More electric buyers expected as brands race to set the pace
The wave of pure electric and electrified (battery power, petrol/diesel hybrid etc) new cars on the market, or coming, is expanding exponentially.
Audi’s stunning new e-tron all-electric SUV is available to order from January. First deliveries in the spring. Pricing, including a four-year service plan, starts from €101,750 OTR.
A large 95kWh battery combines power (0-100kmh in under six seconds) with a long range (400km+).
BMW will have 25 electrified vehicles (12 full EVs) by 2025. Right now they have the i3, i3s i8, 530e, 220Xe, 740Le and the MINI Countryman hybrids, as well as the C Evolution scooter.
The range of the i3 and i3s has increased by almost 30pc. The iX3 and MINI Electric arrive in 2019.
Coming down the line for Citroen is a plug-in C5 Aircross SUV hybrid and DS 3 Crossback electric.
Ford have the Mondeo HEV, with an estate due in Q2. A Transit Custom PHEV will arrive earlier. Several other battery, hybrid and plug-in vehicles will be confirmed during 2019, they say.
Honda here expect to see the Urban EV by 2020, after its European launch in 2019.
Hyundai have the much-acclaimed KONA electric. As of now, they have no further announcements planned.
The Jaguar I-PACE is already on sale here.
Range Rover Sport and Range Rover PHEV models are also on the market.
KIA will have the eNiro EV for 192-plate. There’s a choice of two batteries: 485km (64kw) or 31km (39.2Kw).
Also coming will be the recently unveiled Soul EV, possibly on the market a little before eNiro. Virtually all Lexus cars are hybrid amid high levels of interest for the genre.
Mazda say it will be 2020 before we see an EV from them.
Mercedes say models for 2019 include petrol mild hybrids, petrol, diesel plug-ins and the full-electric EQC mid-size SUV (claimed 420km range).
Mitsubishi have the revised Outlander PHEV.
The MINI Electric and Countryman Hybrid are expected in 2019, and Opel will have the Grandland X PHEV out by mid-2019.
Nissan have the Leaf selling strongly, with the extended range version imminent. They are planning on developing eight new pure EVs as they expect electrified vehicles to make up 40pc of sales in Japan and Europe by 2022, and 50pc by 2025.
Peugeot have no EVs at present but are expecting hybrid 3008/508s late 2019.
Renault’s ZOE Z.E.40 is popular, with its impressive 317km WLTP range.
Skoda will have the A0 crossover for the 192-reg market. That will have PHEV options (next October). The Superb gets the option of a PHEV with its late 192-reg facelift.
Toyota are the major hybrid sellers on our market. With the imminent arrival of hybrids in the RAV4, three Corolla models and a new Camry, they aim to strengthen their grip on growing demand. They also have a Prius plug-in.
Volkswagen will announce a big number of new EV-enabled dealers as they plan to sell 400 e- Golfs this year. There will also be an executive version.
The first of the totally electric ID range will debut by the end of 2019 and go on sale in 2020. Models will have ranges of between 330km and 550km, with fast-charging of up to 125kW.
Volvo say they have their range-topping T8 Twin Engine petrol plug-in hybrid with 407hp. Towards the end of this year there will be an XC40 with a T5t engine. They will also have a T6 twin engine on the S60, V60 and V90 in 2019.