The year 2022 was an exciting year for new EV model releases, with many of the large OEMs and more niche automotive manufacturers all jumping in on the action. We saw the likes of Spanish (now standalone) brand Cupra bring their highly engaging, sportier version of VW’s ID.3 to the roads, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. For those with bigger budgets and deeper pockets, the Tesla Model Y and the Porsche Taycan were superb additions to the higher end EV categories with VW’s ID.Buzz living up to just that – an enormous level of buzz and anticipation that grew admiring glances from fans of the original, both young and old. Another worthy mention for 2022 comes from Nissan, with the Ariya. An EV follow-up to their hugely successful ICE powered Qashqai that almost created an entirely new category of crossover SUV that many others raced to follow, the Ariya combines a variety of range options with a plethora of technology and features that could soon become the benchmark for ‘standard kit’ on EV’s going forward.
That brings us to the future, and we turn our sights on a selection of highly anticipated EV’s set to arrive in 2023. The following constitutes a very brief insight into some of the most exciting models which are penned to hit the UK shores in 2023. Of course, we caveat that with the ‘in our, Paua HQ opinion’ – we recognise that not all EV drivers will base their purchase decisions on power output, driving engagement, practicality, or price in isolation. However, if you have a few spare moments over the Christmas period, why not pour yourself a cup of warming coffee and have a glance at the following…and if this doesn’t give you a sense of power, there’s always the Paua app and EV charge card to get you charged up!
The new A6 is a stunning looking car, in both Saloon and Avant variants, and with a 100-kWh battery boasting a range of more than 400 miles and 0-62mph in under four seconds, this is a seriously capable vehicle. That’s before you consider the additional RS6 e-Tron model that is purported to boast 600bhp+. It will be interesting to see which features from the concept version will make the road going model – with Audi’s ever innovative lighting technology including three high- resolution LED projectors that can be utilised to project greetings or warning signs onto the ground around the car.
The Guilia EV is not only a stunning four door saloon that would out-shine even the most sophisticated of ICE executives in the aesthetics department, it will also offer a minimum of 497 miles of range, with battery sizes ranging from 101kWh to 118kWh (Stellantis investor information). This is on par with the range you could reasonably expect from filling up a similar German diesel with a tank of the black dusty stuff! This would also propel the Guilia into second spot in terms of the longest range of EV in the UK. It is reportedly also going to feature class-leading rapid-charging capabilities, with up to 20 miles of range added per minute.
With a release now confirmed for 2023, BMW will be adding to the ‘I’ range with the arrival of the i5, fully electric 5-series. One of the most striking design factors that differentiates the i5 from other recent BMW models is the absence of the highly controversial large vertical kidney grille that very much caused a stir in recent years. However, unlike the 3-series, which is based upon an all-new model, the new 5-series is based on an evolution of the familiar CLAR cluster architecture. This allows for the manufacture to offer consumers a wide range of powertrain types spanning petrol, diesel, PHEV and battery-electric. The i5 is reported to be available as a single-motor 40 eDrive, dual-motor 50 xDrive, and a higher powered M60 xDrive. The corresponding output numbers are reported to be 350bhp, 450bhp and 550bhp respectively. It goes without saying that the 5-series will no doubt be a fantastic car to both drive and own, with stacks of technology, performance, and styling to appeal to automotive fans and executive German metal driving regulars alike. An exciting option to consider in 2023!