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automotivebriefs

Road

Electric

15: briefs
10:05: average
151 min: in total
13: makers

All briefs15

Lucid Air

Derek Jenkins · 2021

The Lucid Air is a battery electric four-door luxury sedan, Lucid Motors' first production car, announced in December 2016 and launched in 2021. It highlights its record-setting EPA range (up to 520 miles for the Dream Edition), aerodynamic efficiency (Cd=0.21 pre-production, Cd=0.20 production), performance capabilities (e.g., 0–60 mph in 2.5 seconds, 235 mph top speed), and technical features including its 924-volt architecture, bidirectional charging, and DreamDrive ADAS with 32 sensors. The Air Pure, Touring, Grand Touring, and Dream Edition trims are detailed, along with battery capacities (88–112 kWh), power outputs (430–1,111 hp), and production milestones including commencement in late 2021 and deliveries beginning October 30, 2021. Design leadership is attributed to Derek Jenkins, and the vehicle is positioned against the Tesla Model S and German luxury models.

BMW i8

Benoit Jacob · 2014

The BMW i8 is a plug-in hybrid sports car designed by Benoit Jacob and marketed under the BMW i sub-brand. It was unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show and released in Germany in June 2014. U.S. deliveries began in August 2014. A roadster variant launched in May 2018. Production ended in June 2020. The 2015 i8 accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds. It had a 7.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and an all-electric range of 37 km under the New European Driving Cycle. The plug-in hybrid system comprised a three-cylinder, 1.5-litre BMW TwinPower Turbo gasoline engine.

Canoo Lifestyle Vehicle

Richard Kim · 2019

The Canoo Lifestyle Vehicle was a battery electric vehicle with multiple body styles sharing a common platform, including minivan, cargo van, and pickup truck, manufactured by Canoo.

Fiat 500e

FCA Centro Stile · 2012

The Fiat 500e is an electric city car that redefines the 500 lineage without abandoning its visual language. It trades engine noise for immediacy, space for charm, and range for urban precision.

Fisker Karma

Henrik Fisker · 2011

The Fisker Karma is a luxury plug-in range-extended electric sports sedan produced by Fisker Automotive between 2011 and 2012. It was manufactured by Valmet Automotive in Finland. The EPA rated its all-electric range at 32 mi (51 km), and its fuel economy at 52 mpg‑US equivalent in all-electric mode and 20 mpg‑US in gasoline-only mode. It was priced from US$102,000 in the U.S., and around 1,800 units were delivered in North America and Europe through December 2012. Approximately 2,450 Karmas were built before production ceased in November 2012.

Hyundai N Vision 74

SangYup Lee · 2022

Hyundai N Vision 74 is a functional, road-capable concept that tests hydrogen-electric drive in a rear-wheel-drive sports layout. It is not a production preview, nor a styling manifesto — it is engineering made visible.

Jaguar C-X75

Ian Callum · 2010

The Jaguar C-X75 is a 2010 concept car designed by Ian Callum. It uses four wheel-mounted electric motors and two diesel-fed micro gas turbines. It was intended to influence future Jaguar design and technology. Production was announced in 2011 for 2013–2015 but cancelled in December 2012 due to the Great Recession.

McLaren P1

Frank Stephenson · 2013

The McLaren P1 is a mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive hybrid supercar styled by Frank Stephenson. It is the second model in McLaren’s Ultimate Series and a spiritual successor to the F1. Production ran from 2013 to 2015, limited to 375 units. Its design draws partial inspiration from a sailfish. It shares the F1’s carbon fibre monocoque and mid-engine layout. It debuted at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show after a concept reveal at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. It is one of the first high-performance sports cars to incorporate hybrid technology.

Polestar 1

Thomas Ingenlath · 2017

The Polestar 1 is a 2-door plug-in hybrid sports car developed by Polestar as its first independent model. Based on Volvo’s 2013 Concept Coupé and built on Volvo’s SPA platform, it features a twincharged 2.0 L I4 petrol engine driving the front wheels and two electric motors driving the rear wheels. Production was limited to 1,500 units from 2019 to 2022 in Chengdu, China, exclusively for left-hand drive markets.

Porsche Taycan

Mitja Borkert · 2019

The Taycan redefines Porsche’s electric identity—not by chasing range alone, but by engineering for responsiveness, thermal resilience, and driver feedback. It is not a stopgap. It is the first proof that Porsche’s steering, weight distribution, and longitudinal control could translate to battery power without mimicry.

Renault 5 E-Tech

Gilles Vidal · 2024

Renault 5 E-Tech is a B-segment battery electric hatchback produced since 2024. Styled under Gilles Vidal, it draws on the original Renault 5’s form language. Built at Douai using the CMF-B EV platform, it offers 40 kWh or 52 kWh batteries, motor outputs up to 110 kW, and 130 kW DC fast charging via a bonnet-mounted port. Its range peaks at 400 km. It is front-motor, front-wheel drive only.

Tesla Cybertruck

Franz von Holzhausen · 2019

The Tesla Cybertruck is a battery-electric full-size pickup truck designed by Franz von Holzhausen and unveiled as a prototype in November 2019. Its flat, unpainted stainless steel body panels form sharp angles reminiscent of low-polygon computer models. During its 2019 unveiling, Elon Musk struck its side with a sledgehammer—and it dented. It entered limited production at Gigafactory Texas in 2023, with customer deliveries beginning in November 2023. As of 2026, two variants are available: a tri-motor AWD 'Cyberbeast' and a dual-motor AWD model.

Tesla Model 3

Franz von Holzhausen · 2017

The Tesla Model 3 is a battery electric mid-size sedan with a fastback body style introduced in 2017. Franz von Holzhausen led its design. It was marketed as a more affordable, mass-market family car relative to earlier Tesla models. It became the world’s top-selling plug-in electric car from 2018–2020 and the first electric car to reach 1 million global sales in June 2021. It features a five-passenger capacity, front and rear trunks, EPA-rated range of 215 miles for the Standard Range version, sports-car acceleration, and a drag coefficient of Cd=0.225 (later improved to 0.219). A major design refresh — codenamed 'Project Highland' — was introduced in late 2023/early 2024, bringing revised styling, improved range, new hardware (including HW4), and structural changes. The car was designed under Franz von Holzhausen and described as targeting the Audi A4/BMW 3 Series/Mercedes-Benz C-Class segment.

Tesla Model S

Franz von Holzhausen · 2012

The Tesla Model S (2012) is a battery-electric, four-door full-size sedan — Tesla’s second vehicle — designed by Franz von Holzhausen and produced from 2012 to 2026. It established electric propulsion as viable for mainstream saloons, winning Motor Trend Car of the Year in 2013.

VinFast VF 8

Pininfarina · 2022

The VinFast VF 8 is a battery electric mid-size SUV styled by Pininfarina and launched by VinFast in 2022. It features dual-motor all-wheel drive, round proportions, chrome ornamentation, and a double-strip headlamp layout. Its dashboard uses a two-colour aesthetic with physical driving mode switches and a large multimedia touchscreen. Early reception highlighted poor build quality, ride, handling, braking, and driver assistance systems — alongside praise for infotainment, warranty, and range.