Brace yourself for an emission-free future.
No more combustion engines. No more polluting trucks and cars. Only 100% electric vehicles are shown and sold in dealers.
Car manufacturers are shaking up their line-ups and electrifying, teasing motorists with images of approaching gasless vehicles. The American auto industry will look very different in 2025 than it does today.
Edmunds, an online auto shop site, predicts that 2021 will be a “pivotal year” for electric vehicles, with US sales up 2.5% from 1.9% last year. Consumers will also see a deluge of new models on the market over the next 11 months: 30 electric vehicles from 21 brands, up from 17 models in 2020, Edmunds said.
Stephanie Brinley, an industry expert at IHS Markit, said a wider selection of electric vehicles at affordable prices will help change Americans’ attitudes toward zero-emission vehicles. However, automakers will have to work hard to highlight why EVs are the smarter choice, she added.
“Cost still plays a role and fears of reach will be partially addressed by education,” Brinley told ABC News. “There is no reason why a consumer cannot get used to an electric car.”
Which car manufacturers are charging their wallets and are investing heavily in battery technology?
Jaguar Land Rover
The British company owned by Indian Tata Motors has become the latest manufacturer committed to an electric future.
Jaguar, the legendary sports car manufacturer known for its seductive designs, will become an ‘all-electric luxury brand’ by 2025 to ‘realize its unique potential’, the brand announced on February 15. Future Jaguar models will be “exclusive to a pure electric architecture,” the company noted.
Jaguar currently produces one EV: the I-PACE. Worldwide sales of the stylish, futuristic-looking SUV totaled 7,807 units in 2020.
The first all-electric Land Rover model will arrive in 2024, followed by five “all-electric variants” over the next five years, the company said. In addition, JLR expects that by 2030 nearly 60% of Land Rovers sold will be equipped with powertrains without an exhaust pipe.
The company has another ambitious goal: zero net carbon emissions in its supply chain, products and operations by 2039.
Ford Motor
The new, smashing Mustang Mach-E SUV from the Dearborn automaker allows Tesla owners to trade in their vehicles for this all-electric Ford. The company’s next vehicle launch with a battery-electric powertrain will likely be the F-150 pickup in early 2022.
Ford’s rollout of battery-powered vehicles in the US has been slow compared to the competition. In Europe, however, Ford’s full range of passenger cars will run exclusively on batteries by 2030.
This week, Ford pledged to spend $ 1 billion to overhaul its Cologne, Germany plant as a base for electric vehicle production. Two-thirds of Ford commercial vehicle sales are expected to be fully electric or plug-in hybrids by 2030, and Ford’s recently announced partnership with Volkswagen will help the company achieve its EV goals.
“Our announcement today to transform our Cologne facility, where we have been operating in Germany for 90 years, is one of the most significant Ford has done in the past generation. It underscores our commitment to Europe and a modern future with electric vehicles. at the heart of our growth strategy, ”said Stuart Rowley, president of Ford of Europe, in a statement.
The 117-year-old automaker recently doubled its investment in electric vehicles to $ 22 billion by the end of 2025.
Elected officials in Europe have aggressively regulated exhaust emissions. To avoid expensive fines and fines, car manufacturers are turning off petrol-powered cars and trucks for electric vehicles.
Bentley Motors
The formidable, mighty W12 and V8 engines powering Bentley’s expensive sedans, grand tourers and SUVs will soon become part of the automotive legend.
The ultra-luxury carmaker announced in November that its first electric vehicle will debut in 2025. By 2030, every means of transport assembled at its Crewe (UK) plant will be battery-electric.
Adrian Hallmark, Bentley’s CEO, recognized the company’s bold move, calling it “a major change in the industry.”
“It really is a transformation of the business,” he told reporters. “There is a demand for a Bentley EV.”
Bentley’s EXP 100 GT concept car could provide additional clues about the company’s plans. The sleek, radical-looking Grand Tourer is made from durable materials and is programmed with autonomous electric driving technology. The battery-electric powertrain propels the EXP 100 GT from 0 to 100 km / h in 2.5 seconds, according to Bentley.
General engines
The car giant has not yet abolished combustion engines.
The Detroit automaker outlined its optimistic plans for electric vehicles in January, pledging that by the end of 2025, 40% of US models will be battery electric vehicles.
By 2035, the majority of GM vehicles sold will be electric vehicles.
GM’s big, masculine pickup trucks have been reliable money makers for the company, and consumer demand for these gas guzzlers skyrocketed in the spring and summer.
Expectations for GM’s reborn all-electric Hummer, slated for the 2022 model year, have not diminished since its debut last October.
The company sparked interest in the all-electric Cadillac Lyriq with its entertaining Super Bowl ads. And GM’s small Bolt hatchback was redesigned, along with a sibling, the Bolt EUV (electric utility vehicle), for 2022. Worldwide sales of the Bolt EV have grown to more than 100,000 since its market launch in 2017.
These vehicles are part of GM’s roadmap to launch 30 new EVs worldwide by 2025.
More EVs
Car manufacturers around the world are busy getting their EV models ready for motorists. German luxury car manufacturer Audi recently introduced its 2022 e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT, two powerful electric cars with 522 hp and 637 hp respectively.
Volkswagen’s new compact ID.4 promises to be a serious challenger to the best-selling Tesla Model 3. All-electric carmaker Rivian has tested its $ 67,500 R1T truck in the Arizona desert; the truck has a range of over 300 miles when fully charged.
Then there’s the Lordstown Endurance, which will compete in the grueling San Felipe 250 desert race in Baja, California in April.
The mass of electric cars entering the market could turn the industry upside down, Brinley of IHS Markit noted.
“Consumers’ willingness to consider electric vehicles will change as products get better,” she added.