The overtaking is imminent. Tesla Model Y is the best-selling car in Europe in 2023. By 2033, there will be more electric cars in the US, China and Europe than any other powertrain. It is a matter of time, and traffic in cities and on the roads will sound completely different. People driving electric cars will no longer see the smoke of fossil fuels in their mirrors. One day we will no longer say that we are out of petrol, but will ask our trusted electrician where we can plug in.
It is certain that to make the energy transition, it will not be enough to replace all endothermic cars with electric cars: we will need to radically rethink collective mobility as a whole. In the meantime, however, the market for BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) is growing steadily and car manufacturers are concentrating on innovating their ranges with new electric car models, in view of the transition that will see the final farewell to endothermic engines in the next decade.
The models coming in 2023 are characterized by a better balance between technology and performance, with ranges ranging from small city cars for urban mobility to spacious SUVs. The latter is the segment currently seeing the largest number of models coming out, both because of a high market demand for electric vehicles with ample range and comfortable interior space, and because of the higher margin this segment brings to manufacturers.
With a continuous expansion of the charging network throughout the country, more and more people are deciding to take advantage of the new opportunity and find a sustainable alternative for their daily commute.
Below you will find the most interesting and in-demand BEV models coming out in 2023.
Abarth 500e: a “Scorpionissima” with a burst of adrenaline
The scorpion stings again. The iconic image of a brand that has made the history of modernisation returns in a superlative version. “Scorpionissima”, in fact, is the name given by the Turin-based brand Abarth to a reinterpretation of the iconic 500 in a totally electric key. The launch edition with the name “Scorpionissima”, with the historic logo now totally revamped, can be ordered from February 2023 and is produced for this initial phase in less than two thousand examples, making the Abarth 500e a decidedly exclusive vehicle. The list price for this limited edition of the Abarth 500e is 43.000 Euro. Later on, other versions with different features, prices and power ratings will also be available.
Much time has passed since the mufflers produced by Karl Abarth made generations of young racers dream. But the spirit of competition, the dream of power of those with speed in their blood remains alive, finding in the conversion to electric a new race to face, and to win this time too.
For charging times: the 3 kW home socket will take a total of 15 hours and 15 minutes (in MODE 2) for a full charge, while the 11 kW charging station will reduce the time to just 4 hours and 15 minutes (in MODE 3). With an 85 kW fast-charger (in MODE 4), on the other hand, as much as 80 per cent of the battery can be recharged in just 35 minutes, the time of a “bite-sized” lunch at a motorway service station.
The driving experience offered by the Scorpion is a mix of advanced technology, historical records and lots and lots of speed. The new Abarth 500e is a car with a sporty soul in acid tones, like its colouring, and with lines blown by the winds in its nuances, perfect for those who want a car that sums up style, performance and sustainability.
Volkswagen ID.3 Restyling: new style, new energy
It has been a long time since Volkswagen came up with the Think Small campaign to enter the US market, subverting all stereotypes associated with cars. Not size, power, strength, but agility and dynamism.
In a way, Volkswagen continues to subvert expectations and stereotypes. The restyled Volkswagen ID3 finally overturns the concept of the future by bringing it closer to the needs of people today. Drawing on experience, it has moved towards a style that is certainly more classic than the first version, which was projected into a more conceptual and in some ways more uncertain future. Now, however, with this new version, the German manufacturer has managed to adjust the focus and give more functionality to its car, also thanks to the feedback received from its community.
The Wolfsburg assembly lines, joined by those in Dresden and Zwickau, will produce the new ID.3 Restyling from this autumn in two versions, with a battery compartment of different capacities:
- Pro coupled with a 58 kWh battery;
- Pro S paired with a 77 kWh battery.
The price list for the four pre-configured equipment versions, which will be available from late summer 2023, will start from 43,600 Euro for the ID.3 Life up to over 56.000 Euro for the ID.3 Tour with 77 kWh and 204 hp.
