Top 5 EVs of 2022 – Hottest Electric Vehicles
Ford F-150 Lightning
To say the Lightning electric pickup truck is a huge deal for Ford is, frankly, putting it mildly. After all, the regular internal-combustion F-150 has been the best-selling vehicle of any kind in the US for over 40 years. This may explain why the look has largely been left untouched. However, everything else has changed. Some 563 hp and 775 pound-feet of torque are provided by dual electric motors. Two battery options offer 230 miles of range from the standard pack and 300 miles for the Extended Range model. You also get a huge “frunk” (front trunk), thanks to the lack of an engine, the ability to tow up to 10,000 lbs, and the Pro Power Onboard system, which provides up to 9.6 kW of power for all manner of tools, electronics, microwave ovens, and other appliances via 11 outlets spread across the cab, bed, and front boot. The F-150 Lightning can even be used to run an average-sized home for up to three days during a power outage. But with such popularity in the preorder phase, you’ll need some luck getting your hands on one in 2022.
GMC Hummer EV
The specs for GMC’s Hummer EV Edition 1 speak for themselves: three electric motors totaling an almost preposterous 1,000 hp and 11,500 lb-ft of torque that will see you launch from standstill to 60 mph in three seconds. Most seem to be getting hot under the collar for the function called Crab Mode. Thanks to the truck’s four-wheel steering, the rear wheels can turn 10 degrees and allow the car to drive diagonally, albeit at low speeds. Range is a more than respectable 350 miles per charge, with 350-kilowatt fast-charging capability that can gain you 100 miles in 10 minutes. The final touch? Removable roof panels.
Lucid Air
Years in development, Lucid Motors’ luxury electric sedan is finally here. The Air Dream Edition has already reached a lucky few, with shipments beginning back in October, and Lucid is only building 520 of them at $169,000 each. The 520 refers to the vehicle’s 520-mile range, which officially makes the Air the longest-range electric car on the road, besting Tesla by more than 100 miles. Top speed is a frightening 168 mph, due in part to the car’s ultra-low drag coefficient. Lucid’s DreamDrive employs 32 sensors and lidar to monitor road conditions, traffic, and the driver, while a 34-inch curved 5K screen offers up all the relevant information in the cabin. Lucid’s opening salvo might bust the budget, but more attainable options of the Air are coming in 2022.
Rivian R1S
The much anticipated, Range Rover-killing R1S is ready to explore “all terrain, in all weather,” according to the company. The seven-seat SUV sibling to the R1T starts at $70,000. Four motors (one on each wheel) provide a combined 750 hp from the electric drivetrain, while drivers can enjoy supercar-like speeds of 0-60 times in three seconds and an estimated 316 miles range. You can tow up to 7,700 lbs, while eight drive modes and a 3-foot wading depth should deal with any obstacles you come across. All the while, you will be cosseted in a plush interior with more tech than you can shake a stick at, including LTE and Wi-Fi connectivity, a Meridian sound system (including four overhead aluminum dome speakers), and a removable Bluetooth speaker for alfresco aural pleasure.
Tesla Cybertruck
More delays to Elon Musk’s cold-rolled stainless steel cheese-wedge-cum-Delorean sees the latest date for its arrival now being touted as 2022. Like it or loathe it, the angular electric pickup with sports car performance and—ahem—”armor glass” might just see the light of day within a year. But don’t hold your breath. Let’s remind ourselves of the stats: payload capacity up to 3,500 lbs; tow capability of 14,000 lbs; Musk has tweeted that the truck will initially come with four motors, 500 miles of range and a 0-60 time under three seconds (single- and dual-motor versions are supposedly also in the works); Musk also added the Cybertruck will now have a ‘Crab Walk’ feature, just like the Hummer EV. Is it too much to hope the Tesla Cyberquad, an electric all-terrain vehicle designed to fit neatly in the back, will be ready at the same time? Probably.