The all-electric space in the automotive industry gets increasingly exciting each year. Major carmakers are finally warming up to the imminent reality of pure electric cars and are now very much in the game of producing EV models under their name.
Car buyers now have more options to choose from as they move away from combustion-engine vehicles and have plenty to look forward to this year. You'll want to keep an eye on 5 of the most anticipated models: the Audi E-Tron S, Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric, BMW i4, Polestar 2, and the Porsche Taycan.
5 Best Electric Cars Australia Anticipates Seeing in 2022
In this article, let’s look at 5 upcoming electric cars Australia is set to see in the next 12 months.
Let’s get started.
#1 Audi E-Tron S Full EV
- When: First quarter of 2022
- How much: $165,600
What you need to know: The first full EV on this list is the Audi E-Tron S. Luxury car brand Audi has already established itself as a serious player in the EV space, and the E-Tron S is a clear indicator that they’ve got better models coming.
The “S” in the name means the sports model from Audi’s E-Tron lineup. It comes with three electric motors (two in the back and one in the front) and has a mind-blowing 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 4.5 seconds.
In terms of output, this model offers up to 370 kW of power and a maximum of 973 Nm of torque. Best of all, everything mentioned above comes in Audi’s signature luxury package, just as you’d expect from this German brand.
#2 Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric Car
- When: Third quarter of 2022
- How much: $72,990
What you need to know: Next on our list is the XC40 from Volvo, another one of the many luxurious fully electric cars on the market these days. You can expect to see this model in Australia by the third quarter of 2022.
In this case, what we’re looking at is a small all-electric SUV with a single electric motor on the front axle, offering an output of 170 KW of power and 330 Nm of torque.
With the Volvo XC40, you can hit 100 km/h in this car in just 7.4 seconds and enjoy a maximum speed of 180 km/h. Admittedly, it’s not as fast as the Audi E-Tron S mentioned above, but that acceleration is still pretty impressive considering that it’s a luxury SUV.
#3 BMW i4
- When: First quarter of 2022
- How much: $99,900 (i4 eDrive 40) / $124,900 (i4 M50)
What you need to know: German carmaker BMW is, without a doubt, no stranger to pure electric cars anymore. Unlike the Volvo above, this one is an all-electric sedan coming to Australia in the first quarter of 2022.
The car comes in two variants. The rear-wheel-drive i4 eDrive 40 is relatively more affordable, while the i4 M50 is suited for buyers who want higher performance.
The first one has a single electric motor on the rear axle that pushes out 250 kW of power and 430 Nm of torque. This variant takes 5.7 seconds to accelerate to 100 km/h and can go as far as 590 km on a single charge.
The performance i4 M50 version comes with two electric motors, that’s why it can push out 350 kW of power and 730 Nm of torque, and blows others out of the water with its 0-100 km/h time of 3.9 seconds!
#4 Polestar 2
- When: First quarter of 2022
- How much: $59,900
What you need to know: Almost all-electric cars in Australia come from household names, but there are a few that many people might not be so familiar with. In this case, we’re referring to Volvo-linked Swedish automaker Polestar.
Despite being somewhat unfamiliar to everyday drivers who are clueless about EV market players today, Polestar makes it on this list with their Polestar 2 (FYI, Polestar is jointly-owned by Volvo and Geely).
This model will be the company’s first in Australia, and it’s one that people should sit up and pay attention to.
The car has a Standard Range Single Motor that pushes out 165 kW of power and 330 Nm of torque. Plus, it's got a range of 4,400 kilometres on a single charge (What?!) and an impressive 7.4-second timing when going from 0 to 100 km/h.
Looking at all those numbers closely, you can see why this car promises to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other EV leaders who have already established themselves in Australia.
Bottom line: If you have even a little interest in what's going on in the EV space or plan on upgrading in the future, Polestar is a name you should keep an eye out for.
#5 Porsche Taycan
- When: First or second quarter of 2022
- How much: $156,300
What you need to know: Now, when you see the name ‘Porsche’ in front of an EV, you can trust that you’re looking at one of the best electric cars Australia has on offer. Hopefully, that'll be true with the EV variants they're offering for 2022.
The Porsche Taycan offers a lineup of several different EVs. But for this list, we’re looking at the base model Porsche Taycan, particularly the rear-drive sedan.
This model offers a 300-kW maximum power output and 345 Nm of torque and goes from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.4 seconds!
Range-wise, this car will take you up to 431 kilometres on a single charge.
Plus, let’s not forget that this is a Porsche we’re talking about. The performance pairs exceptionally well with the sleek, luxurious, and fully-equipped interior.
Keep tabs about everything that’s going on with all-electric cars in Australia and be sure to stay tuned to the Blog at CarPart AU. Not only do we keep you updated about the automotive industry in Australia, but we also keep an eye on what's going on in the global motoring world.
By Ray Hasbollah