New Zealand's electric vehicle future
Monday, 15 July 2019
Electric cars represent the next big step and for New Zealand, the journey has already begun but as the song says, we ain't seen nothing yet.
The first fruits of the car industry's significant investment into EVs are already being tasted by Kiwi motorists, but these are early pickings and their impact has been modest.A much fuller harvest is coming. More and more manufacturers are getting on board with EV technology, delivering models with longer ranges, faster charging times and lower prices. Here's what you can expect to see within the next five years.
Audi
The e-tron now entering the showroom is just the start of an onslaught; the company has announced its intention to have 30 additional electrified models on the road by 2025 and Audi NZ has chosen four already: the sportback edition of the e-tron, with S badging, and then the ultimate GT, which is Audi's version of the Porsche Taycan - so on a different platform than e-tron - are ticked, as are the Q4, which as the designation suggests is designed to suit between the Q3 and Q5, a pure battery Q3. There's also talk that the Q2 will go that way as well and Audi is making positive noises about the next TT, R8 and A8 being electric-only.
Aston Martin
The Lagonda due to hit the road in 2022 is coming off the same production line in Wales as the upcoming DBX, the brand's first sports utility. Technical details are still being kept under wraps but Aston is leaving impression the finished car will take cues from a styling exercise revealed at the most recent Geneva motor show. The Vision Concept is a real stunner; low and sleek, more of a missile than a mud-slugger, with rear-hinged back doors (and opening roof panels to further aid access to the seats), and a rear shelf that slides out from the boot floor to give a platform for occupants to sit on. The cabin uses luxury materials like cashmere and does away with conventional air vents and speaker grilles.
**READ MORE:
* Are we finally accepting hybrids?
* Silly car question #53: if EVs have 'wee' electric motors, why are they so expensive?
* Let's not be fundamentalist about feebates and EV ownership**
BMW
Having announced intention to partner with Jaguar Land Rover on EV powertrain development, Munich has now said it will bring forward its electrification strategy by two years – meaning the 12 plug-in vehicles it intended to have out by 2025 will now be in the market in 2023. Of that dozen, more than half will be fully electric.
Among those will be replacements for the i3, the i4 and the iNext. Expect more PHEV editions of conventional cars. And how does a fully electric successor to a great from four decades ago grab you? Yup, there's talk of the M performance division rebirthing the M1.
On the Mini side of things, the company has just revealed the first all-electric Mini - based on the existing Mini hatch - while rumours are swirling that it has teamed up with Great Wall to produce a production version of the tiny Rocketman concept for the Chinese market.
Ford
Mustang styling on a sports utility wagon body - can you work with that concept? The Blue Oval believes this recipe will be a winner for its as-yet-unnamed crossover EV. A shadowy image and the promise of a 600km range is all we have to go on for on.
Great Wall
The Chinese manufacturer has a replacement for its Steed ute coming next year, with an all-electric variant planned to sit alongside the standard diesel offerings. No further details about the EV, or even a release date, have been confirmed yet, but this could likely be New Zealand's first electric ute.
Honda
Spunky looks aside, Honda's tiny Honda e EV is also all about sparking up cost-effective city use. A range of 200km and a fast-charge function that enables 80 per cent of the range in only 30 minutes of charging will be hooks. Likewise, some cool tech – notably, it follows the Audi e-Tron in delivering a 'Side Camera Mirror System' which will replace traditional side-mirrors with a live camera feed on screens inside of the car. So far it's only confirmed for Europe, but we can hope.
Hyundai
Hyundai's next big thing is the Nexo, an improvement over the current Kona full electric in that it converts hydrogen via fuel cell tech into electricity to provide a fully clean and very effective driving solution.
Hyundai NZ already has two examples of its Nexo here to play with: 605km between refuels and 120kW/395Nm outputs are attractive.
Challenges are obvious: the eye-popper price - $91,000 is a LOT to pay for what's effectively a medium crossover – and the lack of a refuelling infrastructure. Thumbs up to the distributor for creating a mobile fuelling station to enable a progressive national demonstration.
Jaguar
Jaguar is wrapping up production of its XJ luxury sedan about now and it now appears as if the car will be replaced next year by a like-sized, equally plush electric model that will potentially keep the nameplate alive. This model could well benefit from the deal to work with BMW to make electric drive units for the next generation of battery vehicles.
Kia
In addition to the e-Niro, a sister ship to Hyundai's Ioniq, Kia has concocted a like-configured version of its city-focussed Soul, with a 64kWh battery pack. In addition to touting a touch more tech, overseas' reports say the e-Soul is even funkier and better value.
Mazda
While Mazda is teaming up with Toyota to develop future EV technology, it will debut its first EV on Mazda architecture next year, according to CEO Akira Marumoto. Little else is known about the EV and Mazda is remaining tight-lipped.
Mercedes-Benz
The world's oldest car maker is busy preparing a new range of electric cars, developed under the EQ banner.
The first model will be the EQC electric SUV landing very soon. Roughly the size of the GLC crossover, that it sort-of shares a platform with, the EQC is swish, tech-packed and its 80kWh lithium ion battery is claimed to be good for a 450km range. It's very close to local release.
