The Best EVs Of 2022

The EV market is growing fast and 2022 has more EVs for sale than ever. Technology developments over the past two decades have finally made way for electric cars to be made by multiple manufacturers offering consumers a broad variety of vehicles to choose from. The market once dominated by the pricey Tesla is now filled with a range of options from economy to luxury, and the models on offer represent healthy competition among manufacturers, a good thing for consumers.

For 2022, buyers can pick whatever fancies them from an oversized truck to a sensible yet attractive mid-size wagon. The technology in the drivetrains is highly advanced, but the interiors are also full of digital comforts, conveniences, and safety controls throughout. One of the best developments of 2022 is the availability of EVs with a good usable range that don't cost as much as a loaded 5-series. With this kind of momentum in the market, affordability should become more widespread as time moves forward. These are the best EVs 2022 has to offer.

Innovation with new technology is not foreign to automaker Porsche. While it has clung to the same basic layout and design of its flagship 911 model, it has developed cutting-edge engine technology and engineered many components that would later filter down to everyday passenger cars. So it should come as no surprise that Porsche has tackled an electric car, and done so with typical Porsche refinement.

The Taycan GTS is the latest of Porsche's endeavors to dominate the upscale electric vehicle market. The Taycan is the electric companion to Porsche's first passenger car, the Panamera. While the car is meant for extra passengers, it still delivers performance with its available 590 horsepower coming from motors installed front and rear. The 94.3kWh battery pack helps get the car going for 212 miles, while 6-piston brake calipers on oversized discs bring speeds back down. Porsche Active Suspension Management keeps everything planted on the road. The Taycan is a lovely car with a highly refined interior that our reviewer claims to be about the best driver's car among the EVs available today.

For a country with little known connection to automobile manufacturing, Croatia is entering the scene with a splash. Rimac is one of the newest EV builders, with its first production car being delivered in 2022. Although Rimac is just now delivering vehicles, the company's existence dates back to 2013, when it was founded by Zagreb, Croatia, native Mate Rimac. After Rimac presented a promising concept car in 2016, two years later the concept C_Two debuted and it would be developed into the Nevera production car. Mate Rimac's history of developing technology led him to transform a BMW into an electric race car that would transform his passion into a full-fledged electric automobile manufacturer.

The car called Nevera, named for a Mediterranean storm, is probably the wildest electric car produced to date. It is all electric with electric motors for all four wheels. A powerful battery pack sends enough juice to the motors to create a collective 1,914 horsepower. With this astonishing amount of power, the Nevera rockets to 60 mph in less than two seconds, and eats up a quarter-mile of pavement in just 8.58. The body is carbon fiber and the interior is packed with technology, including Driver Coach, a computerized system to help drivers achieve faster laps with audio and visual cues. Even more impressive than the performance is the fact that Rimac manufactures every component in-house and of its own designs. With its price tag of more than $2 million, one should expect nothing less.

The development of the electric car goes back over a century, with the Baker Electric coming close to being a dominant vehicle of the early 20th century. Several more cars came and went before the lithium battery made it possible to get usable range without too much weight, but trucks have largely been left out and that is what makes the Rivian such an exciting entrant into the market. Ford produced the Ranger EV from 1998 to 2002, per Electric Vehicle News, but it was limited to California and only 1,500 models. That Rivian has one ready for widespread adoption is special.

Adding to its unique market position is a long list of cool and unique features on the Rivian R1T. Many who have driven one have concluded that it is a good truck among any truck and not just compared to other electric-powered pickups. For some time, announcements of the Rivian seemed like vaporware to exist only in concept form, but in 2021, customers began receiving units on pre-order. Its 800 horsepower, quad motors, 300-mile range, and clever accessories make it stand out among a field dominated by America's legacy manufacturers. As long as Rivian can keep its management on track and quality up to standard, not to mention a major ramp-up in deliveries, it should have a promising future.

Volkswagen has ambitious plans to ditch the internal combustion engine altogether by 2035. Having just now begun releasing its range of EVs, VW's plan is bold. However, based on its ID.4 electric crossover, it appears to be on the right track.

The ID.4 is built upon the VW MEB platform that is designed to sit beneath a range of vehicles, requiring little alterations to accommodate a broad variety of vehicle types, including cars, SUVs, and vans. The ID.4 comes in rear- or all-wheel-drive powered by a choice of batteries that give it a range of 209 to 275 miles, which is average among the competition. Performance is adequate for what is mostly intended to be a family car. Handling is excellent and is set more toward comfort than performance. The interior is on par with other VW models, being relatively well-finished and nice with moderate upscale flourishes, although the infotainment system is a bit lacking.

Volkswagen is doing with this car what it has done for some time, building good cars in the middle of the price range that offer comfort with excellent driving characteristics. This car shows VW taking its electrification in the right direction, making engaging electric cars of good quality and value. Prices start at $37,495, according to Kelley Blue Book.

Ford caused a bit of a dust-up when it first showed the all-electric Mustang Mach-E to the world, and it had nothing to do with how good or bad the car was. The Mustang faithful were up in arms that their beloved pony car would be sullied by such a lowly and soulless appliance. But the fervor died down  once Ford proved what a great car (or crossover?) it is

It turns out that Ford's first modern stab at bringing us a fully developed EV on a unique platform has gone quite well. The Ranger EV was a pilot program and its Focus EV was an underwhelming conversion. This time Ford has given us a regular production car for the masses. And it is pretty good. With a range of up to 230 miles, it sits on the lower end, but not the bottom. The interior is well appointed and is packed with innovative excellent tech. Ford's latest models have seen boosts in interior quality across the board, and Ford has raised that bar even higher with the Mach-E. Notable is the feeling that this car is not a Mustang. It is no rear-drive V8 street race champion. But it is an excellent mold for future EVs from Ford that shows a lot of potential for the company in this market.

