Our round-up of the most interesting 2020 newcomers in the electric car landscape continues. In this second part: Volkswagen ID.3, Porsche Taycan, BMW iX3, Ford Mustang and many more.
After having analysed in depth, and from multiple angles, the heavy effects that the coronavirus emergency has already had on the car industry, we return with this second part of our Special: electric cars 2020 to paint a post-emergency picture — one in which, albeit in new ways, we will start moving and travelling again. Ideally, increasingly at the wheel of electric models. There are many ideas for the near future, and plenty of electric models ready to make their debut in 2020 (albeit with all the uncertainties tied to how the health emergency unfolds, which could see the arrival dates of some models pushed back). We start with BMW's proposals — the i4 concept and the more concrete iX3 electric SUV — and continue with the Volkswagen ID.3 and ID.4, the Porsche Taycan, the first electric Mazda, and the Ford Mustang SUV.
BMW is looking to reassert itself on the electric front. The German marque, following the i3, is betting on the "i" family — the one that identifies fully electric models — and is presenting the new i4 Concept. A taste of what we will see next year, when the gran coupé, that is to say the four-door saloon, will be officially launched on the market. The BMW i4 Concept is equipped with a powertrain capable of developing 530 horsepower — enough to go from 0 to 100 in 4 seconds, while guaranteeing a top speed (presumably electronically limited) of over 200 km/h. More significant is the range, which, under the WLTP homologation cycle, came in at nearly 600 kilometres. The battery pack has a capacity of 80 kWh and a total weight of 550 kg.
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The Bavarian manufacturer has the new iX3 in store for the end of the year. This is the electric version of the popular X3 SUV — a car that not only marks the German manufacturer's debut in this market segment, but that offers an electric powertrain capable of 286 horsepower and 400 Nm of maximum torque. The 74 kWh battery pack delivers, according to homologation figures, a range of 400 kilometres. Although the styling is very close to that of the conventional X3, several aesthetic modifications have improved its aerodynamics — a fundamental aspect for optimising the vehicle's efficiency. The iX3 is equipped, among other things, with special wheels that reduce the drag coefficient by 5 per cent compared with the wheels of a conventional X3.
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This year was supposed to be the moment of the electric revolution for the Volkswagen Group — a revolution that has probably been pushed back due to the coronavirus emergency. Already available to pre-order, the new ID.3 is preparing to play an important role in the brand's electric transition, much as the Golf did in its day (of which an electric version has also existed for some time). The ID.3 is built on a dedicated platform and has already been warmly received in its limited First Edition, available to order online only. Four variants of the German electric car are available, with outputs ranging from 93 to 150 kW, and an equal number of battery packs with capacities of 45, 58 and 77 kWh respectively — figures that allow a range of up to 550 km. The official price list for the Volkswagen ID.3 electric is not yet available, but the starting point is expected to be just under 30,000 euros. After the ID.3, it will be the ID.4 that broadens VW's presence in electric mobility. The starting point is the same as the ID.3 — the MEB platform designed for electric vehicles — except that the ID.4 is larger, akin to an SUV. Built in Germany, at the Zwickau plant, one of the first with a CO2-neutral emissions balance. The electric range of the new model is expected to approach 500 kilometres, with a rear-wheel-drive version and, subsequently, an all-wheel-drive 4×4 version.
Audi is pressing ahead towards completing the e-tron range. In this case, though, the tone is decidedly more sporting. The proposal concerns the S versions of the e-tron and e-tron Sportback. The two SUVs place a strong emphasis on performance, with versions equipped with as many as 3 electric motors (two on the rear axle and one on the front), bringing the system's total output to 435 horsepower and 808 Nm of drive torque (503 horsepower and 973 Nm in boost mode). The performance gains are accompanied by dedicated styling, as well as driving dynamics further enhanced by the presence of the torque vectoring system.
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For those who think of electric mobility primarily in urban terms, three very similar models are worth considering, all belonging to the VW galaxy: Volkswagen eco up!, Seat Mii Electric and Skoda CitiGOe. These are three small electric city cars. They share a 32.3 kWh lithium-ion battery pack powering a 61 kW electric motor. That is more than enough power to go from 0 to 50 km/h (the symbolic city sprint) in just under 4 seconds: range for all three sits at around 260 kilometres. The starting price is similar, above 20,000 euros, from which any state and regional incentives can be deducted.
