With more and more car manufacturers focusing their efforts on making EVs, it is only a matter of time before we have an EV in every segment and by every major company. The year 2021 will witness the launched of many electric cars and here are five of them that we are looking forward to.
Whether petrol-heads like it or not, almost every car manufacturer is shifting gears towards an electric future. Some are even planning to have their entire line-up be comprised of EVs in the near future. This move has been inspired by a growing concern for the environment and the pollution caused by internal combustion engines. The environmental impact of an EV is also questionable but it seems to be slightly better than IC engines. While the EV infrastructure in India is still far from ideal and the initial cost of buying an electric vehicle is more than conventional cars, it is becoming more and more practical to opt for an electric car day by day. The tech has evolved a lot in the past few years and we are now getting more capable cars with better range and charging capabilities. The year 2021 will see more EVs being brought into the Indian market and here are five upcoming electric cars that we are looking forward to:
1) Audi e-Tron
The e-tron is Audi’s first fully electric SUV and is set to launch in Indian this year. Despite being an EV, it gets design cues similar to other members of the Audi family. It comes with smart looking LED headlamps and gets a connected tail light at the rear. It will be propelled by two electric motors and an all-wheel-drive system. There will also be an e-tron S which will get an additional motor and can do speeds of up to 210kmph. Acceleration is pretty quick as well and reaching 100kmph from a standstill comes in just 4.5 seconds. This version of the SUV also gets sportier bumpers and 22-inch alloys. The interior will be full of tech and one can find three digital screens spread around the dash. You also get a host of smart features like connected car technology, adaptive cruise control, surround-view cameras, air suspension and more.
2) Volvo XC40 Recharge
The Volvo XC40 was initially introduced in the Indian market with a diesel motor. Sometime after that, the company got rid of the diesel engine and brought in a petrol engine in its place. Now, we will be getting a third avatar of the XC40 in India and this one will be all-electric. The XC40 Recharge will be the Swedish manufacturers first EV in India. Powered by two electric motors the XC40 Recharge produces 402hp and Volvo claims that it can go from 0 to 100kmph in 4.9 seconds. It will come with a 78kWh battery and deliver a claimed range of 418km on a single charge. The compact SUV will also come with Google Assistant built-in and receive automatic over-the-air (OTA) updates. Visually, the XC40 Recharge will look very similar to the petrol-powered variant except for small changes here and there. The front grille has been closed off and the bumper has been redesigned slightly. Deliveries for the vehicle should begin later this year.
3) Mercedes-Benz EQS
We recently reported that the Mercedes EQS will make its global debut on April 15 this year. It will be the company’s flagship EV and be equivalent to the S-Class. The luxury sedan has been built on a new platform that will be used to spawn more EVs in the future. Mercedes is also claiming that EQS will provide a range of over 700km on a single charge. The exterior design will be minimalistic and the car boasts of a drag co-efficient of just 0.20. That is the lowest compared to any road car! A big talking point of the EQS will be its futuristic interior. A 56-inch touchscreen is nothing to scoff at after all! Mercedes-Benz surprised us last year by introducing the EQC electric SUV in India and we are expecting the company to do the same with the EQS. The vehicle could reach Indian shores via the CBU route by the end of the year.
4) Mahindra eKUV100
This one has been eluding us for some time now. First showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo, the eKUV100 is a fully electric version of the regular KUV100. It shares the same basic silhouette as the IC engine powered counterpart but has some tweaks in the front grille and bumper area. This small EV will come with a 40kW electric motor that is capable of producing 54.4hp and 120Nm of peak torque. The company claims that it will have a range of 150km and can be charged in 6 hours with a regular charger. A fast charging option will be available as well. The eKUV100 should be priced above the regular model and we expect Mahindra to price it around the Rs 8.2 lakh (ex-showroom) mark. The global pandemic has probably caused the launch of this vehicle to be pushed ahead up until now.
5) Tata Altroz EV
Another product that was showcased to us at the 2020 Auto Expo was the electric version of Altroz. The smart-looking hatchback has proven to be a successful product for the homegrown carmaker. It comes with a choice of three engine options currently – 1.2-litre NA petrol, 1.5-litre diesel and the recently launched 1.2-litre turbo-petrol. Tata Motors could bring in the Altroz EV too as the company already has a few EV products in their portfolio. In fact, we expect Tata to provide the same in the Altroz EV that is also seen in the Nexon EV. This means that the hatchback will get a 30.2kWh Lithium-ion battery pack and provide a range of almost 300km on a single charge. Customers will also be able to make use of the fast charging feature and charge the vehicle to 80 per cent in 60 minutes.
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