioniq.
Hyundai hedged its bets however with hybrid and full-electric variants of the Ioniq. The latter is available for under $30,000 right now, and we think it will do much better than its hydrogen-powered counterpart.
Hyundai Ioniq Electric looks…regular, and you’ll have to decide how you personally feel about that. It offers around 110 miles of range, which is under half what competitors like the Bolt EV boast. This is not, by any means, a flashy car, but it has solid range, a decent feature set, it drives really well, and it’s already on the market. If only Hyundai would make up its mind and put some marketing dollars behind it. Check it out, you might like it!
Hyundai Ioniq Electric key specs
Range: 108 miles (175 km)
Battery: 28 kWh
Top speed: 102 mph (165 km/h)
Torque: 44 lb-ft (295 Nm)
Power: 120 hp (88 kW)
Weight: 3,130 lb (1420 kg)
Hyundai Ioniq Electric price
$29,500
Chevy Bolt
GM will actually beat Tesla to the punch with a truly mass market electric car that can crack 200 miles between charges. We may still have to wait for the Model 3, but the pure electric Bolt is ready to roll off the production line now.
Yes, the company that killed the electric car, according to one high-profile documentary, could be about to take the lead in the EV race.
That’s because the Bolt isn’t meant to be a revolution, it’s an actual car that people can use. It’s the workhorse PC compared to the iPads on offer at Tesla. It’s elegant, but it’s functional and it will consign range anxiety to history. That’s the critical part.
Everything you need to know about the Chevrolet Bolt
Finally, we’re getting a practical, mass market electric car that people can afford and it isn’t a Tesla. Chevrolet has beaten Elon Musk’s Model 3 by at least a year and it has a chance …
Also, this car is categorically going to be on the road on time. While Tesla has had trouble hitting production targets in the past, GM is a corporate juggernaut that understands product development cycles.
In another ironic twist of fate, the company that went bankrupt in 2009 and was held up as a shining example of American failure in the financial crisis could be the safe bet for cautious customers. Not everybody has bought into Elon Musk and the stock market never seems sure if the Tony Stark of the EV world is going to reign supreme or fall flat on his face.
That can be a big factor for the car buying public, because who will service your car if the company goes pop in a few months’ time?
GM has had its dark days and it’s going to be here. So will the Chevy Bolt and, while it might not be the most exciting EV on the market, it’s going to be one of the best for a good long while.
Chevrolet Bolt EV specs
Range: 238 miles (383 km)
Battery: 60 kWh
Top speed: 90 mph (145 km/h)
Torque: 266 lb-ft (361 Nm)
Power: 200 hp (200 kW)
Weight: 3,583 lb (1,625 kg)
Chevrolet Bolt EV price
$37,495 ($29,995 after tax credit)
Kia Soul EV
Korean company Kia has managed to inject some, well, soul into the EV sector with this cute, diminutive SUV that has won legions of fans around the world.
It’s no rival for the Tesla Model X, but then that’s the point. It’s like an overgrown toy car with its clean, simple lines and the connector at the front with the sliding plate where the grille once was. It offers a fresh look at automotive design, its instantly recognizable and it’s a package that just works.
Kia has always appealed to the budget conscious buyer, but the Soul EV is a departure.
The base model, the EV-e, is only available in California, the rest of the country has to pay $2000 more for the standard EV. It is still relatively cheap and it offers some of the best electric car lease deals you can find with a $199 monthly payment after the initial balloon.
It’s roomy, well equipped for the price bracket and offers the traditional Kia values of economy and solid construction.
It offers a 93-mile range between charges and comes with a fast charge DC port, but the Soul won’t win many awards for truly groundbreaking innovation. What it has done is create a zero emissions car that people actually want to drive. That’s good enough for us.
Kia Soul specs
Range: 93 miles (150 km)
Battery: 27 kWh
Top speed: 90 mph (145 km/h)
Torque: 210 lb-ft (285 Nm)
Power: 109 hp (81 kW)
Weight: 3,254 lb (1,476 kg)
Kia Soul price
$32, 250
Volkswagen e-Golf
The Volkswagen Golf is the second best-selling car in the world. Just a fraction of the hatchbacks that roll off the line are electric, but then this is a new adventure for VW and its smart business to start with a perennial favorite.
