New electric cars 2020: What’s coming and when?

3 years, 8 months ago - 10. July 2020, autocar
New electric cars 2020: What’s coming and when?
Every debut and new model due to arrive over the next twelve months, all in one place

Keeping track of every new car and knowing when they're due to go on sale can be tough, especially if you're only interested in EVs.

There are so many due to arrive over the next twelve months, in spite of the ongoing global health emergency, so it's worth learning how long you'll be waiting for the one you want to go on sale. 2019 saw new entrants to the category from the likes of Audi, Mercedes and MG, with major launches from well-known electric pioneers such as Tesla, Nissan and Renault all following soon after.

The second half of 2020 looks to be even more stacked, as manufacturers work hard to meet increasingly tough emissions rules with the introduction of more all-electric models.

New Cars 2020: what's coming this year and when?​

Here is our comprehensive list of what EVs are coming when in the car industry.

June
DS 3 Crossback E-Tense
Sharing its CMP platform with the Vauxhall Corsa and Peugeot 208, the 3 Crossback is the first fully electric DS model. UK deliveries are due to begin this month.

Designed as a direct rival for the Volvo XC40 and Audi Q2, the Crossback will focus on comfortable, high-end interiors, distinctive exterior styling inspired by the 7 Crossback, and an electric range of around 180 miles from a 50kWh lithium-ion battery. 0-62mph performance is estimated at 8.7 seconds, with a top speed of 93mph.

Honda e
It might arrive as a five-door, rather than the three-door layout previewed by the well-received concept shown at 2017's Frankfurt motor show, but the production version of Honda's compact electric city car promises to retain its retro-inspired looks. The company even went back to the drawing board after the reveal to make sure the real thing stayed as true to the concept as possible.

The Urban EV will arrive on a unique new platform and deliver 136 miles of range. It is available in two performance variants, the base car delivering 134bhp and the more potent Advance variant having 152bhp. The brand's first European electric car has arrived in the UK ready for customer deliveries, with dimensions smaller than the Jazz, and prices starting from £26,560 including government grant.

Skoda Enyaq IV
Set to arrive in SUV and coupe bodystyles in a similar approach to the Kodiaq and China-only Kodiaq GT coupé, Skoda's first dedicated electric car isn't expected to go on sale until 2021, but a production version should be revealed in 2020. Both versions will be based on the VW Group's MEB platform, which is being used across all the company's brands for electric vehicles. Range has been estimated at at least 300 miles, and pricing will be comparable to an upper-range Kodiaq, meaning roughly £30,000. So far we've only driven a prototype, and lockdown restrictions may have bumped back the reveal of the production version, but there shouldn't be too much longer to wait.

July
Polestar 2
Volvo's electric sub-brand introduced its first pure EV in 2019, but customer deliveries won't begin until the middle of 2020 at the earliest, with production at Geely's China factory beginning back in March. The Polestar 2 is a mid-sized saloon-cum-SUV priced from £49,900 incuding government plug-in grant, and promises 311 miles of WLTP-tested range.

Limited to fully-loaded launch editions initially, with 402bhp from twin electric motors, it's yet to be revealed whether more attainable variants using one motor or a smaller battery will be introduced later down the line.

Volkswagen ID 3
Designed and built as a pure electric car, the ID hatchback will be a crucial launch for VW. It will closely match the Golf hatchback in size, and the company is anticipating a price starting from £27,000 - or close to that of a Golf diesel, making it a more affordable EV than existing models, although the First Edition model going on sale first will retail closer to £39,000. Order books will open in July, with the first customer deliveries expected by September.

It will be built on the modular MEB platform, and offer a variety of battery options for a range of between 249 and 373 miles between charges. The final design largely remains true to the original concept, which was first revealed in 2016 and went on to inspire several other ID models, which are all due to launch over the next five years.

Summer 2020
Seat el-Born
The first non-VW model to launch on the MEB platform, the el-Born will have a very similar powertrain and engineering to the ID hatchback, but opts for sportier styling and a more engaging driving experience. Range is predicted to be around 260 miles between charges, while the 201bhp electric motor shown in the concept version promises a 0-62mph sprint of around 7.5 seconds.

It has already been seen in concept guise, and camouflaged test mules have been spotted on the roads, but a final production version isn't set to appear until later in 2020. It is likely to only go on sale once the VW ID 3 has arrived in showrooms.

Autumn 2020
BMW iX3
An electric version of BMW's X3 SUV, the iX3 will arrive with a new four-wheel drive powertrain comprised of two electric motors - one for the front axle and another for the rear. It will closely resemble the petrol-powered X3, rather than take any design inspiration from the more radical i3 and i8, to become only the company's second pure electric car. Each motor should develop around 270bhp from a 70kWh battery, and be capable of around 249 miles of WLTP-certified range.

Lotus Evija
Provided lockdown restrictions are lifted in time, Lotus is expecting to begin production of its first electric car later this year, with customer deliveries due by the end of 2020. The Evija has already sold out its first year allocation, despite costing £2.04 million each and built slots requiring a £250,000 deposit.

