We're seeing some incredibly interesting EVs from popular brands such as Tesla, Rivian, and Polestar. The futuristic Rivian R1T truck is finally making its way to customers, Polestar by Volvo is releasing the most beautiful EVs on the market, and Tesla is well-known for having some of the most valuable EVs on the market. But what are some of the more obscure, lesser-known electric vehicle manufacturers worldwide?
Here are five of the most interesting companies making EVs you should know about that aren't getting mainstream attention.
1. Delorean
Delorean is finally back and has unveiled the Alpha5 Launch Edition. It's a gorgeous electric vehicle with huge gull-wing doors, a bar taillight, and even a couple of backseats. Delorean says that the Alpha5 will hit 60mph in just under three seconds and have over 300 miles of range, so it has a lot of hype to live up to.
The vehicle takes some design elements from the 1981 DMC-12, the famous vehicle showcased in the Back to the Future series, but at its core seems to be a separate vehicle altogether attempting to find its own identity. No information on pricing is available yet, but Delorean encourages those who want to reserve an Alpha5 to sign up for its mailing list.
2. NIO
Like many lesser-known EVs, NIO is a Chinese EV startup. There are lots of EV startups seen on social media, showcasing an impressive render of the car they would like to make, and are simply waiting on investors and manufacturing to take place. Unfortunately, these startups often don't even end up delivering a single car.
NIO, on the other hand, has already delivered over 200,000 vehicles, according to a May 2022 press release.
NIO has some very impressive models in its lineup, consisting of sedans and SUVs. The ES7, for example, has impressive specifications and features. The ES7 hits 60mph in under 4 seconds, has a range of over 570 miles and can tow up to 4,400 pounds. It will be interesting how towing a heavy trailer may affect the range in real-world conditions. It also has a beautiful interior with ambient lighting and a large touch-screen display; the ES7 gives even German luxury brands a run for their money.
Pricing starts at around $70,000 and for now can only be bought in China and parts of Europe, though they plan to add several new countries to that list by 2025, including Australia and the United States.
3. Fisker
Those who have been fans of electric vehicles for a long time may recognize this one, but it has been out of the EV market for a while. Fisker debuted in 2011 with the Karma, an interesting looking all-electric, luxury sedan. Although deliveries first began in July 2011, the car was discontinued by November 2012 after its only battery manufacture filed for bankruptcy. The Karma also sold poorly, with only around 2,000 vehicles sold worldwide.
However, Fisker has returned by debuting the Ocean, its all-electric crossover. Again, Fisker is going for a slightly quirky design with a boxy look, and unique features not found on a lot of EVs. For example, its solar roof will use solar energy to help charge the battery. On its website, Fisker claims its solar roof "can produce up to 1,500 clean, emissions-free miles per year." Solar panels cannot charge an entire car, but can help with running electronics in the interior, saving the precious battery for range.
The Fisker Ocean will start at $37,999; however, only the highest trims will be manufactured and shipped first, which will cost you $68,999. It is estimated to begin delivery by the end of October 2022.
4. Aspark
The Aspark Owl is the first all-electric Japanese Hypercar. Aspark claims its EV can hit 60mph in 1.69 seconds, which would make it one of the fastest cars in the world. This would be even faster than the current record held by the Koenigsegg Gemera, a Swedish plug-in hybrid, at 1.9 seconds. The Owl produces over 2,000 horsepower, has a top speed of 400km/h (roughly 248mph), and an estimated range of 450km (279 miles).
Although a hypercar like this is out of reach for many of us, it's an amazing feat of engineering by any vehicle manufacture, especially in the EV world. The Owl went on sale in December 2020 in North America and Europe for around $3 million.
5. Byton
Byton is a Chinese EV startup, which has unveiled the M-Byte, a beautiful all-electric SUV. Byton plans to sell its vehicles locally in China, parts of Europe, and the United States. The M-Byte will have up to 286 miles of range with a 95kWh battery and aims to charge from 0-80% in 35 minutes. The M-Byte is following the trends of futuristic infotainment displays with a screen that stretches the length of the dashboard.
Other than those impressive specifications, Byton is not advertising the vehicle with supercar level power. Byton states that the RWD version will hit 60mph in 7.5 seconds, while the AWD version will be slightly faster at 5.5 seconds. This is good news for those interested in purchasing the Byton M-Byte in the future. EV startups that design vehicles with unbelievable performance and extremely long-range end up being more difficult to manufacture and are less likely to be delivered to customers promptly. Byton creating a crossover for the everyday family may be more likely to get support from investors and be more affordable for the customers it caters.
No official price nor a release date has yet been announced for the M-Byte.
The 2020s Is Set to Be a Fantastic Decade for EVs
Although this decade has had its issues so far with chip shortages and a global pandemic, car manufacturers continue to push forward and deliver EVs to their customers. More affordable electric vehicles will release over time, and the world will slowly trade in their internal combustion engines for cleaner all-electric vehicles.