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2020 will also see the debut of the first electric Porsche, the Taycan, a possible alternative to the Tesla Model S. Despite retaining the naming conventions typical of the brand's petrol models — such as 4S, Turbo and Turbo S — the high-performance saloon from Zuffenhausen is 100 per cent electric. The difference between the various versions lies entirely in power output and battery pack capacity: 530 horsepower for the 4S, 680 for the Turbo and 761 horsepower for the Turbo S; with range spanning from 407 to 463 kilometres. The Porsche coupé saloon features technology that allows it to be charged at fast-charge points at up to 270 kW. Prices range from just under 110,000 euros up to over 190,000 for the Turbo S.
Hyundai, following the success of the Kona and Ioniq in electric form, is looking to the future with the Prophecy concept. A prototype, and a genuine design study for the cars of tomorrow. Smooth, rounded shapes for a vehicle that previews a potential flagship model. No technical specifications have been released to date. Inside the unusual cabin — where screens are used extensively — the conventional steering wheel is absent, replaced by two joysticks, one between the two front seats and one on the driver's door, which are intended to steer the car.
It is called the Mazda MX-30 and, according to the original schedule, it is due to arrive after the summer. It is the first electric car from the Hiroshima manufacturer: its crossover lines and distinctive coach-door opening make it immediately recognisable. The interior makes use of materials such as cork (harvested without felling trees) and eco-leather, while the door panels are made from recycled plastic bottles. The Mazda MX-30 adopts a relatively compact battery pack, so as not to add excessive weight to the vehicle. Its capacity is 35.5 kWh, more than enough to reach a range of 200 kilometres. The electric unit delivers 143 horsepower. In Italy the MX-30 will be available from a starting price of 34,900 euros.
After years of hybrid technology — of which it was long the foremost exponent — the time for electric mobility has arrived for Lexus, the premium brand of Toyota. The new model, an SUV-crossover, is called the UX300e and, in approximately 4.49 metres of length, offers 204 horsepower with a 54.3 kWh battery pack. Lexus guarantees a range of up to 400 kilometres for this model. In terms of design, there are no particular visual cues to identify it as an electric vehicle. Information remains limited for now; the UX300e electric crossover is expected to arrive in Italy in 2021.
The Mustang name will no longer be associated solely with the powerful, sporty coupés so popular especially in the United States. Because from the end of the year Ford has decided to bring the new Mustang Mach-e to market. A sporty, electric SUV. Offered in the United States at a price just under 44,000 dollars, measuring 4.87 metres in length, the new Mustang Mach-e will be available with a wide choice of drivetrains and battery pack capacities. The RWD model, for instance — that is, the one with rear-wheel drive only — can be either Standard Range or Extended Range: in the first case the battery pack capacity is 75.7 kWh, in the second 98.8 kWh. Power output is 258 and 285 horsepower respectively. For the all-wheel-drive 4×4 models there are two electric motors, with outputs rising to 337 horsepower. The Mustang Mach-e guarantees a maximum range of up to 600 kilometres. The cabin is defined by a large 15.5-inch display mounted in the centre of the dashboard, marking the debut of the new generation of the Sync infotainment system. Prices in Italy, where the launch is expected towards the end of the year, start from 49,900 euros.
Concrete news arrives from Chinese manufacturer Aiways, ready with the definitive version of the electric SUV U5, the brand's first electric car to be launched in Europe. The vehicle is equipped with a 190-horsepower electric unit, while the battery pack offers a capacity of 65 kWh, ensuring a range of around 460 kilometres. Among the noteworthy details, the Aiways U5 places great emphasis on electronics, with over ten cameras made necessary by the numerous ADAS driver assistance and safety systems. Prices have not yet been officially announced; the launch date is expected to be before the end of the year.
Our electric cars special concludes with a round-up of models we have already covered and are recapping here in brief. From the PSA Group's electric models — the Peugeot e-208 and e-2008, the Opel Corsa-e and the DS3 Crossback E-Tense crossover (all sharing the same 136-horsepower electric unit, with over 300 kilometres of range and prices ranging between 30,000 and 40,000 euros) — to the urban Honda e, which offers an electric range of up to 222 kilometres, with two power outputs of 136 or 154 horsepower and prices starting from 35,500 euros.