While Lotus has yet to confirm performance details, it is reportedly targeting a 0-62mph time of under three seconds, a top speed of over 200mph, and a 0-186mph sprint of less than nine seconds. Multiple electric motors will deliver all-wheel drive and a peak 1973bhp output, making it more powerful than both the 1479bhp Bugatti Chiron and 1888bhp Pininfarina Battista.

Tesla Model Y
Originally revealed in March 2019, Tesla's compact SUV saw North American deliveries begin earlier this year. The sister car to the Model 3 isn't expected to arrive in the UK until next year at the earliest. The much-in-demand SUV will arrive with the option to add a third row - which could make it the go-to EV for large families. It shares a platform and powertrain with the Model 3 saloon, which will hopefully speed up Tesla's ability to deliver cars on time.

A more advanced version of the company's 'supercomputer' semi-autonomous driving system is also predicted, as is a more potent Performance variant.

Volvo XC40 Recharge
The company's very first electric vehicle, the XC40 Recharge is the first of what will quickly become an entire range of EV-adapted versions, rather than brand new ones built around batteries and electric motors. That means an electric XC90 will follow.

Hardware will be shared with Polestar 2, which will arrive first, with customers having to wait until the tail-end of 2020 to see XC40 Recharge models on the roads. When it does, it will deliver 402bhp from twin electric motors, and promises 248 miles of range. Pricing was revealed at £53,000 - nudging the Recharge over the government's updated plug-in car grant maximum cost.

Winter 2020
Audi Q4 e-tron
The concept version of Audi's upcoming mainstream electric SUV was revealed at 2019's Geneva motor show, but a production version isn't set to arrive until 2020 as the firm's fifth electric model. It borrows styling from the e-tron, and will slot in beneath the Q5 in terms of size.

It will use the VW Group's MEB platform, rather than the adapted MQ platform used by the larger e-tron. Twin motors will provide Quattro all-wheel drive and up to 302bhp - around 100bhp less than the full-size e-tron but 100 more than MEB-based hatchbacks like the VW ID.

Audi E-tron GT
The electric grand tourer, which will share a platform with the Porsche Taycan, is expected to make its production debut towards the end of the year. Audi will likely time its reveal with the 2020 LA motor show, if it goes ahead post-pandemic, with the final car expected to go on sale in early 2021.

It is predicted to use a 96kWh battery good for 248 miles of range, with 350kW rapid charging and twin electric motors producing 582bhp. The E-tron GT should be capable of 0-62mph in 3.5sec and a 149mph top speed.

Pininfarina Battista
Only 150 Battista hypercars are set to be produced, but with individual motors for each wheel producing a total 1900bhp, it promises to be powerful in the extreme. Lucky customers will see deliveries towards the end of 2020 from the design house-turned-manufacturer, which has partnered with Rimac for the underlying powertrain.

Tesla Roadster
A flagship sports car to replace the original, Lotus-based Roadster that announced Tesla to the world, the next-generation Roadster has been previewed extensively ahead of an official debut. Tesla claims a top speed in excess of 250mph, a 0-60mph time of 1.9 seconds, and a range of 620 miles thanks to a 200kWh battery pack - the biggest in a production EV. Prices are expected to start at around £189,000 for the first 1000 cars, which will be badged as Founders Edition models. Following that, prices should be around £151,000 when general sales begin in mid-2020.

Rivian R1T
A surprise announcement at 2018's Los Angeles motor show, despite the company behind it having been first formed in 2009, the Rivian R1T is a pick-up truck reimagined for an EV generation. It has clever packaging that makes the most of available space, while the underlying powertrain promises to deliver as much as 754bhp and a 0-60mph time of under three seconds.

It is set to go into production in late 2020, which might be enough time to beat Tesla's upcoming pick-up to the punch.

Spring 2021
Fiat 500
The new electric Fiat 500 shares much of its styling with the current petrol-powered model, but underneath it is entirely new, with a bespoke architecture, 117bhp electric motor and 42kWh lithium iojn battery pack. Range is quoted at 199 miles on the WLTP test cycle, giving it an edge over the Mini Electric and Honda E.

Revealed online following the cancellation of the Geneva motor show in March, the electric Fiat 500 will go on sale in the first quarter of 2021. Prices will start from £29,500 at launch for a top-spec La Prima edition convertible, with hard-top models set to follow later.

Ford Mustang Mach-E
Ford's upcoming pony car caused controversy for several reasons. It will be the first electric car to wear the Mustang badge, and it has a crossover bodystyle. At launch, the range-topping version promises 332bhp and a 0-60 time in the mid 5-seconds, but a full GT model is expected at a later date with 459bhp and a sprint time in the threes.

UK deliveries were originally scheduled for the third quarter of 2020, but Ford pushed that back to Spring 2021 in order to meet expected demand in its home territory. While prices have yet to be made official, it is expected to cost from around £42,000 for an entry-level model, rising to over £60,000 for the top-end version.

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