A look into the influence of electric vehicles on the Automobile Industry.

One decade ago, no one would have believed that there would be Electric vehicles being driven all over the world as a part of mainstream life. Several factors have played their role in making this high-tech reality. It is no longer just the fun factor of the EVs that are generating sales but a revolution of the automobile industry is taking place.

We are going to take a look at the factors behind the electrification of the automobile industry and how things will proceed in the coming future. Also, we have prepared a list of our top picks of the best EVs currently available in the market.

Growth Of established EV Makers

EV makers like Tesla from the US and NIO from China have had the benefits of being the first movers in the EV industry. They have also had to face immense difficulties in making EVs a consumer choice and a practical everyday vehicle. Now that the unfamiliarity barrier has been broken, these EV makers have rapidly grown.

Tesla only started with the Model S and the roadster back in the early 2010s but now has a lineup that includes a full-sized sedan, compact sedan, SUV, crossover SUV, and a convertible roadster. Elon Musk’s company is now working on making a twenty-five thousand US dollar EV that will try to break the price barrier and exclude EVs from a high-end niche market.

Over twenty-five thousand superchargers have been installed by Tesla all over the world to diminish range anxiety and gain the confidence of the public. Tesla now has its Gigafactories in the USA, China, and Germany.

Going to China, we have the EV maker NIO which has also expanded a lot recently. The EV maker is not only a favorite in China but has now expanded to Europe as well.  NIO also faced a lot of inertia as it was an EV maker that operated on the battery swapping technology.

However, that is not the case currently and people have found a liking for NIO and its EVs. It took only under a decade for these EV makers to not only grow themselves but also stir up the automobile industry. One can only wonder how much they will grow after another decade.

New EV Makers Entering

The growth of the EV industry is also happening in the form of new EV makers entering the game. Many of these startups have credible teams and objectives that align with their vision. One such new EV maker is Lucid Motors.

The CEO of Lucid Motors is Peter Rawlinson, who joined Lucid after leaving Tesla as the Chief Engineer. Many of the patents on the Tesla Model S have Rawlinson’s name on them. Lucid Motors is going to deliver its debut sedan named the Lucid Air. It has never seen features such as a 517-mile range and bi-directional charging.

Other new EV makers like Rivian and Lordstown Motors are also making a lot of news. Both the US-based EV makers are working on electric pickup trucks that will compete with the upcoming Tesla Cybertruck.

Legacy Carmakers Going Electric

Carmakers that have made Internal Combustion Engine vehicles for centuries have now also joined the EV bandwagon.

This is due to two main reasons. Firstly, there are government regulations such as Green Scores that require carmakers to have certain EV sales in order to be allowed to sell ICE cars.

Secondly, the consumers require their favorite car brands to sell electric cars that have the same flavor as their ICE cars have. Some successful examples include the Porsche Taycan and the Audi E Tron. Both the EVs have stayed true to their distinct styling and theme. Sales of these two specific cars have also proven that there is a demand for legacy carmakers to sell EVs in their lineups.

More legacy car makers have started adding EVs to their lineups like Mercedes Benz with its EQS. The EQS is a full-sized electric sedan that is very similar to the infamous Mercedes Benz S Class. Ford has converted the Mustang line to electric and is also working on the F 150 Lightning electric pickup truck. GMC also introduced the Hummer EV this year.

Public Response

The response of the general public towards electric vehicles has grown from an acceptance towards a likeness. People are now willing to spend large sums of money on electric vehicles as compared to ICE cars in the same price range with a wider array of features. Attractive EVs and government policies have played a huge role in the positive public response.

Government Intervention and Charging Infrastructure

Governments all over the world have played their part in the normalization of electric vehicles. Some of these are based on the stick approach while others are based on the carrot approach. Tax rebates are given to buyers of electric vehicles along with incentives such as subsidies.

