With electric cars very much on the up, and new models arriving seemingly every week, we reveal what automakers are planning, and the large investments they are making in electric vehicles.
With the UK government plan to ban petrol and diesel car sales by 2040, the number of electric cars being sold in the UK has rocketed in the past four years. And there is no surprise why, as owning an electric car is not only a great way to save money, but can also help contribute towards a healthy and stable environment.
Electrification for every model
Several manufacturers have already declared that they will introduce some form of electrification to every model in their range. This is especially true for VW Group who have vowed to offer an electric option for all 300 models across their portfolio by 2030, followed by the French manufacturer PSA Group (sold under the Peugeot, Citroën, DS and Vauxhall) and Volvo which have made a similar commitment for as soon as 2025 and 2019 respectively.
Electrification of Audi
This German manufacturer and a member of the Volkswagen Group introduced the Audi e-Tron Concept. This all-electric, luxury-class sport SUV has a battery capacity of 95 kWh which enables a range of more than 310.7 miles.
The e-Tron SUV, presented at the Geneva Motor Show in this year, still disguised, is planned to hit the road later this year and will be followed by the e-tron Sportback Concept, capable of reaching 62mph in just 4.5 seconds which will be launched in 2019.
Revolution of BMW
With the release of the i8 and the later i3, BMW have a vested interest in the EV marketplace as this German multinational manufacturer of luxury cars expects between 15% and 25% of their 2025 sales to be from vehicles armed with electric technology. This has been further embellished by a declaration to offer 25 electrified models by 2025, 12 of which will be pure electric.
A new concept of BMW iX3, the first electric BMW SUV model, was revealed in April at the Beijing motor show. The Concept iX3 features BMW’s latest and fifth-generation eDrive electric technology, grouping the electric motor, transmission and power electronics into a new, separate electronic drive component. The pictures of the interior are yet to be revealed.
Retro Honda
Honda have made a strong pledge to electrification, promising a greater choice of hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles in the coming years. The Honda Urban EV Concept, which is due to reach production next year, stole the show of fully electric vehicles thanks to its retro styling inspired by the original Honda Civic from the early 70s. Designed for city-centre driving and short commutes, it’s widely suspected that the Urban EV will have a range of around 155 miles – roughly on par with the BMW i3’s that claimed 186 miles.
Jaguar
With the latest technology, a striking exterior design and electric power, the ‘next-generation’ Jaguar I-PACE provides ride quality along with stylish look and impressive performance.
Jaguar I-PACE, the all-electric performance SUV on sale from Summer 2018, features two electric motors to make the car four-wheel drive as they can produce 395bhp, which is enough to get the car from 0 to 60mph in just 4.5 seconds. The I-PACE model also employs a 90-kWh battery pack and an innovative regenerative braking system to provide its driver with a remarkable 240-mile driving range.
The future of Volkswagen electric mobility
Volkswagen have made an incredibly large investment intro electric vehicle and autonomous technology, with EVs benefiting from the majority of the budget. The Volkswagen ID, a highly automated electric car that will cover a distance of up to 373 miles on a single battery charge, has already rolled off factory lines in pre-production prototype earlier this year and will hit the British roads at the start of 2020. Introduced in Paris in 2016, the ID model can achieve the top speed of 99mph with a total power of 125 kW (168 hp), and can accelerate from 0 to 62 miles per hour in 8 seconds.
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