Perhaps the most surprising development in the EV space is the arrival of the new GMC Hummer. The Hummer brand was shuttered in 2010 due to high gas prices and the economic downturn (via Business Insider). Bringing it back to life as an electrified model under the GMC brand was a clever move. Now the Hummer can exist as an oversized pseudo-military-style off-road vehicle without the environmental guilt.

According to CNBC, GM partnered with LG to create the Ultium platform, which is a scalable battery platform that can be altered to use on a range of vehicles and uses technology to reduce the amount of cobalt used. The Hummer is the first production vehicle to go on sale using the technology. Despite its size, the Hummer is quite capable thanks to its substantial 205 kWh battery pack, which offers brisk acceleration and a 329-mile range. It is also packed with a cutting-edge interior featuring a central control screen with graphics driven by the Unreal Engine, software used to render the expansive worlds in some video games.

The overall package is a blend of power, comfort, and a few tricks, including its ability to drive sideways in "Crab Walk" mode. The vehicle is a large and expensive showpiece with relatively little practicality for its price of nearly $100,000, but the technology shows that GM has the ability to make EVs that work in the real world.

Equipping Ford's longest-selling vehicle, the F-150 pickup truck, with a battery pack and electric motors has garnered the ire of some. But once the noise is filtered out, the discovery of a remarkable new truck emerges. Ford's F-150 Lightning is an ambitious start to the eventual electrification of its entire lineup, which appears to be imminent. Unlike other companies developing all-new models with electric technology on dedicated platforms, Ford decided to update its best-selling vehicle instead, introducing a familiar face riding on a new foundation.

Using the same styling as an existing model was a clever choice because it is familiar and can attract buyers resistant to change, and also cut costs. The Lighting comes with two motors as standard and a choice of battery packs. Base horsepower is 452 and goes up to 580 with the larger battery, but both options provide a healthy 775 pound-feet of torque, the most for any F-150. The ample torque propels this heavy truck to an impressive 0-60 time in under 5 seconds. While the look and feel of the truck inside and out are very much like the conventional model, the Lightning has a few added tricks, including the Intelligent Backup Power System that can power your house during an outage. The F-150 Lightning is likely the most serious contender as an electric pickup for the masses. It performs well and is well equipped and, crucially, comes from a manufacturer that can build and sell them in volume.

Volvo's Polestar name first appeared in 2005, according to Which Car, as its high-performance tuner for factory-built cars. Since the Swedish automaker's acquisition by Chinese carmaker Geely, Polestar has been spun off into an upscale marque for European electric cars. The first Polestar-branded car was the pricey luxury hybrid Polestar 1, which was then followed by the all-electric Polestar 2 in 2020.

The second Polestar is a much more reasonably priced EV, coming in at nearly $100,000 less than its predecessor at a more reasonable $59,900. The interior is well designed with an excellent layout that retains high-quality physical controls missing more and more in new cars, offering the solid and tactile feel many drivers prefer. It is also the first car to integrate Android Auto fully, offering seamless integration to owners of Android phones. Its 408 horsepower gives it quick acceleration and the 78 kWh battery is good for upwards of 300 miles of range. The takeaway is that this is an excellent car, worth owning regardless of its electric drivetrain. Furthermore, the price is reasonable, which is impressive considering it is subject, according to Car Scoops, to a stiff tariff as a result of the trade war started a few years back with China, the place of manufacture for the Polestar 1.

Chevrolet offers its electric bolt as a compact EV as well as what it calls the Bolt EUV, or Electric Utility Vehicle. The Bolt is now positioned as Chevrolet's entry-level EV, offering it as a compact and affordable electric car in an attractive and tidy package. The elephant in the room that must be addressed is the Bolt's recent history of going up in flames while charging, a problem that has been addressed by the manufacturer and also fixed for future vehicles, according to Elektrek. Going forward, Bolts offer great value for an electric car.

With a starting price under $30,000, according to the manufacturer, it comes in toward the bottom of the price scale for EVs in 2022. It is an affordable car. However, despite its frugality, it offers a surprising level of refinement, capability, and features. The Bolt comes only with a single motor driving the front wheels that is powered by a 62 kWh battery good for around 250 miles, a competitive range. Inside, the Bolt should please most with above-average quality and the car offers many available options, such as GM's Super Cruise, a first for a non-Cadillac.

Our review of the larger EUV finds that the Bolt has some room to grow. AWD is not an option and it is missing 120V power outlets completely. However, for the money, it is a good choice that is hard to beat.

Hyundai entered the American market in 1985 with the compact Excel, an abysmal little car beset by problems (via Hot Cars). It was a rocky start, but Hyundai pulled through and is now positioned as a manufacturer of a line of good cars. In fact, Hyundai has come so far as to have the Ioniq 5 named Motor Trend's SUV of the year. In being chosen for this, the Ioniq 5 is praised for its sleek styling, impressive interior, and range-topping technology.

Calling the Ioniq 5 an SUV may be stretching the definition as it sits relatively low like a car, but it also has a long roof with rear hatch and it rides high with oversized wheels and tires. Whatever it is, Hyundai is doing something right. The abundance of straight lines, sharp creases, and subtle curves give it a stunning and distinct retro-futuristic look, but the Ioniq is not just about looks. Available with single or dual motors, the power and range of this car are above average compared to other EVs in its price range, but Hyundai's 800-volt architecture allows charging from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes, a first for a car in its class.

Hyundai has raised the bar with this car both in technology and style. With a base price of around $41,000, it is also good value for money. Furthermore, while it displays many cool cues from the past, it is decidedly a car for the future.