BYD Dolphin Mini
Having made inroads into the UK with the Seal and full-size Dolphin, Chinese auto giant BYD (Build Your Dreams) is now targeting the small-electric-car market with its Dolphin Mini (pictured above). Priced to rival the UK’s cheapest electric car, Dacia’s Spring, the Dolphin Mini seats four, and claims a range of 175 miles. But it lacks “oomph”: with a small front-mounted 74bhp motor, it takes nearly 15 seconds to get to 62mph (from £16,000).
Dacia Bigster
Due in the spring, this large family SUV (a size up from the Dacia Duster) could tempt buyers away from rivals such as the Kia Sportage, owing to its relatively bargain price, bigger than usual boot and good fuel economy (up to 50mpg). There will be two petrol engines – a mild hybrid and a 155bhp full hybrid. Inside, no-frills Dacia has stripped out excess software, and (thankfully) opted for more simple controls with physical buttons (from £25,000).
Volkswagen ID.2
Said to be an “homage to the Golf, Polo and Beetle”, the ID.2 is aimed at the suburban supermini market. It’s a nippy (0-62mph in about seven seconds), cheap and practical electric hot hatch; it will be front-wheel drive, with a new 223bhp motor and a choice of two batteries (38kWh and 56kWh) for a range of up to 280 miles; and there will be a GTI version too. Inside, there is a large 12.9in central touchscreen (from £21,000).
Ford Puma Gen-E
Unveiled at the end of last year, Ford’s Puma electric looks set to rival family favourites the Kia EV3 and Renault 5. The Romanian-built crossover has a 43kWh battery, with a WLTP range of 233 miles, and is expected to take just 23 minutes to charge from 10-80% using a 100kW fast charger. The boot is huge, and with the frunk, there’s up to 566 litres of space. Inside is a 12in touchscreen and a 12.8in digital display (from £29,995).
Range Rover Electric
Jaguar Land Rover claims its all-electric luxury Range Rover will be nearly as good off-road as the petrol version, with a wading depth of 850mm, and torque management to each wheel to help with agility. It should be smooth on motorways too. Capable of 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds, it has a claimed range of 300 miles on a charge, and with electric architecture of 800 volts, recharging is likely to be fast (from £104,000).
Renault 4 E-Tech
Following the success of the new Renault 5, there are high hopes for this larger, smart electric compact SUV. The Comfort model has a 150bhp motor and a 52kWh battery, capable of 249 miles, while the cheaper Urban Range can do 186 miles. Built for urban use, the Renault 4 is likely to strike the balance between ride and handling, with a “gloriously retro interior”, plus an electronic voice assistant (from £28,000).