The 10 hottest electric vehicles coming out in 2022

Saturday, 8 January 2022

Tesla is still the world's most dominant electric vehicle force, but competition is coming.

The world's most valuable car company, with a market value north of US$930 billion, outpaced all other automakers in electric vehicle sales through the first three quarters of 2021. But Tesla is from alone in a market that becomes more packed with competition with each passing year.

Toyota Design Senior General Manager Simon Humphries on the company's new range of battery electric vehicles.

Volkswagen's electric vehicles have outsold Tesla in Europe so far this year. U.S. website Motor Trends' coveted awards for best pickup and car of 2022 already went to a pair of Tesla rival start-ups: Rivian's R1T pickup and Lucid Motors' Air, respectively.

There's more, too. Toyota said recently it will invest US$35 billion to turn out 30 different models of battery-powered electric vehicles by 2030. That followed a November pledge from Nissan, which plans to spend nearly US$18 billion on its own planned lineup of electric vehicles before the end of the decade.

The all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning truck during an augmented reality presentation at the Motor Bella Auto Show in Pontiac, Michigan.

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A promotional website for the Cybertruck, Tesla's forthcoming electric pickup.

Here are 10 of the most anticipated new electric vehicles expected to hit the global market next year, and their chances of making it to New Zealand:

Ford's F-150 Lightning

Ford's F-150 Lightning electric pickup, which goes on sale in the spring, is a bet that the Detroit-based automaker can gain a strong foothold in the electric truck market off a single vehicle.

It's a good bet: Ford's F-150 series of pickups have won the title as America's best-selling car – not just trucks – for 40 straight years. That's the sort of unmatched popularity that makes the Lightning one of the most anticipated vehicles to ever hit the market.

Rivian's R1S electric SUV arrives in the USA in 2022.

Will it come to New Zealand?

Unlikely. Never say never, as Ford New Zealand would love it, but the company will sell all it can build in the USA anyway, and currently doesn’t offer the existing ICE F-150 in RHD form either. However, we fully expect the technology and lessons Ford learn in building the Lightning to translate fairly swiftly into a Ranger Lightning. Maybe in the next few years? Hopefully.

Tesla Cybertruck

Electric vehicle start-up Lucid has started production of its first cars for customers has started at its factory in Casa Grande, Arizona.

The futuristic-looking truck – which takes its aesthetic inspiration from the films 'Blade Runner' and 'The Spy Who Loved Me,' according to Tesla CEO Elon Musk – was originally supposed to arrive on the market by the end of 2021.

But Tesla has repeatedly pushed back the release date due to various delays, and the Cybertruck is now expected to be available in late 2022. That means Tesla's first electric pickup will likely get beaten to the market by Rivian's and Ford's electric pickups, along with an electric Hummer pickup that General Motors started shipping to U.S. customers earlier this month.

Will it come to New Zealand?

Most likely. But the bigger question is “when?” Tesla has pushed the Cybertruck back a few times already, and we are still waiting to see the RHD version of the Model Y SUV here. However, as Tesla ramps up its production capabilities around the world things should become clearer.

Fisker officially revealed the Fisker Ocean all-electric luxury crossover at CES 2020 in Las Vegas.

Rivian R1S

Rivian delivered an award-winning pickup truck in the USA in 2021, and consumers are already looking ahead to the Irvine, California-based start-up's second act. The R1S SUV is expected to start shipping out to customers in March 2022.

Will it come to New Zealand?

Technically, it already has – in prototype form – with several seen around the Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds near Wanaka, no doubt there for some late development winter testing. However, Rivian has said it will be building both the R1S and R1T pickup in RHD form, and has expressed a strong interest in selling them in Australia, making it quite likely we will eventually see them here. The big question is when, as Rivian is still in the process of ramping up its production capabilities.

The Lifestyle Vehicle electric minivan from Canoo.

Lucid Air Pure

The Newark, California-based electric automaker released its first car, the Lucid Air, this year – and it won Motor Trend honors right out of the gate. Next up: the less expensive Air Pure version, which costs roughly US$77,000, compared to the US$169,000 price tag for the high-performance Dream Edition.

The Air Pure is expected to hit the market in late 2022, and will likely feature a top range of more than 640 kilometres.

A BMW iX on display during the 4th China International Import Expo at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai.

Will it come to New Zealand?

