Electric cars – what’s on sale and what’s coming soon?

Audi was an early-adopter of EVs amongst the premium brands, and now offers three different electric models. Confusingly, Audi refers to its electric models with the ‘e-tron’ brand, which is also the name of a particular model, which is unhelpful for customers.

The Audi e-tron and Q4 e-tron SUVs are also available in Sportback versions with more steeply raked tailgates, while the e-tron GT is also available in a high-performance RS version.

An updated Audi e-tron is on the way in 2022 with a larger battery which could add more than 120 miles to the range.

BMW’s i range of plug-in cars has been building for several years. It kicked off with the i3 city car and i8 plug-in hybrid back in 2014 – the i8 is (sadly) no more, but a new generation of EVs is now joining the family.

As well as the still-advanced i3 hatch, there is the iX3 SUV sister (essentially an electric version of the regular X3) and the iX, a huge electric SUV with controversial styling.

On the regular car front, the new BMW i4 has received high praise, while an all-new i7 luxury saloon is set to launch this year to take on the Mercedes-Benz EQS. We may also see the i5, an electric alternative to the existing 5 Series.

Citroën is a brand slowly heading in the direction of EVs. Currently it offers electric versions of the C4 mid-sized hatch, the van-based SpaceTourer MPV and the (also van-based) Berlingo MPV. Given that sister brands Peugeot and Vauxhall have electric small hatchbacks and SUVs in the range already, we can expect the next-generation Citroën C3 and C3 Aircross to offer electric versions whenever they arrive.

One Citroën EV that will face few rivals in 2022 is the Ami, a tiny two-seater aimed at urban buyers. However, its range is less than 30 miles and it’s technically a quadricycle rather than a car (like the Renault Twizy), so it doesn’t have to meet all the usual safety requirements of a new car.

SEAT’s performance spin-off Cupra will launch its first electric car in 2022, called the Born. It’s basically a reworked Volkswagen ID.3 with a bit more power.

It was originally going to wear SEAT badges, but Cupra seems to have nicked it off its parent brand instead.

The Dacia Spring is a small electric SUV sold in Europe, which may make its way over to the UK either this year or next. If it happens, it will likely become one of the UK’s cheapest EVs. However, it only has a one-star Euro NCAP safety rating so probably best not to hit anything in it.

The UK’s favourite budget brand doesn’t have any electric cars on sale at the moment, and apparently has no firm plans to launch any in the next 12 months.

Quirky Citroën spin-off brand DS Automobiles currently has one electric model in its line-up, the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense small SUV.

It offers a driving range of up to around 200 miles but it relatively pricey compared to other small electric crossovers.

Fiat currently only offers one electric car, but it’s a popular one – the new Fiat 500e supermini, which is available with a choice of two battery sizes.

The brand is said to be planning an electric offensive focused on affordability, centring on the 500 but also including an SUV version of the next-generation Panda. However, that won’t appear this year.

New brand Genesis has attracted criticism for the lack of electric options, having launched a new brand into Europe in 2021 with only petrol and diesel models. Hyundai’s upmarket label intends to put that right in 2022 with electric versions of its G80 large saloon and GV70 mid-size SUV.

We will also see the arrivial of the brand’s first bespoke EV, the GV60 crossover. This will essentially be a Genesis remix of the critically acclaimed Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.

Honda has long been an industry pioneer in hybrid models, but has been rather behind the game with all-electric options.

The only model currently offered is the attractive but range-shy and expensive Honda e city car, with no news of any new electric models joining it in the family.

Hyundai went electric early with its Ioniq range, – the original Ioniq five-door hatch launched in 2017 was offered in hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric versions. The Kona small SUV also offers an electric model, which is well regarded.

The company’s flagship EV model is the all-new Ioniq 5 crossover, which we awarded it our Best Medium Car in our 2021 Car of the Year awards. In the latter half of 2022, a larger Ioniq 6 model will join the range.

In addition to its battery EVs, Hyundai also has the Nexo, which is an EV powered by a hydrogen fuel cell (FCEV). But only selected fleet partners currently able to lease them from Hyundai.

Jaguar’s current range remains devoid of electric options with one notable exception – the I-Pace – which was designed from the start as an EV and is described by its makers as a ‘performance SUV.’

