10 Vehicles That Should Offer an All-electric Variant
There’s a growing number of fully electric vehicles on the market and their capacities are starting to get really interesting. For consumers, this is excellent news!
But are automakers doing enough in terms of electrification? Some will say no.
Without further ado, here are 10 vehicles that should offer an all-electric variant…
Toyota RAV4
The RAV4 is the best-selling SUV in Canada. After the RAV4 Hybrid and soon the RAV4 Prime (plug-in hybrid), why not create a fully electric RAV4? That would make quite the quartet! Incidentally, Toyota is teaming up with Subaru to develop a joint EV platform using its own electrification technology and Subaru’s AWD expertise. No timetable has been announced for an electric Toyota SUV, however.
Subaru Crosstrek
The new Crosstrek PHEV has been on sale in the U.S. for a while now, but it will arrive in Canada in early 2020 after much delay. Will an EV range of 30 kilometres be enough to really attract drivers? Not sure. Subaru should instead focus on accelerating the development of a fully electric SUV together with Toyota.
Chevrolet Trax / Equinox
General Motors has been promising an electric SUV based on the Bolt EV for a few years, but this product remains a big mystery. The recently unveiled Menlo EV will only be sold in China. Chevrolet now has seven SUVs in its lineup and we believe a model like the Trax could easily be replaced by a battery-powered variant.
Cadillac Escalade
Let’s stay with GM, which keeps telling everyone that Cadillac will spearhead its future EV onslaught. After offending Mother Nature advocates with the launch of the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, the automaker should make it up to them by creating an electric variant of the Escalade, whose next generation is going to be unveiled in the first part of 2020.
Honda CR-V
Canadian consumers looking for a green Honda can turn to the Accord Hybrid, Insight or Clarity, but these are all passenger cars in a time where SUVs are much more popular. The 2020 CR-V has arrived and even offers a hybrid model… in the U.S. only. It would be great to see a fully electric CR-V!
Jeep Renegade / Compass
An electric off-roader? That would be… interesting. Jeep is a specialist and could very well take care of that. Most owners spend a lot more time around town anyway. We know that FCA has a big electrification plan for Jeep, but for now the only results are a mild hybrid system in the North American-spec Wrangler and PHEV variants of the Renegade and Compass in Europe.
Mitsubishi RVR
The Outlander PHEV is enjoying plenty of success around the globe, but Mitsubishi no longer sells a fully electric vehicle since the termination of the i-MiEV city car. The company says its future is electric, as evidenced by some recent concepts, so why not build on its most popular product, the RVR, and launch a zero-emission SUV?
Land Rover Defender
Another electric off-roader! Land Rover only sells luxury SUVs that burn a lot of fuel and anger environmentalists. Efforts are slowly being made to add plug-in hybrid models and a mild hybrid system like the one in the new 2020 Defender. Speaking of which, rumour has it that a fully electric Defender is coming to save the planet (though it certainly won’t be cheap).
Nissan 370Z
Nissan’s Z car is celebrating its 50th anniversary and the next generation is due next year. We don’t know what engineers are concocting under the hood, but it would be intriguing to turn this low-selling sports coupe into a fully electric car. Nissan already has the technology with the LEAF and it has even created a LEAF NISMO RC race car prototype. An electric Z would easily stand out from its current competitors.
Ferrari 488 / 812 Superfast
The 488 Pista boasts the most powerful Ferrari V8 ever and the 812 Superfast has the most powerful Ferrari V12. Each one delivers blistering acceleration, but can you imagine what it would be like with electric motors? The new SF90 Stradale plug-in hybrid supercar sprints from 0-100 km/h in 2.5 seconds. Ferrari says its first fully electric car will arrive after 2025.