It’s a well-known fact that car enthusiasts find it exceedingly difficult to get excited about electric cars. We can understand why, due to all the endless complaints about them having no soul and all of them feeling pretty much identical to drive. The latter one I especially understand.
The 900+ hp Porsche Taycan Turbo S was unable to stir my soul, and if I don’t get out of a $250,000, 900 hp Porsche with a completely changed outlook on life, what’s the point?
The luxury electric cars and the endless onslaught of electric crossovers are difficult to get excited about, yes. But, there actually is a certain group of electric cars that you should be looking forward to. They’re not the fastest, they’re not the biggest, and they’re certainly not the most luxurious, and that is exactly why they are worth exploring.
Ultra Affordable Electric Cars Are Coming
The most exciting electric cars, sadly, will not be reaching US shores anytime soon. Frankly, they should, because even North America is in dire need of small cars that don’t endanger pedestrians due to their immense size and weight.
Those vehicles might even lead to regulation changes, according to AP News. European and Chinese automakers, having established their EV lineups with a variety of lumbering crossovers, are now exploring the frontier of ultra-affordable, small, and cheap electric cars.
One automaker that’s putting extra work into this segment is Renault. The Mobilize Duo is a revival of the bizarro Renault Twizy, with a similar look and a very similar target audience.
Of course, most of you may have heard of the wonderful Citroen Ami, and you might even be aware of its siblings, the Fiat Topolino and the Opel Rocks-e. Cool as all of these may be, they all have the same problem: they’re not exactly cars.
Taking them out on the highway will certainly result in code brown, they only have room for two people (sometimes just one), and they’re too small to be used as regular cars.
These new, upcoming EVs are all about turning EVs into cars in the true sense of the word, making them available to more people in the process. Renault has revived three of its iconic small cars for a trio of retro-modern EVs, beginning with the 5 E-Tech, the 4 E-Tech, and the soon-to-be-released Twingo, which bears a striking resemblance to the much-loved original Twingo.
The Volkswagen Group is also looking to enter this segment with stuff like the ID.2all concept, which will eventually reach production as the ID.2. The Skoda Epiq (yes, that’s what it’s called) is already on its way to fulfill the same purpose, along with Cupra’s entrant which was previewed by the Raval concept from not too long ago.
Chinese automakers are also ready to enter the world of ultra-cheap electric cars, and some of them already have. Models like the Dongfeng Box, which is available in certain European markets, is one of the cheapest electric cars you can buy.
Great Wall Motors and its ORA brand are also going in with small electric cars, though they’re not all that cheap, and some of them are a lawsuit waiting to happen.
Coming in from Korea, Hyundai has introduced the Inster, pictured above. It’s a tiny and adorable electric car based on the Casper. Whereas the Casper is powered by internal combustion, the Inster is EV only.
Meanwhile, still within the HMG umbrella, Kia has introduced a sister car, the Syros. This will eventually reach Europe, exclusively with battery power, as the EV2.
The new Fiat Grande Panda is a small, affordable car that also aims to democratize the EV, and of course, there’s the latest Citroën C3, also available with battery power.
Finally, one of the first cars to kickstart the tiny electric car craze, the recently facelifted Dacia Spring, is still available in Europe, and it’s still doing pretty well in terms of sales, according to Car Magazine.
Why These EVs Are Worth The Excitement
So you’re probably wondering why these electric cars are worth drumming up hype for. Well, for starters, they all have one thing in common: they all look cool.
Renault’s retro-styled EVs are absolute masterpieces of design, and so are the Stellantis siblings. Not all of them rely on retro styling, of course, with some opting for a more futuristic cutesy aesthetic, but they all do a great job at creating an attractive design. If Cupra’s small EV even slightly resembles the Raval concept, can you imagine seeing one of those on the street?
The other aspect of small EVs, and arguably the most important one, is the pricing. These EVs are working to solve one of the biggest issues with electric cars, and thus, one of the key factors in the slump of EV sales: pricing.
Prices vary all over the world, but the automakers behind these cars are aiming for a much lower price tag. With lower prices, electric cars will be democratized further.
Electric cars are also very much at home in the city, so by introducing these city-friendly EVs at a much lower price, more people can use fully electric cars for city commutes, the way God intended. No electric cars worth getting excited for? I’d argue that you’re wrong.