An all-new electric Jaguar XJ flagship was supposed to have been launched last year and be on sale by now, but it was scrapped at the last minute (presumably at eye-watering expense). Jaguar is set to vastly ramp up its EV offerings, with a new platform that will underpin its entire model range, but we’re unlikely to see the first model before 2025.

Kia has one of the most impressive electric model portfolios in the industry with the EV6, e-Niro and Soul models all highly regarded by journalists and with outstanding scores in our Expert Rating Index.

2022 will see the arrival of an all-new Niro, which as before will be available in regular hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully-electric forms. A higher-performance GT version of the new EV6 is also likely to reach the UK this year.

Lexus, like sister brand Toyota, has long been an advocate of hybrids rather than all-electric models, and these drivetrains are available across the entire model range. Much more recent is the UX 300e five-door SUV, the first all-electric Lexus with a range of around 190 miles.

The first Lexus EV was an electric version of the UX small SUV, which was launched in 2019. We anticipate a dedicated EV model called the RZ to be launched this year, although it may not reach showrooms until 2023. It’s built on the same dedicated EV platform as the new Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra (see below).

Lotus recently retired its long-standing model range of Elise, Exige and Evora models. For 2022, the all-electric Evija (pronounced ‘E-vie-ya’) hypercar will bring 2,000hp (not a typo) of electric power to UK roads.

Unveiled back in 2019, the Evija will lead a new wave of Lotus models over the next few years. First will be the Type 132, an electric SUV that is expected to be revealed later this year, while three more EVs are said to be following.

Mazda has long been an advocate of improving combustion engines rather than investing in electric car technology, but it finally joined the EV ranks with the MX-30 crossover in 2020. However, its battery range did not impress customers so an additional version is coming in 2022 with a petrol engine added…

Mercedes-Benz has moved to electric power with enthusiasm. The German brand’s ‘EQ’ electric range includes EVs in the EQA small crossover, EQC mid-size SUV, the van-based EQV people carrier and the EQS luxury saloon, which won our inaugural Car of the Year Award just before Christmas.

Joining the growing line-up of electric model for Mercedes-Benz in 2022 will be the EQE saloon (size-wise equivalent to the conventional E-Class saloon) and EQB seven-seat SUV, which is an EV version of the GLB. There may also be a production version of the EQG off-road concept previewed last year and another electric SUV of some sort.

For one of the smaller manufacturers, MG is working hard on its electric credentials. The brand already sells its MG 5 estate only as an EV, with two battery range options, while the ZS small SUV is also available with two electric drivetrains alongside the combustion engines – and a new entry-level specification will make the ZS EV even more affordable when it joins the range in coming weeks.

An all-electric family hatch called the MG 4 will be unveiled later this year, although we probably won’t see it on UK roads until 2023.

You can buy an electric version of the famous Mini hatch, but it’s not a stand-out model in either performance or range. An all-new version of the Mini hatch is expected in 2023, which should see an EV model far more integrated than the current model.

For a different sort of audience, Mini has recently announced a programme to sell restored classic Mini Coopers fitted with an electric motor and battery in place of the old petrol engine and fuel tank.

Nissan was one of the first to embrace the electric age with its Leaf, now in its second generation. Now the brand needs to claw back some fans lost to other makes and it hopes to do this with the Ariya, a new electric SUV on sale in 2022.

The awful e-NV200 Combi, a van-based people carrier, will finally die a long-overdue death very soon, to be replaced by an all-new model called the Nissan Townstar. Still van-based, but hopefully a lot better than the old one.

Further down the track, Nissan has announced that the current Micra small hatchback will be replaced by an EV in 2024, while the Nissan Leaf may be replaced by a crossover-style vehicle before then.

If you’d like a Peugeot and are looking to go electric, you have a few options to choose from. There is the e-208, and electric versions of the 208 small hatch, and its small SUV equivalent, the e-2008. There are also two van-based electric MPVs, the smaller e-Rifter and larger e-Traveller.

An all-new Peugeot 308 family car arrives this year in both hatch and estate variants, but an electric e-308 version is not expected until 2023.

Volvo’s performance EV spinoff brand, Polestar, has already built some fans with its first two models. The Polestar 1 was a limited-production coupe plug-in hybrid, while the Polestar 2 five-door hatch is the first regular production model, which is fully electric and available with two battery ranges. At the end of 2022 a second, larger electric SUV is set to join the range, not surprisingly called the Polestar 3.