The innovations do not only involve engine features. The Wolfsburg-based company wanted to give the new Volkswagen ID.3 a complete makeover, both outside and inside the vehicle. You can see that maturity has been achieved: having started from a design that included decals on the rear pillar and stickers on the side, we have arrived at a more sober style, which is even more evident in the interior trim where the soft microfibre surfaces set into the hatches have been enlarged, while on the outside the black band on the bonnet has been eliminated to give the eye a cleaner, more modern look
That’s not all: the front end has been revised, focusing mainly on aerodynamic modifications that have improved the flow of air that constantly skims the car, thereby reducing fuel consumption even further. While the adaptive LED headlights (or the optionally available MATRIX LEDs) ensure perfect lighting in all driving conditions.
The 18” or 19” rims and the rear pillar without the infamous ‘sticker’ that had made some people turn up their noses, complete the update of this revised version.
The ID3 is not just beauty. Manufactured directly in Germany, this car inherits the DNA of the highly celebrated Golf, but the new Volkswagen MEB platform (in German Modulare Elektrifizierungsbaukasten, ‘Modular Electrification Platform’), and its modular and customisable batteries allow for an even more advanced driving experience based on the needs of the driver.
LED light clusters, a double-bottomed boot to store the charging cable, a centre console with lots of compartments and wireless charging make the Volkswagen ID.3 one of the most functional cars on the market.
The digital dashboard with a 5-inch screen dedicated to the driver, the large 12-inch touchscreen and the small head-up display projected onto the windscreen thanks to augmented reality envelop the driver, almost giving the feeling of being inside a spaceship from some science fiction film.
The new Volkswagen ID.3 also offers excellent roominess for rear passengers, thanks to its 2.77 metre wheelbase and the obvious absence of a drive shaft, which increases the available interior space.
The version with a 77 kWh battery offers the possibility of four seats given the overall weight of the batteries, while the lighter version with a 58 kWh battery allows a total of five people to be carried.
All the measures adopted for this new version make the driving experience even more pleasant and intuitive. In addition, the long list of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) level 2 offer greater driving safety.
In short, the new restyled Volkswagen ID3, which will be available from the fourth quarter of 2023, is a car with exceptional performance, but also a design that makes you want to open the door and speed into the future, with a spacious and functional interior and a price range that makes it accessible to different segments of the public. This car is made for those who do not want to give up the comfort of a family car, full of eco-friendly materials and combined with high-end performance. If you are looking for a reliable brand with a history of success, you should consider the new Volkswagen ID3.
Volvo EX90 electric: the electric experience that is (not) priceless
Volvo has always been an icon of the automotive industry, a beautiful tale of industrial history and friendship. Volvo, from the Latin revolvere, meaning to roll, to flow, has in its DNA the constant search for novelty, to pursue innovation while keeping its course on the tracks of safety and reliability, ever since Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson, the two founding friends of the historic car brand, realised their dream car that could withstand the relentless Scandinavian climates, with cold temperatures that are certainly not willing to forgive superficiality.
The desire to meet these needs, in a context full of unforeseen events, has made this company one of the most innovative in its sector. An innovation that has certainly not stopped at the relentless pursuit of comfort and safety in its cars, quite the contrary. In fact, Volvo is a company that in recent years has committed itself perhaps more than any other to environmental protection. For the new EX90, only recycled materials such as steel, aluminium, plastic and wood will be used in order to be totally carbon-free.
In fact, the Swedish carmaker has already announced that by 2040 it will become an entirely Climate Neutral company, once again demonstrating its attention and sensitivity to environmental and sustainability issues.
With the arrival of the new electric EX90 Volvo has taken the first big step towards a fully electric and carbon-free future. The new EX90 is the heir to the combustion-powered XC90 (ICE), but its design has been completely revised to meet the challenges of the future.
The vehicle is massive and imposing, with a length of over 5 metres and a width of almost 2 metres and a weight of around 2,800 kg. Despite its size, which certainly does not go unnoticed, the EX90’s soft, slightly curved lines have been designed in such a way as to make it extremely elegant and sophisticated, despite its mighty bulk.