The Biden Administration has announced that a major portion of all government usage vehicles such as the presidential fleet will be made electric and from American manufacturers. These are the carrot approaches, now let us discuss the stick versions. The European Union is currently working on a legislature that will ban all ICE and hybrid vehicles on the roads by the year 2025. China has introduced the Green Scores system that forces a carmaker to sell a certain number of electric vehicles in order to be allowed to sell ICE cars.

Range anxiety is a real problem with EV owners that have now been seriously addressed. First movers like Tesla in the US had faced a lot of difficulties in this regard and had to set up its extensive network of charging stations in order to win the trust of its customers. Now the things have changed and many companies have come forward in the charging station business. Electrify America and EVGo are just two names that have their charging station networks across the USA.

Top 5 EVs

The top five EVs have been chosen and listed below with a brief description. The information about these EVs is not just related to numbers and specs but also includes some interesting facts about them as well.

Tesla Model S Plaid

The Tesla Model S Plaid is the latest top-end variant of the famous flagship sedan. It has 396 miles of range according to the EPA estimates and a zero to sixty miles time of 1.99 seconds. The top speed of this electric sedan is 200 miles an hour. Most of these EV specialties lie inside the cabin. A yoke styles steering wheel has been introduced this time with no sticks and stalks. There is also smart gear shifting as well. A tri-zone climate control system is given that has invisible air vents to give a clean look. The 17-inch cinematic center screen comes with a 2200x1300 resolution. It is currently the fastest production car in the market.

Mercedes EQS

It is Mercedes’ attempt at making an electric alternative to the fan-favorite S Class. A visibly futuristic design has been given to the exterior while the interior remains true to the ultra-luxurious Mercedes traditions. A 108 kWh battery is installed that gives it 478 miles of range and does zero to sixty miles an hour in 4.3 seconds.  Rear-wheel steering comes standard in it. The EQS can be selected in either two-wheel or four-wheel drive configuration.

Lucid Air Dream

CEO of Lucid Motors, Peter Rawlinson, stated that the Lucid Air Dream will be the best EV in the market. It has 1080 hp generated by two motors that power all four wheels. Zero to sixty miles an hour time of 2.5 seconds is boasted while the quarter-mile is done in 9.9 seconds. The interior is very minimalistic and the company used a ‘post luxury’ theme to cater to the new breed of luxury enthusiasts. Color pallets for the sedan are chosen from scenes at different times and locations in California.

Audi E Tron GT

Audi has infused its signature luxury DNA with an electric SUV and created the Audi E Tron. Looking at the exterior and interior of the car, it does not feel like anything else but an Audi. The zero to sixty miles an hour time is at 3.1 seconds. 590 hp is generated with a 440 kW battery pack. The towing capacity of the Audi E Tron is 4000 pounds. The widespread success of the E Tron has led to Audi developing the e Tron Sportback sedan and the Q5 Plug-in hybrid.

Porsche Taycan

The racing and motorsport heritage that defines Porsche has been translated into the Porsche Taycan. Zero to sixty miles an hour is done under four seconds with a range of 287 miles. The Porsche Taycan is the most head-turning and fun EV of all the other EVs present in the market. Its platform is so successful that other carmakers like Audi have also used it for their own EVs.

Conclusion

Electric vehicles are here to stay and the world should learn to adapt to them. Established EV makers like Tesla in the US and NIO from China have not only expanded their product lines but also expanded to other continents as well. New EV makers are also on the rise with companies like Lucid Motors boasting to make the best EV ever. The top-end variant called the Lucid Air Dream has already been preordered to full capacity. It shows the public anticipation of new EVs.

Legacy carmakers have also adapted to the EV revolution and added Evs to their lineups. The Mercedes EQS and Audi E Tron are just two examples of EVs that are true to their original roots. A huge role is played by government policies that give incentives to EV buyers while also imposing tight restrictions on carmakers to encourage them to go electric.

EV Charging infrastructure has also developed exponentially and the range anxiety in the public has fallen. Third-party charging companies like EVGo and Electrify America have a huge stake in this. The general public has responded very positively to the EV revolution and it will encourage current EV makers, new EV makers, and legacy car makers that are now shifting to EVs.