But that's just the start. Benz plans to build electric versions of all its vehicles and in big numbers, from six factories across three continents. It has committed to a 'global battery network' to support the effort. Mercedes-AMG is also involving, with plans to offer plug-in hybrids under the EQ Power Plus name.
MG
China's MG Motor has confirmed that its first EV - an electric version of the ZS small SUV - will go on sale in New Zealand in 2020. The ZS EV has a 44.5kWh battery giving an NEDC range of 335km and can be recharged to 80 per cent in 40 minutes using a DC fast charger.
There is no confirmed launch date yet, but it could well be new Zealand's cheapest EV when it does.
Nissan
The Leaf is clearly this make's most important EV - and the company has just re-launched it into New Zealand - but from next year it will no longer be Nissan's sole electric offer. Joining it then is a zero emissions four-door crossover, based on the IMx concept car, that's said to be larger in size and battery range than the Leaf.
Peugeot
In February Peugeot announced intention to plug into the EV-sphere with an edition of its smallest hatch, the 208. The e-208 begins production in 2020. It will sport a 50kWh battery to provide 340km range under the WLTP test cycle. The electric motor is rated at 100kW.
Peugeot's new-gen 2008 will also deliver in all-electric, with the same powertrain as the e-208, but with slightly lower range on account of the SUV's greater weight and less aerodynamic body style.
Porsche
You'll already be highly aware of the Taycan, a proper sports car in sedan format spun off the exciting Mission E concept revealed four years ago. It's capable of emulating the incendiary performance you expect from hotshot 911 editions, with 0-100kmh in less than 3.5 seconds while having a 500km range. Porsche extensively tested the vehicle, accumulating more than six million kilometres of on-road testing and at least the same again in virtual driving.
Taycan won't be a one-horse show. The Mission E Cross Turismo is also entering series production and there's also going to be an EV version of the popular Macan, to fulfil need for an all-electric compact SUV.
Renault
Thought that a new Zoe would be a Francophile version of the latest Nissan Leaf has been dismissed. Instead, Renault has chosen to heavily redesign the current car, delivering it with more range (now 380km) and power (100kW), as this makes it a more affordable prospect in its city-centric role.
Rivian
Utes are hot and this start-up's determination to put into production the R1T all-electric pick-up unveiled at the 2018 Los Angeles motor show seems set to be realised. With a strikingly long EV range and some clever details such as a through-load facility to carry long items across the rear axle and a pop-out barbeque, it aims to bring silent electric running to the great outdoors. Rivan's tech has attracted interest and investment from some very big names. It has already confirmed Australia as a future market. The petition for NZ starts here.
Seat
The Spanish arm of the mighty VW Group is reaping reward from the German parent's all-out push to be an EV powerhouse. The el-Born hatch (named after a trendy Barcelona suburb), shown in concept at Geneva this year, will be the first, but also signed off is the petite Minimo, a Renault Twizy-style two-seater developed to meet the challenges of 'city driving and emission regulations.' It also has intent to create an electric version of its Mii city car.
Skoda
Skoda plans to build three electric cars based on the VW Group's MEB platform, progressively rolling out over the next 18 months. These comprise a small, affordable model and a flagship based on the Vision IV coupe crossover concept revealed at Geneva plus a more conventional sports utility.
Subaru
In June Toyota and Subaru announced intent to jointly develop an all-electric crossover that will be sold separately under each brand from the early 2020s. Though the US is cited as a main target market, other countries where Subaru performs well might also stand a chance: So conceivably NZ is in the box seat, Subaru ownership per head of population here being particularly strong.
Suzuki
The hybrid Swift is still awaiting head office sign-off for export; an annoyance for the distributor, as it's already here as a used import. Suzuki is also in the same EV tech tie-up with Toyota as Subaru, only this is to develop a fully-electric small car, out in a couple of years. Could we see it?
Telsa
It's almost four years since Tesla vowed to sell the Model 3 here; we're still waiting for the first example of a model that could conceivably tempt many motorists from fossil-fuelled choices. Meantime, the irrepressible Elon is now spruiking a second generation of his first car, the Tesla Roadster, as well as the Model 3-sized Model Y SUV. No talk on when those will reach our shores yet though.
Toyota
The sleeping giant has awoken and has decided, finally, to develop full electric cars, with 'at least' 10 to become available globally by 'the early 2020s'. The brand's first project is a version of the C-HR small crossover; but this is being built in China just for that market. The global plan embraces Toyota and Lexus branded full-electrics, drawn off a common platform that underpins a compact car, medium and large SUVs, a medium crossover, a medium minivan and a medium sedan. Toyota New Zealand has declined to discuss what opportunities this might present locally.
Volkswagen
The ID.3 is set to be the first of a new generation of bespoke VW EVs scheduled for series production, and therefore the first of the brand's new ID series. Fun fact: The car's name spawns from VW proposing this to be the start of its third major chapter in car development, following the Beetle and the Golf.
Again, it will not stand alone. Last September VW announced plans to build 27 electric cars on its MEB affordable electric-car architecture by 2022 in an effort it calls 'Electric for All.' Others already announced are the ID Crozz small crossover vehicle (coming out alongside ID.3 next year) and the electric recreation of the classic Microbus, the ID Buzz in 2022.