Further along the space-time continuum, a production version of the striking Polestar Precept saloon concept car is expected in 2024.

Porsche already has one highly-rated EV in its line-up with the Taycan, originally launched as a saloon but now available in estate (Sport Turismo) and slightly off-roadish estate (Cross Turismo) versions.

The next electric model for Porsche is likely to be the all-new Macan SUV, which may be revealed later this year. An electric 911 is on the cards, as is an electric Cayman based on the recent Mission R racing concept, but these may not appear for a few years.

Ignoring the quirky Twizy single-seater quadricycle, Renault was early to offer a full EV with the Zoe small family car, on sale since 2012 and substantially updated in 2019. Unfortunately, Renault also took out the head airbags at the same time, resulting in the Zoe scoring a woeful zero-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. In other words, if you like your internal organs the way they are now, don’t crash a Zoe…

The French brand’s latest move is to attach the name of its long-serving family car, the Megane, to a new electric crossover model. It’s called the Renault Megane E-Tech Electric and is due on sale towards the end of 2022.

Skoda’s first dedicated EV was the Enyaq SUV, although it also used to sell an electric version of the Citigo, which was itself a rebadged Volkswagen Up.

In 2022, the Enyaq range will be expanded with a new Enyaq Coupe model with a sloping rear roof, and a performance vRS variant.

The battery version of Smart’s distinctive Fortwo two-seater is a very pricey city car, at around £21,000. It’s also offered as a cabriolet, although the larger four-seater Forfour model appears to have vanished from showrooms.

Smart is planning to launch an electric SUV called the #1 in coming months, which will be by far its biggest car yet, but this won’t go on sale until at least 2023.

Better late than never, Subaru will launch its first EV in 2022. The Solterra is a mid-size electric SUV that promises proper off-load capability comparable to Subaru’s regular petrol models. It’s a joint project with Toyota, sharing its platform with the Toyota bZ4X.

For many people, Tesla remains the standard-bearer of electric power. Its range includes the Model S large car, Model 3 mid-sizecar and Model X large SUV.

The brand will add a smaller SUV to its line-up early in 2022 – the Model Y is basically a reworked Model 3.

Toyota has long waved the flag for hybrid engines, most famously with the Prius, but only now are we set to see the first proper EV from the Japanese giant. The bZ4X is a RAV4-sized electric SUV, built as a joint effort with Subaru, which calls its version the Solterra.

Like Hyundai, Toyota is also pushing ahead with hydrogen fuel cells (FCEV) as well as batteries. The second-generation Mirai is theoretically available, but you can’t pop into your local Toyota dealer and buy one so it’s not included here.

Looking further ahead, Toyota will be accelerating its electric plans with 15 new EVs due by 2025. This presumably includes Lexus models.

Vauxhall has enjoyed success with the electric version of its best-selling Corsa small car, but customers wanting a larger EV will need to be patient. An all-new Astra arrives this year and will include a PHEV version, but a full EV won’t join the range until 2023.

The Mokka SUV can also be had as an all-electric Mokka-e version, which is far superior to the petrol version according to our own Expert Rating Index. It also won the ‘Best New Small SUV‘ category at our recent Car of the Year Awards.

Volkswagen’s ID electric range will continue to expand this year. Currently consisting of the ID.3 mid-size hatchback and ID.4 crossover, the family will be joined in 2022 by the ID.5, effectively a coupe version of the ID.4. But perhaps the most anticipated new electric VW is the long-awaited ID.Buzz, a modern electric version of the brand’s iconic Microbus. There is also set to be an EV replacement for the VW Passat, but not until 2023 at the earliest.

The arrival of the ID models killed off Volkswagen’s earlier e-Golf, although the small e-Up continues for now.

To date, Volvo’s only electric model has been a version of the popular XC40 small SUV, called the XC40 Recharge. Confusingly, Volvo also uses the ‘XC40 Recharge’ label for its plug-in hybrid versions.

A sportier, more car-like version called the C40 will be launched in the UK soon, which will be EV-only unlike the XC40 range. Beyond that, we expect the rest of Volvo’s model range to transition to full EV power in the next few years.