There’s nothing spectacular about the e-Golf, but then that’s why it could sell in big numbers. It’s just an electric version of a machine that has conquered the world.
You get 199lb ft of torque, 83 miles of range and that legendary VW build quality. It comes with three power maps and three levels of regenerative braking, too. In certain states you can get a $179 a month lease deal after the initial payment, which is less than some spend on gas.
For that you get an 85mph top speed, a 0-60mph time of 9.4s and a touchscreen infotainment screen. Audi’s e-tron range will offer a premium version, but the VW will be the volume seller that drives the VW group’s zero emissions movement. Now it just needs more range.
Volkswagen e-Golf key specs
Range: 125 miles (201 km)
Battery: 35.8 kWh
Top speed: 93 mph (165 km/h)
Torque: 214 lb-ft (290 Nm)
Power: 134 hp (100 kW)
Weight: 3,391 lb (1,538 kg)
Volkswagen e-Golf price
$30,495
Tesla Model S
We’re struggling to think of a better all-round electric car than the Tesla Model S and it makes the rest of the motoring world look a little stone-aged right now. It’s just that good.
Hyundai Ioniq Electric looks…regular, and you’ll have to decide how you personally feel about that. It offers around 110 miles of range, which is under half what competitors like the Bolt EV boast. This is not, by any means, a flashy car, but it has solid range, a decent feature set, it drives really well, and it’s already on the market. If only Hyundai would make up its mind and put some marketing dollars behind it. Check it out, you might like it!
Hyundai Ioniq Electric key specs
Range: 108 miles (175 km)
Battery: 28 kWh
Top speed: 102 mph (165 km/h)
Torque: 44 lb-ft (295 Nm)
Power: 120 hp (88 kW)
Weight: 3,130 lb (1420 kg)
Hyundai Ioniq Electric price
$29,500
Chevy Bolt
GM will actually beat Tesla to the punch with a truly mass market electric car that can crack 200 miles between charges. We may still have to wait for the Model 3, but the pure electric Bolt is ready to roll off the production line now.
Yes, the company that killed the electric car, according to one high-profile documentary, could be about to take the lead in the EV race.
That’s because the Bolt isn’t meant to be a revolution, it’s an actual car that people can use. It’s the workhorse PC compared to the iPads on offer at Tesla. It’s elegant, but it’s functional and it will consign range anxiety to history. That’s the critical part.
Everything you need to know about the Chevrolet Bolt
Finally, we’re getting a practical, mass market electric car that people can afford and it isn’t a Tesla. Chevrolet has beaten Elon Musk’s Model 3 by at least a year and it has a chance …
Also, this car is categorically going to be on the road on time. While Tesla has had trouble hitting production targets in the past, GM is a corporate juggernaut that understands product development cycles.
In another ironic twist of fate, the company that went bankrupt in 2009 and was held up as a shining example of American failure in the financial crisis could be the safe bet for cautious customers. Not everybody has bought into Elon Musk and the stock market never seems sure if the Tony Stark of the EV world is going to reign supreme or fall flat on his face.
That can be a big factor for the car buying public, because who will service your car if the company goes pop in a few months’ time?
GM has had its dark days and it’s going to be here. So will the Chevy Bolt and, while it might not be the most exciting EV on the market, it’s going to be one of the best for a good long while.
Chevrolet Bolt EV specs
Range: 238 miles (383 km)
Battery: 60 kWh
Top speed: 90 mph (145 km/h)
Torque: 266 lb-ft (361 Nm)
Power: 200 hp (200 kW)
Weight: 3,583 lb (1,625 kg)
Chevrolet Bolt EV price
$37,495 ($29,995 after tax credit)
Kia Soul EV
Korean company Kia has managed to inject some, well, soul into the EV sector with this cute, diminutive SUV that has won legions of fans around the world.
It’s no rival for the Tesla Model X, but then that’s the point. It’s like an overgrown toy car with its clean, simple lines and the connector at the front with the sliding plate where the grille once was. It offers a fresh look at automotive design, its instantly recognizable and it’s a package that just works.
Kia has always appealed to the budget conscious buyer, but the Soul EV is a departure.
