When the UK government announced that as of 2035, there would be a ban on the production of petrol, diesel, and hybrid cars, petrol heads all over were in despair. While the country’s infrastructure certainly has a long way to go in order to accommodate this change, car companies across the world have demonstrated that they are more than prepared to meet the new needs of consumers. In what is sure to be a hugely competitive market, we take a look at the five best electric cars coming in 2020.
1. The Audi e-tron GT
Later this year the folks at Audi are expected to begin production of their third electric car, the e-tron GT. Features will include:
- Two electric motors
- All-wheel drive
- 590 horsepower
- 0-62mph in 3.5 seconds
- Top speed of 149mph
WLTP testing has said that the range of the car will be around 400km (around 248 miles), and Audi have announced that 100% charge will take around 50 minutes. The cost is looking to be around the £100,000 mark, and as production begins later this year, we can expect to see the Audi e-tron GT on the market in spring 2021.
2. The Mini Electric
Available from spring this year, the Mini Electric, produced by the BMW Group, is set to be one of the lowest costing electric cars coming in 2020.
- 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds
- Maximum output of 184 horsepower
- Torque of 270Nm
- Top speed of 93mph
The range will be between 124 and 144 miles, and at a 22kW charging station it’s said that the car will take three hours to fully charge. At a 50kW fast charging station however, it’s possible to get 80% charge in just 35 minutes. The Mini Electric is available to order now, and priced at around £27,900, this is one of the more affordable EV options for the average buyer.
3. The Volvo XC40 Recharge
The first of five electric vehicles set to be produced by Volvo, the Volvo XC40 Recharge will be available for purchase later this year.
- Four-wheel drive
- Two 201bhp electric motors
- 402 break horsepower
- 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds
- Top speed of 112mph
According to WLTP testing, the range of the car will be 248miles, and Volvo have said that a 150kW fast-charger will give 80% charge in 40 minutes. The manufacturers have also stated that they plan for half of all their sales to be fully electric vehicles by 2025, starting with the Volvo XC40 Recharge at just over £53,000.
4. The Porsche Taycan
Available to purchase now, the Porsche Taycan is the first, all-electric Porsche. Plans for the design were announced at the Frankfurt Motor Show back in 2015, and the production model was revealed in 2019.
- All-wheel drive
- Maximum torque of 1,050Nm
- 0-62mph in 2.8 seconds
- Top speed of 161mph
The range of the Porsche Taycan will be just less than 280 miles, and at 800volt high-power charging stations, it’s possible to reach 80% charge in just 23 minutes. The four-door, five-seater saloon car is on sale from £83,367 for the 4S model, then the Turbo is £115,858, and the Turbo S a mere £138,826.
5. The Lotus Evija
First unveiled in 2019, 130 models of the Lotus Evija will be in production this year. Being described as the first British all-electric hypercar, the Evija boasts some enviable features in the world of EVs:
- 1,972 brake horsepower
- 1,700Nm torque
- 0-62mph in under three seconds
- 0-186mph in under nine seconds
- Four electric motors
The range of the vehicle is around 248 miles, and it takes 18 minutes to fully charge the vehicle or 12 minutes to charge it up to 80 if using an a 350kW charger. The Lotus Evija is one of the priciest of electric cars in 2020, costing over £2 million.
As the world is forced to look into new alternatives to tackle the climate crisis, of course we are likely to see more car manufacturers come to the fore with their latest EV designs and ideas. If you’ve taken the plunge, or are considering moving over to an electric vehicle, get in touch with the team at Keith Michaels to get a competitive quote for electric car insurance.