10 Electric Cars We’d Rather Buy Than A Tesla Model 3
December 26, 2022
10 Electric Cars We’d Rather Buy Than A Tesla Model 3
Electric cars are popping up seemingly out of the blue at the moment. It seems as though every other day, an automaker comes forward with a new EV, a new dedicated EV platform, and, of course, the promise that they won’t be making any more ICE-powered cars beyond the 2030s or thereabout. While it can be disputed, few people would argue that the automaker that single-handedly started the EV revolution was Tesla. Their crusade began in 2012 with the introduction of the original Model S.
A short while after the Model S came out, Tesla, which is now a trillion-dollar company, promised to make an electric sedan that would cost around $35,000. That came along in 2017 in the form of the Model 3, and it remains one of the most complete and well-rounded EVs money can buy. However, since the Model 3’s introduction, a handful of alternatives have shown up, and they might just be worth considering over everyone’s favorite compact electric sedan.
10/10Hyundai Ioniq 5
The Hyundai Motor Group is taking the EV movement very seriously, developing an all-new dedicated platform for electric cars and immediately marrying it to three similar vehicles. If you truly want your EV to stand out from the crowd, it’s tough to do better than the new Hyundai Ioniq 5.
Don’t let the pictures fool you, this thing is surprisingly big. With a Tesla-rivaling range figure, brilliant retro styling, excellent technology and a perfect blend of new school and old school on the inside as well, the Ioniq 5 is one of the best-rounded EV packages money can buy right now.
9/10Škoda Enyaq iV
After the Dieselgate scandal, Volkswagen immediately started toiling away at their own dedicated EV platform. The MEB platform currently underpins several different models, but by far the most compelling one is the Škoda Enyaq. Unfortunately, it’s not available in North America.
It really should be, though. The range is pretty competitive, especially with the larger battery pack. It looks cool, especially in the swanky Sportline trim. At the same time, it’s not extremely daring (like its Volkswagen ID.4 sibling), and it’s full of Škoda’s Simply Clever features that makes every person who sees them giggle, but in a good way.
8/10Ford Mustang Mach-E
A collective outcry was heard on the horizon when Ford confirmed that the Mustang badge and name will be slapped on the back of an electric crossover. But then, the Mustang Mach-E came out, and the outcry died down significantly. There was a very good reason for that; this is an excellent electric SUV.
The range figures won’t exactly set the world on fire, but it’s a very comprehensive EV package. Plus, thanks to the Mustang name, the handling is surprisingly good. The newly launched Mach-E GT with 480 hp further improves on the handling, and this is an electric SUV that you can genuinely have some fun in.
7/10Audi Q4 E-Tron
Let’s ignore the confusing nomenclature of Audi’s electric cars for a moment. After the big e-tron SUV and the spectacular e-tron GT sedan, Audi is now tackling the affordable, more rational EV market. The Q4 e-tron is the first Audi-branded EV to be built upon the MEB platform, also shared with the Volkswagen ID.4 and Škoda Enyaq IV.
It’s Audi’s most affordable EV, but it still has plenty to offer; a good range, great technology, eye-catching styling, and a competitive price. One of the best things about it is its relative subtlety; there’s plenty of cool stuff in the Q4 e-tron, but it doesn’t shout about it all that much; it’s just an electric crossover. Or rather, a crossover that happens to be electric.
6/10Hyundai Kona Electric
As a value proposition, it’s very tough to beat the Hyundai Kona Electric. Its EPA-estimated range of 279 miles shames electric cars that are three or even five times the price. Since it’s based on the regular ICE-powered Kona, it feels and looks surprisingly normal both inside and outside.
The higher output motor yields an output of 204 hp, which is plenty for such a small crossover. It’s a little heavier than the regular Kona, but that doesn’t make it unwieldy. What’s more, it has fast-charging capabilities; topping up 80% of the juice takes just 47 minutes on a 100 kW charger, which is pretty impressive.
5/10Polestar 2
Not too long ago, Polestar was Volvo’s performance arm, the same as AMG is to Mercedes. They still are, sort of, but they were recently spun off as a separate EV manufacturer to rival Tesla. Their first car, the gorgeous Polestar 1,was a plug-in hybrid with 600 hp, but the Polestar 2 is their first full EV.
Even though this is a pretty ordinary looking sedan, it’s surprisingly tall thanks to sharing a platform with the Volvo XC40 crossover. With up to 408 hp in the dual-motor version, a fantastic minimalist interior and some of the best infotainment technology in the business, not to mention an attractive exterior, Polestar’s Model 3 killer definitely has a good aim.
4/10Lucid Air
Speaking of Tesla killers, Lucid has been promising for a long time that they’re coming in for the kill as far as luxury electric sedans are concerned. Sure, it’s in a different price bracket compared to the Model 3, but it’s still a spectacular electric luxury car.
The top of the line version is way too expensive, but the base model is actually a lot closer in price to the Model 3, especially if FSD is equipped on the latter. The Air arguably looks better, has a higher projected range (406 miles to the Model 3 Performance’s 358), it has about the same amount of power, and to top it all off, it’s bigger than the Model 3, being a lot closer to the Model S in length.
3/10Jaguar I-Pace
We all know that Jaguar is becoming a full EV manufacturer by 2025, and the first car to kickstart this historic British automaker’s rebirth is the I-Pace. Launched in 2018, the I-Pace is Jag’s first fully electric car, and it created a pretty big splash when it first debuted.
Previewed by a concept car a few years prior, the production car looked basically the same, and it showed everyone that Jaguar was very serious about EVs and about challenging Tesla. A decent range figure, eye-catching exterior styling, and surprising amounts of practicality make the I-Pace a worthy contender in the EV game.
2/10Toyota Mirai
Let’s say you want a different take on the electric car formula. Something that doesn’t directly plug into a charger. If you’re lucky enough to have a hydrogen fuelling station in your area, the Toyota Mirai is definitely worth considering. The second generation car looks a lot better and more unique than the first generation, and the hydrogen element is definitely a novelty.
It takes a lot less to fill up than a regular EV, and you get a lot more range; a Mirai recently set a world record for the longest distance traveled for an electric car. It’s also full of technology, and the only emissions it produces are water.
1/10Porsche Taycan
It was the most hotly anticipated EV of 2019, after years of teasing and promises. Now that the Taycan is finally here, it’s definitely easy to see why the excitement was so big; as of 2021, the Taycan has single-handedly outsold Porsche’s very own 911.
While complaints are thrown about the range, this is one of the most complete luxury electric cars you can buy at the moment. It looks spectacular, it’s really fast, it’s now available as a lifted wagon in the form of the Taycan Cross Turismo, and most importantly of all, despite not having a traditional engine, it still feels like a Porsche to drive.
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