The base model, the EV-e, is only available in California, the rest of the country has to pay $2000 more for the standard EV. It is still relatively cheap and it offers some of the best electric car lease deals you can find with a $199 monthly payment after the initial balloon.
It’s roomy, well equipped for the price bracket and offers the traditional Kia values of economy and solid construction.
It offers a 93-mile range between charges and comes with a fast charge DC port, but the Soul won’t win many awards for truly groundbreaking innovation. What it has done is create a zero emissions car that people actually want to drive. That’s good enough for us.
Kia Soul specs
Range: 93 miles (150 km)
Battery: 27 kWh
Top speed: 90 mph (145 km/h)
Torque: 210 lb-ft (285 Nm)
Power: 109 hp (81 kW)
Weight: 3,254 lb (1,476 kg)
Kia Soul price
$32, 250
Volkswagen e-Golf
The Volkswagen Golf is the second best-selling car in the world. Just a fraction of the hatchbacks that roll off the line are electric, but then this is a new adventure for VW and its smart business to start with a perennial favorite.
There’s nothing spectacular about the e-Golf, but then that’s why it could sell in big numbers. It’s just an electric version of a machine that has conquered the world.
You get 199lb ft of torque, 83 miles of range and that legendary VW build quality. It comes with three power maps and three levels of regenerative braking, too. In certain states you can get a $179 a month lease deal after the initial payment, which is less than some spend on gas.
For that you get an 85mph top speed, a 0-60mph time of 9.4s and a touchscreen infotainment screen. Audi’s e-tron range will offer a premium version, but the VW will be the volume seller that drives the VW group’s zero emissions movement. Now it just needs more range.
Volkswagen e-Golf key specs
Range: 125 miles (201 km)
Battery: 35.8 kWh
Top speed: 93 mph (165 km/h)
Torque: 214 lb-ft (290 Nm)
Power: 134 hp (100 kW)
Weight: 3,391 lb (1,538 kg)
Volkswagen e-Golf price
$30,495
Tesla Model S
We’re struggling to think of a better all-round electric car than the Tesla Model S and it makes the rest of the motoring world look a little stone-aged right now. It’s just that good.
The likes of Mercedes, BMW and Audi are struggling to catch up and this battery-powered leviathan even dominated serious sportscars on the dragstrip.
It comes with a premium price tag, but then it’s a premium product and Tesla will soon have the Model 3 for the masses. The Model S is a fast, luxurious sedan with a 312-mile range and a serious lick of speed.
Inside, the Model S is a breath of fresh air with clean lines, no discernible instruments and a touchscreen that gives the driver instant access to the whole car. Add the likes of Autopilot, which is a brave step forward towards autonomous cars, and it’s easy to see why the Tesla Model S has stolen this particular show.
The P90D is the one you really want if you’re out to shame the neighbours. It’s a Tesla Model S turned up to 11 with an 90kWh battery, it costs $119,200 and it comes with the infamous ‘Ludicrous mode’ that means it can leave established sportscars trailing in its wake.
If money is no object and you need a brilliant all-round electric car to use on a daily basis, the Tesla Model S is as good as it gets.
Tesla Model S 90D key specs
Range: 294 miles (473 km)
Battery: 90 kWh
Top speed: 155 mph (250 km/h)
Torque: 485 lb-ft (658 Nm)
Power: 518 hp (386 kW)
Weight: 4,938 lb (2,240 kg)
Tesla Model S price
$71,200-$119,200
Tesla Model S vs Tesla Model 3: Family rivalry
The Tesla Model S is riding high as the poster child of the EV movement. It's the fastest production car in the world with the introduction of the P100D, it has the slickest self-driving system …
Everything you need to know about the Tesla Model S
The Tesla Model S is the car that changed the world view of this crazy start-up in Palo Alto. The Roadster was a reworked Lotus Elise, but the Model S was Tesla’s first ‘proper car’. …
Tesla Model X
It has seating for seven, gullwing doors and, in P90D spec, it can slay supercars in a straight line. What’s not to love about the Tesla Model X?
This might be Elon Musk’s greatest effort yet. It’s a futuristic design, it has a supremely low drag co-efficient and those doors that open with a button on the fob will simply never get old.
