The 15 coolest electric cars, trucks, and SUVs we saw in 2021

Advertisement
The 15 coolest electric cars, trucks, and SUVs we saw in 2021
  • Automakers unveiled tons of new electric sedans, SUVs, and pickup trucks in 2021
  • These are 15 of the coolest battery-powered cars that made their debut.
Advertisement

BMW i4

BMW i4
BMW i4.BMW

BMW's first fully electric sedan zooms to dealerships starting in March 2022. BMW says the sportiest M50 version will make 536 horsepower. Its EPA-rated range of 301 miles means it can hang with some of the rangiest EVs on the market. Starting price: around $56,000.

Canoo Pickup Truck

Canoo Pickup Truck
Canoo pickup truck.Canoo

Arkansas-based EV startup Canoo unveiled a downright awesome pickup truck this year. Canoo decked out the quirky, pod-shaped truck with plenty of unique features like fold-out work surfaces and a frunk.

With knobby tires and an optional pop-top camper shell, the Canoo Pickup Truck could be the ultimate adventure rig come 2023.

Advertisement

Fisker Ocean

Fisker Ocean
The 2023 Fisker Ocean.Fisker

Fisker plans to sell the Ocean SUV for $37,499 to start. That base version will deliver 250 miles of range, while a more expensive model promises 350 miles.

But the Ocean offers more than good looks and an attractive price. Optional features include roof-integrated solar panels and a swiveling touchscreen.

Ford F-150 Lightning

Ford F-150 Lightning
The Ford F-150 Lightning EV truck.Ford

The most powerful F-150 ever, the F-150 Lightning will make up to 563 horsepower and hit 60 mph in under five seconds. As we can attest, it feels absurdly quick.

The Lightning also promises fun features like a giant front trunk and the ability to power other EVs. It hits streets next spring with a starting price of $40,000.

Advertisement

Genesis GV60

Genesis GV60
The Genesis GV60.Genesis

The GV60 is the first electric model from Genesis, Hyundai's luxury brand. It looks a bit like an alien spacecraft, but a very sleek and attractive one. The rose-gold paint job doesn't hurt either.

There's no word on pricing yet, but Genesis says it'll travel around 280 miles on a single charge — not too shabby.

GMC Hummer EV SUV

GMC Hummer EV SUV
2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV.GMC

The "Edition 1" Hummer EV SUV will cost $106,000 and hit streets in 2023, with less expensive models on the way after that. The SUV will deliver up to 830 horsepower and at least 300 miles of driving range.

It's packed with off-road features, but we suspect most Hummer EVs will see just about as much dirt as your average Mercedes G-Wagen — not much.

Advertisement

Hyundai Ioniq 5

Hyundai Ioniq 5
The Hyundai Ioniq 5.Hyundai

In a world dominated by similar-looking compact SUVs, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a breath of fresh air. The stylish little SUV has a retrofuturistic design complete with headlights that are perfectly rectangular. Not only does it look good, it'll drive a healthy 303 miles on a full battery.

Plus, it'll be able to accept 350-kilowatt fast charging, the fastest rate available on the market. Hyundai says it'll recharge from 10% to 80% in as little as 18 minutes.

Mercedes-Benz Concept EQG

Mercedes-Benz Concept EQG
Mercedes-Benz Concept EQG.Mercedes-Benz

The Concept EQG may not be a full-fledged, production-ready model, but it's too cool not to mention. Mercedes has said it plans to launch an battery-powered version of the burly G-Class SUV in 2024, and the Concept EQG gives us an idea of what that future vehicle might look like.

It has the regular G-Wagen's familiar, boxy shape plus four electric motors and tons of light strips.

Advertisement

Mercedes-Benz EQS

Mercedes-Benz EQS
The Mercedes-Benz EQS.Mercedes-Benz

The EQS is Mercedes-Benz's first electric vehicle for the US market. And as its name suggests, it's an electric version of Merc's flagship S-Class sedan. The $102,000 luxury car can travel up to 350 miles on a charge, according to the EPA. But it drove an impressive 422 miles in a real-world test, beating every Tesla you can buy.

Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo

Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
2021 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo.Porsche

Station wagons may be a dying breed, but Porsche released an incredibly cool one this year: the Taycan Cross Turismo. It's a wagon version of the Taycan sport sedan with a slightly higher ride height and up to 750 horses. It'll run you $93,700 and up.

Advertisement

Subaru Solterra

Subaru Solterra
The 2023 Subaru Solterra.Subaru

The Subaru brand is all about getting out into nature. So it's only fitting that the company is rolling out an SUV that's kind to the environment. The Solterra will come standard with all-wheel drive and at least 225 miles of range.

Tesla Model S Plaid

Tesla Model S Plaid
Tesla Model S.Tesla

Tesla started selling its most powerful car ever this year: the Model S Plaid. The $130,000 sedan's three motors produce more than 1,000 horsepower, enough to send the Plaid to 60 mph in around two seconds. That makes it by far one of the quickest production cars you can buy today.

Advertisement

Toyota BZ4X

Toyota BZ4X
The Toyota BZ4X electric SUV.Toyota

You can't mention the Subaru Solterra without also noting the BZ4X, Toyota's first fully electric SUV. The two Japanese automakers collaborated on an EV platform, so the Solterra and BZ4X are strikingly similar. The BZ4X will go around 250 miles on a full battery.

Toyota electric truck concept

Toyota electric truck concept
Toyota electric pickup truck concept.Toyota

We've known for a while that Toyota is planning to build an electric pickup truck. Now we know what it could look like. The concept truck Toyota displayed recently appears to be Tacoma-sized, but we don't know much about it yet.

Advertisement

Volkswagen ID.Buzz

Volkswagen ID.Buzz
Volkswagen ID.Buzz.Volkswagen

In November, Volkswagen offered a glimpse at what the electric successor to the iconic Microbus will look like. Volkswagen still hasn't unveiled the official production version, but we should learn more about the ID.Buzz next year ahead of its 2023 US launch.