Compared to the XC90, the grille has been eliminated in the new EX90, leaving room only for the Volvo logo. Revised in 2020, the traditional image of the circle and arrow dedicated to the god Mars that has always characterised the brand now dominates the front of the car, managing to convey a vision of the brand’s distinctive tenacity, robustness and elegance.
The front LEDs, designed in a ‘hammer’ pattern, provide a nice, playful pixel effect, vaguely reminiscent of Minecraft cubes. These cubes, on the other hand, suddenly open like a shell, revealing the fog lights inside them, creating a playful movement with a unique effect in the automotive world.
The electric Volvo XC90 is also an extremely secure car, as it is equipped with a state of the art ADAS. The car is equipped with no less than eight cameras, both exterior and interior, which can detect signs of fatigue or even possible food poisoning in passengers. It is also equipped with five radars and a lidar system that allows the XC90 to detect possible hazards or objects in the roadway up to 250 metres away, even in total darkness. The technology on board is equally impressive, with a 15-inch vertical central screen and a slim driver display containing all the information we need.
The XC90 is powered by a 111 kWh battery and has all-wheel drive. The car is available with a power output of 400 hp or 517 hp and offers a range of 460 km (in WLTP cycle – Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure), which can go up to the claimed 600 km in ideal driving conditions. Charging speed is equally impressive, with the ability to charge up to 250 kW peak, enough to get us 180 km in just 11 minutes of charging.
Price is definitely not its strong point, with 105.000 euros being asked for the 400 hp version, up to the 110.000 euros needed to get your hands on the 520 hp version.
In summary, the new electric Volvo EX90 represents a major move towards the electric future of the automotive industry. With its sleek and impressive design, cutting-edge technologies and environmental focus, the electric EX90 is set to set the pace for the EV sector.
Electric Jeep Avenger: Jeep’s first electric SUV
The new electric Jeep Avenger is a car that manages to blend an all-American ‘Great Race to the West’ adventurous soul with transalpine refinement and elegant poise. The starting price of 35.400 Euro makes this muscular and compact B-SUV accessible to a wide audience, perfect for those who do not want to sacrifice comfort or give up the convenience of the latest technology.
The many small aesthetic touches scattered on the car, such as the details on the front grille, or the silhouette of a man looking through a telescope drawn on the windscreen, give the electric Jeep Avenger an indomitable spirit that is capable of offering both the comfort of a silent living room on wheels and the grit of a responsive engine in every situation, even off-road. Difficult and rugged terrain where the brand has always been a favourite of those who want an off the grid experience, this time with the support of an electric vehicle born to shine.
The interior space of the electric Jeep Avenger is discreet for a car in the B-SUV segment. The rear space is ideal for two people, while three people of average height might feel a little limited in space. Dedicated rear lights and an electric tailgate with foot-operated opening enhance practicality, as does the double floor that offers additional luggage space.
The 10.25-inch display in the centre of the dashboard provides a control centre at the touch of a button. The central tunnel with ample storage space, the high seat and the height- and depth-adjustable steering wheel allow drivers of all heights and sizes to access the passenger compartment without complicated manoeuvring and to find the most comfortable position, even for prolonged driving sessions.
The electric Jeep Avenger is powered by the EMP2 modular platform designed by PSA for its cars and a 156 hp electric motor, which ensures good acceleration progression, giving the driver an immediate and gradual response to every touch of the pedal.
The 51 kWh battery offers a claimed range of 400 km according to the WLTP cycle, Worldwide Harmonised Light-Duty Vehicles Test Procedure. Regenerative braking and the three modes sport, normal and eco improve its efficiency and energy yield, making it possible to adapt the car’s performance to our character.
With 100 kW fast charging, the Jeep Avenger can be recharged from 20% to 80% in just 24 minutes. On the other hand, using the alternating current from a wallbox or charging station, the car can fully recharge its battery in five and a half hours.
All in all, the new electric Jeep Avenger is a B-SUV that combines European elegance with American strength, a car that offers technology, range and comfort at an affordable price.