Inside, there are three rows of seats and you basically get a minibus crowbarred into the wheelbase of a crossover SUV. With the largest 90kWh battery pack fitted, it has 250 miles of range. That is enough to get between Supercharger stations in vast swathes of the civilized world these days.
Don’t forget that Tesla had to create the infrastructure, not just the car, and the scale of this achievement is simply towering. The fact that Elon Musk managed to create a selection of killer cars along the way is close to a modern day miracle.
The high-speed ‘Ludicrous Option’ is a $10,000 upgrade and it comes with a special 1500-amp fuse. That means the Model X ploughs all 713lb ft of torque through the wheels and you get a launch control function that means this 5594lb whale can hit 60mph in 3.2s, 100mph in 8.3s and 120mph in 13s.
It’s an irrational package that basically defies physics. We should celebrate the sheer insanity and salute one of the most groundbreaking cars on the road today.
Tesla Model X specs
Range: 236 miles (381 km)
Battery: 35.8 kWh
Top speed: 93 mph (165 km/h)
Torque: 713 lb-ft (966 Nm)
Power: 328 hp (245 kW)
Weight: 5,181 lb (2,350 kg)
Tesla Model X price
$81,200-$132,000
It comes with a premium price tag, but then it’s a premium product and Tesla will soon have the Model 3 for the masses. The Model S is a fast, luxurious sedan with a 312-mile range and a serious lick of speed.
Inside, the Model S is a breath of fresh air with clean lines, no discernible instruments and a touchscreen that gives the driver instant access to the whole car. Add the likes of Autopilot, which is a brave step forward towards autonomous cars, and it’s easy to see why the Tesla Model S has stolen this particular show.
The P90D is the one you really want if you’re out to shame the neighbours. It’s a Tesla Model S turned up to 11 with an 90kWh battery, it costs $119,200 and it comes with the infamous ‘Ludicrous mode’ that means it can leave established sportscars trailing in its wake.
If money is no object and you need a brilliant all-round electric car to use on a daily basis, the Tesla Model S is as good as it gets.
Tesla Model S 90D key specs
Range: 294 miles (473 km)
Battery: 90 kWh
Top speed: 155 mph (250 km/h)
Torque: 485 lb-ft (658 Nm)
Power: 518 hp (386 kW)
Weight: 4,938 lb (2,240 kg)
Tesla Model S price
$71,200-$119,200
Tesla Model S vs Tesla Model 3: Family rivalry
The Tesla Model S is riding high as the poster child of the EV movement. It's the fastest production car in the world with the introduction of the P100D, it has the slickest self-driving system …
Everything you need to know about the Tesla Model S
The Tesla Model S is the car that changed the world view of this crazy start-up in Palo Alto. The Roadster was a reworked Lotus Elise, but the Model S was Tesla’s first ‘proper car’. …
Tesla Model X
It has seating for seven, gullwing doors and, in P90D spec, it can slay supercars in a straight line. What’s not to love about the Tesla Model X?
This might be Elon Musk’s greatest effort yet. It’s a futuristic design, it has a supremely low drag co-efficient and those doors that open with a button on the fob will simply never get old.
Inside, there are three rows of seats and you basically get a minibus crowbarred into the wheelbase of a crossover SUV. With the largest 90kWh battery pack fitted, it has 250 miles of range. That is enough to get between Supercharger stations in vast swathes of the civilized world these days.
Don’t forget that Tesla had to create the infrastructure, not just the car, and the scale of this achievement is simply towering. The fact that Elon Musk managed to create a selection of killer cars along the way is close to a modern day miracle.
The high-speed ‘Ludicrous Option’ is a $10,000 upgrade and it comes with a special 1500-amp fuse. That means the Model X ploughs all 713lb ft of torque through the wheels and you get a launch control function that means this 5594lb whale can hit 60mph in 3.2s, 100mph in 8.3s and 120mph in 13s.
It’s an irrational package that basically defies physics. We should celebrate the sheer insanity and salute one of the most groundbreaking cars on the road today.
Tesla Model X specs
Range: 236 miles (381 km)
Battery: 35.8 kWh
Top speed: 93 mph (165 km/h)
Torque: 713 lb-ft (966 Nm)
Power: 328 hp (245 kW)
Weight: 5,181 lb (2,350 kg)
Tesla Model X price
$81,200-$132,000
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