The Best Electric Vehicles of 2022

 Stylish AFFORDABLE ELECTRIC HATCHBACK 

Nissan Leaf 

 Despite Tesla’s current domination of the EV business, it’s important to mention that Nissan erected the first affordable electric vehicle in 2010 – the Leaf. Coming into the request with a starting MSRP of $32,780 —$25,280 with the EV duty credit — it was propelled by a 23-kilowatt-hour battery that promised 100 country miles of range. Setting the stage as an affordable electric vehicle that people actually wanted to buy, the Leaf converted other automakers to wade further into the EV waters. The question remains if the advancements to the rearmost model are sufficient to keep up with that ever-growing competition. 

 

 With a recent refresh in 2017, the Nissan Leaf entered a streamlined powertrain, offering up 226 country miles of range. Still, it presumably won’t surprise you to hear that the$ base Tesla Model 3’s range of 263 country miles is class-leading in this sub-$ price type. Other similar vehicles include the$ Volkswagen ID.4 with 250 country miles and the$ Kia Niro with 239 country miles. 

Unlike its EV- producing compatriots, Nissan didn’t fall victim to the current trend of massive infotainment defenses. The Leaf Plus features a full-color, 8- inch display – with comity for Apple Car Play and Android Bus – furnishing a good quantum of real estate without being too distracting. The lower screen leaves plenitude of room for tactile buttons and clods on the center press. For some reason, we see numerous automakers entering the EV request looking to relieve the cabin of any and all tactility. While I understand that digital controls are easier on the eyes and clean up the interior, they aren’t always stoner-friendly. 

 

 Numerous electric vehicles succumb to the endless pursuit of letting others know that they’re battery-powered. We frequently see this with frontal tulle deletes, wacky names, and vehicles that are nominated at an 11 out of 10. While there’s a time and a place for this kind of pomp and circumstance, it’s stimulating to see that Nissan aimed for the Leaf Plus to be a great machine first and foremost. 

Stylish ELECTRIC SEDAN 

 Polestar 2 (Dual Motor) 

 Unlike with utmost EVs, which are concentrated on maximum effectiveness, Polestar says its rearmost model seeks to not just stand out in the electric space but also be a fantastic motorist’s auto. That’s a bold claim for any manufacturer to make, but especially for a hefty EV that tips the scales at pounds. Having said that, the binary- motor’s dexterity through the corners incontinently took me by surprise. 

 With over 400 power on the valve, the Polestar 2 is aplenty fast — suitable to launch itself to 60 mph in just 4.45 seconds. Our vehicle was also optioned out with Polestar’s Performance Pack, which aims to ameliorate driving dynamics. However, a fresh $5, 000 will give you malleable Öhlins suspense ( front and reverse), If you choose the binary-motor option. Trust me, the unheroic seatbelt is cooler than you suppose. 

 While utmost auto companies in the EV space are caught up in the perpetual arms race of 0-60 times, the Polestar 2 actually knows what to do when it approaches a corner. Indeed after I carried a bit too important speed into some of the tighter switchbacks on my drive, the combined stopping power of the regenerative retardation system and Brembo thickets allowed for ridiculous point-and-squirt driving. The ABS estimation was excellent, letting me stamp on the boscage pedal with little electronic hindrance. 

 It’s stimulating to see Polestar’s commitment to doing its own thing in an assiduity where direct competition is fierce. Trust me, as I’ve been through a plenitude of donations where automakers get caught up in comparing themselves to the competition. After drooling with colorful members of the engineering and PR brigades, it’s clear that they just want to make a great machine. Outside of the EV space, numerous of them are auto suckers like the rest of us — giving them a leg up, knowing what suckers and casual drivers want from a machine. 

Stylish ELECTRIC COMPACT SUV 

 Volkswagen ID.4 AWD 

While EVs are a comparatively new idea in the automotive assiduity, Volkswagen formerly has over 80 times of experience under its belt structure excellent motorcars. In a world where unproven startups are prioritizing the chase for effectiveness and performance over stoner-friendly features, VW erected an electric vehicle that aims to be approachable for those making the switch from internal combustion. 

 

 Right from the launch, Volkswagen’s intentions with the ID.4 AWD are clear. The German automaker’s electric r has to negotiate just about everything that an average machine is able of. Among other effects, it needs to be easy to drive at low pets, comfortable, and approachable to those that are making the change from internal combustion to electric power. 

From the motorist’s seat, the ID.4 constantly felt like it was by low-earth route, cruising along with ease. Just as we had discovered with the former auto, the accelerator pedal is veritably direct at low pets, allowing for veritably smooth power delivery. While the rearmost variant isn’t anything special when you toss it into a corner, the balance of necklace, comfort, and style on the road reminded me of the current piston-powered grand tourers on the request — BMW’s M8, the Bentley Continental, and the GT from McLaren, among others. Despite the emotional performance numbers, these vehicles all give a veritably comfortable experience on the road. 

 

 Having driven a 2015 GTI daily for the once five times, I know that Volkswagen has the wherewithal to produce comfortable and swish innards. As there’s no GTI variant of the ID.4 — or GTX interpretation for that matter — the seats aren’t wrapped in plaid but remain just as comfortable. Lumbar support was excellent, indeed for someone of my lower elevation (under 6 bases altitudinous and 140 pounds). Throughout the there-determined drive route, I noway endured any pangs or pains and was suitable to acclimate the seat right where I demanded it. 

Stylish ELECTRIC STATIONWAGON 

 Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo

 Last time, we awarded the RWD Taycan a Pop Mech EV award as one of the stylish electric vehicles you can buy. A lot of motorists agreed with our assessment — the auto has outsold Tesla’s decoration models, the Model S and Model X. While that interpretation appealed with its excellent figure quality, comfort, practicality, and driving mores, this GTS model offers a performance boost that will appeal to the type of driving suckers who Porsche does so well at pleasing. 

 This is the first Porsche EV with the GTS name, an emblem that Porsche uses on models that fold in some of the most popular performance upgrades into a cost-saving package that combines the stylish of track- day bournes with everyday driving comfort. In this GTS, Porsche gives you more important motors that approach the performance of the Taycan Turbo and Turbo S. In GTS form, the Taycan pumps out 590 hp and 626 lb-ft of the necklace. With Launch Control actuated (another point you won’t find on the standard Taycan), the auto will hit 60 mph in3.5 seconds and cover a quarter afar in just over 11 ticks of the timepiece. 

 In addition to a more important motor and launch control, the GTS package includes Porsche’s necklace-vectoring- plus system for further nimble running and an everyday tune of the Taycan’s electronically controlled suspense, which reacts to road conditions to reduce body roll and increase comfort. Suede-like Race-Tex fabric adorns the inside and the vehicle’s surface gets a custom lower fascia and side skirt, as well as a stealthy hinder diffuser. Numerous EVs are known for their near-instant acceleration — this bone also has exceptional running, which we endured on California’s wringing flume roads and while dropping into out-camber corners at the state’s celebrated Willow Springs Raceway. 

Both standard and Sport Turismo vehicles have reasonable quantities of interior space; the hinder seats are tight for grown-ups, snug for high passengers but not confined. Like the RWD we love, the GTS interpretation has exceptional figure quality with tight seams and no conspicuous clamors on our short-but-not-delicate test drives. And both performances offer a massive panoramic sunroof, which has nine individual parts that you can control to telephone in the ideal quantum of light or shade. And telephoning it in is what the GTS package is about — giving you a number of performance, comfort, and design options that make a formerly-great EV indeed more engaging and instigative to drive.