It is possible, as is currently accepting reservations from LHD European markets and has confirmed it will be producing a RHD version for the UK market, so it is possible. However, like the F-150, Lucid will have its hands full covering demand from the US market for the time being, so we will be well down the list…

Fisker Ocean

One of General Motors' two Super Bowl ads this year will feature the Cadillac Lyriq. In this provided screenshot of the Cadillac ad, the Lyriq appears to be in the fictional neighborhood of 1990's 'Edward Scissorhands' movie.

Fisker, another California-based electric car start-up, is set to start production on its first vehicle – the Ocean SUV – in the fourth quarter of 2022.

The hype largely comes from its environmental promise: Fisker says it wants the SUV to be the 'world's most sustainable vehicle.” and will feature a solar-paneled roof for additional battery charging and an interior made from recycled materials.

Will it come to New Zealand?

Henrik Fisker has said that right-hand drive versions would be developed “ASAP”, but he said this alongside three other EVs he revealed to join the Ocean in his line-up, meaning that his fledgling company will have its hands full. And Fisker does have a habit of over-promising and under-delivering…

The Nissan Ariya will finally be launched in 2022, after a delay due to the global semiconductor shortage.

Canoo

The Los Angeles-based electric car start-up with a unique aesthetic made waves by going public at the end of 2020, before announcing a bubbly pickup and camper in March 2021. In late 2022, Canoo will finally start delivering its first vehicle, an electric compact minivan, which the company calls its Lifestyle Vehicle. Described by Canoo as a 'loft on wheels,' the electric van offers lounge seating in the rear.

Will it come to New Zealand?

While this one seems the least likely, it is actually possible – Canoo has said on Twitter that “Our true steer-by-wire system allows us to move the steering wheel to suit any cabin design or driver positioning. This versatility is ready to accommodate right-hand drive, future Canoo vehicles and full autonomy once commercially available.” So it certainly is a possibility!

Kia New Zealand will be launching the EV6 here in the first quarter of 2022.

BMW iX

The German luxury automaker's electric SUV's prominent 'intelligent kidney grille' in the front contains cameras and sensors to help melt ice or snow. BMW also advertises the car's exterior as made from a 'self-healing' material that's resistant to minor chips and scratches.

Will it come to New Zealand?

Yes, this one is already confirmed. In fact, it was slated to launch in New Zealand late last year, but we haven’t actually seen it yet…

Cadillac Lyriq

Cadillac's first-ever electric vehicle is an SUV that will be available at dealerships in the summer of 2022, according to the GM-owned brand, which plans to be fully electric by 2030.

The Lyriq will have a range of more than 480km and will also be the first car on the market with GM's new Ultium EV platform, a next-generation battery system that purports to both cheaper and more efficient than standard EV batteries.

Will it come to New Zealand?

While this would have been a firm “no”, we would be willing to shift it to be a shaky “maybe” thanks to the relative ease of switching EV skateboard platforms to RHD and the launch of GM Speciatly Vehicles in New Zealand and Australia. However, Cadillac has never worked in this part of the world (a last-minute aborted attempt by Holden to launch the CTS here was the last time anyone tried), so we would pin more hope on Chevrolet or Hummer badged EVs on the Ultium platform making it here.

Nissan Ariya

More than a decade after launching the Leaf, one of the first mass-market electric cars, Nissan is expanding its slate of electric vehicles. The Ariya is a crossover SUV offers up to 480km of range, and will be available starting in the fall of 2022.

Nissan says it will launch 23 new electric car models, including the Ariya, by 2030. Out of those upcoming releases, 15 will be fully electric while the other eight will be hybrids.

Will it come to New Zealand?

Nissan New Zealand are very keen to get it, and the Ariya is RHD, but the level of global demand will likely affect our place in the queue. We would put money on it eventually coming here though.

Kia EV6

Due out in January in the U.S., the EV6 is a fully electric SUV from Kia, and part of the Korean company's plan to roll out 11 electric vehicle models by 2026.

The EV6 boasts 'ultra-fast charging' with an 800-volt system that can theoretically take the car's battery from 10 per cent to 80 per cent charged in just 18 minutes.

Will it come to New Zealand?

It definitely will, and it is not far away. Kia New Zealand has confirmed the EV6 and hopes to launch it in the first quarter of this year, just after it launches its ambitious “Plan S” that is aimed at increasing vehicle electrification, connectivity and autonomy here.