As we head into 2024, Electric Cares (EVs) are in trouble.
Audi recently pushed back its pole installation to 2030. Jaguar is besieged to survive until it can make the transition expected next year. Ford and GM appear to be slowing their EV developments, and other automakers are talking about shutting down their plants to stop the bleeding that EV demand is often blamed for.
I’ve owned two EVs and another one that will be on this list, but we’re in a transitional world right now. While all transitions are ugly, it’s mainly because the ecosystem wasn’t ready for this core.
I do not doubt this will happen in the next ten years, but we’ll likely have a new slate of automakers. Many of the current ones may be bought or shut down because of this change.
Let’s talk about the five top electric cars in the world right now, some of which aren’t even available in the US.
I’ll be posting my first Product of the Week 2024 – the best EV charger on the market.
Understanding the Practicality of Electric Cars
When choosing a “best of” list, it’s essential to understand how the reviewer sets the “best” point. As I mentioned, I’ve owned two all-electric cars and still own a hybrid, which makes more sense for most people now than an all-electric car because you’re not relying on existing charging infrastructure for long distances.
So far, EVs are best used as secondary vehicles for round-trip trips under 200 miles, so you can charge them at home and avoid government fees. This limitation ascends primarily because Level 3 chargers, except for Tesla, have been unreliable. However, those of us who can charge mainly at home don’t have this problem, and we have the advantage of never having to go to a public charging station that may be inoperative or unavailable.
So, at best, we will take a list of EVs that do not have much of this old technology, with a range of at least 300 miles, which in most cases is enough to depend on at home. First promotion.
If your trip is more than 200 miles round trip, you can increase the minimum; a car with a range of more than 600 miles is approaching. Given the different requirements, I suggest staying with an ICE or EV until 2026, when various EVs and modern batteries will be available.
While only Tesla has it right now, I’d prefer NACS (North American Tesla Charging Standard) cars over a non-Tesla J1772 port, if possible, given that the industry seems to be leaning toward the NACS standard. It’ll also likely increase the car’s resale value when you’re done with it.
Below are my picks for the five best EVs.
The New Tesla Model 3
Tesla has just updated its Model 3. While it’s not as advanced as the Tesla Cybertruck, it’s more practical, affordable, and better than its older, more advanced sibling.
As Tesla’s lineups get updated, improvements are worth waiting for. The Model 3 is presently the most affordable updated offering and is an affordable car aimed at EVs. It can be configured to have a range of 333 miles, which is above the minimum bar with decent specs.
Tesla’s fit and finish have improved recently (early Model 3s often came with a few extras), and the price remains one of the best on the market.
Tesla is also in a powerful financial position, so EV-only sellers are likely to emerge in five years, which has always been considered a bad idea by several EV companies. While prices start at $30,000 when fully configured, they top out at around $45,000, which is still reasonable.
Lucid Air Sapphire
If I were rich, I’d have a Lucid Air Sapphire. With up to 1,234 horsepower, this car is at the pinnacle of supercar performance (0-60 time of 1.89 seconds). It’s in the Tesla Model X’s size and price bracket, which means it’s not cheap: a fully customized model can cost up to $250,000. But this is it if you want a no-compromise EV in the US.
The Lucid Air Sapphire is one of the first cars to use 900V charging systems (good luck finding a 900V charger these days), making it future-proof. It can be set up for up to 427 different miles.
The Gumball Rally car recently drove this car. The only reason it didn’t break the record was that it couldn’t use Tesla’s chargers yet, which shows the advantage of this charging network. This bullish pattern shows what to do if the price is not close to anything.
Fisker Ocean Extreme
Since I’m not rich, I recently ordered a Fisker Ocean Extreme, which is very cheap, about $65,000 (the price starts at a practical price of $38,000). It also has a top-notch design: the adjustable range is about 364 miles, making it easy to fill the minimum.
This Fisker is beautiful and has some unique features, such as a folding table that fits the driver’s seat. I love eating burgers while travelling in the car, and having a table to put my food on would be helpful. It’s also useful when signing an invoice.
Since it’s one of the best-looking EVs, I invested in the Ocean Extreme despite its uneven financial situation.
Rivian R1S/R1T
The Rivian R1S SUV or R1T pickup (two configurations available), with up to 410 miles of range and 390 miles of off-roading, is one of the first EVs to feature a four-motor option, which is much better than an electric two-wheeler. Off-road, snow, or ice, because you can infinitely vary the power to each of the four wheels.
The four-motor engine makes the Rivian one of the most advanced EVs on the market, and it has some cool, unique features like a motorhome-style tray under the rear cargo bed. This car costs around $80,000, depending on the configuration, but the estuary is worth it for those four motors.
I saw this Ford Raptor SUV pulling a trailer. It’s a fantastic car, less expensive and more efficient than a Tesla pickup.
Zeekr 001 Electric
I’ll end my list with one of the Chinese cars we can’t buy here. This car is one of the most stylish electric cars on the market. For example, you could mistake it for a Porsche Taycan from a distance.
With a range of about 640 miles, a stunning interior, and a price tag reduced to under $40,000 (a similar Porsche starts at $90,000 and can top $160,000), it’s one of the best deals on the market right now. While you can’t buy the Zeekr 001 in the US, it’s expected to be very similar to the Polestar 4 and will be available here this year starting at $60,000, and it’s also an impressive car.
I took it from the BYD Denza N7 because it’s a little cheaper, and I think it’s a better car to look at. It’s waiting for the car to be found here. (Note: BYD owns or is expected to overtake Tesla as the world’s leading electric vehicle company.)
There are several very competitive electric vehicles in the Chinese market, and the market protection currently protecting the US will not last long.
Wrapping Up Electric
As noted, I picked the Fisker Ocean as the EV that best suited my needs. None of the legacy American car companies have cars that I consider competitive, primarily because they continue to enter this market with vehicles based on their ICE cars. This makes them more expensive and less efficient than the cars sold by the EV companies.
Ironically, ten years ago, I spoke to the CEO of Ford and told him that if he didn’t change a lot about Tesla, he would lose his job, and Ford would fail. He lost his job, and Ford couldn’t compete with Tesla, let alone the Chinese car companies.
I exchange a lot to technology suppliers of older car companies in the US. The suppliers complain that these car
makers don’t understand that they are in the technology business now, where you do profound developments in
technology, you go through the technology much faster than the three to seven years that cars typically have, and you simplify the design to avoid over-complexity, to improve reliability and reduce costs.
The suppliers usually say that these car companies “don’t get it”. If they don’t fix this, I think some, if not all, of these car makers will be gone by the end of the decade. This change is not suitable for them at all.
The US car companies had better step up their game, or they would probably go away because they are no longer competing with any of these EVs.