Electric cars face challenges as we head into 2024.
Audi recently postponed its shift to electric vehicles until 2030. Jaguar is fighting to survive until it can make the expected shift next year.
Ford and General Motors appear to be scaling back their electric power efforts, and other automakers are talking about closing dealerships to stem their financial drain, much of which is attributed to weak demand for electric vehicles.
I’ve owned two electric cars and ordered another, which will be on this list, but we are currently transitioning.
While all transformations are ugly, this one is repulsive because the ecosystem was not and is not prepared for this transformation.
I have no doubt that all of this will be resolved by the end of the decade, but we will likely have a whole new slate of automakers, and many of the ones currently in place could be bought out or shut down due to this shift.
Let’s talk about the five best electric cars in the world right now, some of which are not available in the United States.
We’ll wrap up with my #1 product of the week for 2024, the best electric car charger on the market.
Understand the Practical Application of Electric Vehicles
When selecting a “best of” list, it is important to understand how the reviewer determines the “best” standard.
As I mentioned, I’ve owned two fully electric cars and still own a plug-in hybrid, which now makes more sense for most people than a fully electric car because you’re not relying on existing charging infrastructure to drive long distances.
Until now, electric cars are best used as secondary vehicles for round trips of less than 200 miles, so you can charge them at home and avoid public charging.
This limitation arises mainly because Level 3 chargers have not been reliable, except for Tesla.
However, those of us who can charge primarily from home don’t face this inconvenience and have the advantage of never going to a public charging station that may not work or be inaccessible.
Most electric cars on the market combine an internal combustion engine (ICE) with electric technology, often in conflict.
Developers did not design these two types of technology together, and they probably did not even originate in the same century.
Electric cars should be relatively reliable, but they often aren’t because of this older technology mixed with newer technology, and the two just don’t seem to get along.
So, for the best, I’d choose from a list of electric cars that lack a lot of this outdated technology and have a range of at least 300 miles, which is enough for most people to rely on at home.
If your daily commute is more than 200 miles round-trip, you may want to increase the minimum of your range; Cars with a range of more than 600 miles are coming.
With these range requirements, I would suggest continuing to use an ICE or plug-in hybrid car until 2026, when electric cars with longer ranges and more advanced batteries arrive.
Although only Tesla has this now, I prefer cars with a NACS (Tesla’s North American Charging Standard) port over the non-Tesla J1772 port when possible, since the industry seems to be moving towards the NACS standard.
This will also likely increase the car’s resale value when it’s finished.
Here are my picks for the five best electric cars.
The New Tesla Model 3
Tesla has just updated its Model 3. Although it’s not as advanced as the Tesla Cybertruck, it’s more practical, better priced, and better looking than its bigger, more advanced brother.
With Tesla’s lineup updated, the improvements are worth the wait.
Currently, the Model 3 is the most affordable updated offering and sets the standard for affordable electric vehicles designed from the ground up.
It can be configured with a range of up to 333 miles, which is above the low end of my range bar and has decent performance.
Tesla fit and finish have improved recently (early Model 3s were often delivered incomplete) and it remains one of the best values on the market.
Tesla is also in a good financial position, so among the exclusive EV suppliers, it is most likely to be around in five years,
which is always a consideration since we already have several EV companies that have gone bankrupt.
While prices start at $30,000, fully configured, it’s closer to $45,000, which is still good value.
Lucid Air Sapphire
If I were rich, I would buy a Lucid Air Sapphire. With up to 1,234 horsepower, this car is at the top end of supercars in terms of performance (1.89 seconds from 0 to 60 mph).
It’s in Tesla form but if you want a no-compromise electric car in the US, this is it.
The Lucid Air Sapphire is one of the first cars to use 900-volt charging systems (good luck finding a 900-volt charger today), making it somewhat future-proof. It can be configured with a range of up to 427 miles.
The Gumball Rally was recently run with this car, and the only reason it didn’t break the record is because it can’t use Tesla chargers yet, once again highlighting the usefulness of that charging network.
It’s another basic design that highlights what could be done if the price were almost nothing.
Fisker Ocean Extreme
Since I’m not rich, I recently ordered a Fisker Ocean Extreme, which is much less expensive, at about $65,000 (prices start at the more cost-effective $38,000).
It also features a basic design with a configurable range of about 364 miles, making it meet the minimum easily.
Not only is this Fisker a decent-looking car, but it also offers several unique features, such as an airline-like folding table for the driver.
I tend to eat burgers when I travel by car, and having a table to put my food on would be very helpful. It is also useful when you have to sign a toll receipt.
As one of the most attractive electric cars on the road, I’d put my money on the Ocean Extreme even though the company is in a lopsided financial position.
Rivian R1S/R1T
The Rivian R1S SUV or R1T pickup truck (there are two possible configurations), with a range of up to 410 miles in the truck and up to 390 miles in the SUV,
Is one of the first electric vehicles with a four-motor option, which should be Much better than twin-motor electric ones off-road or on snow or ice because you can vary the power of all four wheels infinitely.
The four-motor capability makes Rivian one of the most advanced electric vehicles on the market and it has some interesting and unique features, like an RV-style slide-out tray under the truck’s back bed.
This car is priced at around $80,000, depending on configuration, but the Delta is worth it for those four engines.
I’ve seen this truck overtake a Ford Raptor while towing a trailer. It’s an impressive vehicle, more affordable, and more practical than a Tesla truck.
Zeekr 001
I will close my list with one of the Chinese cars that we cannot buy here. This car is considered one of the most beautiful electric cars available on the market.
For example, from a distance, you might think it’s a Porsche Taycan.
With a huge range of around 640 miles, an impressive interior, and discounted pricing starting at under $40,000 (a comparable Porsche starts at around $90,000 and can go up to $160,000),
this is one of the best deals currently on the market.
Although you can’t buy the Zeekr 001 in the US, it’s expected to be very similar to the Polestar 4, which will be available here this year with a starting price of around $60,000 and is an impressive car, too.
I chose this car over the BYD Denza N7 because it’s a little cheaper, I think it’s better looking, and it’s a preview of the car that will be available here.
(Note: BYD has surpassed or is expected to surpass Tesla as the world’s leading electric vehicle company.)
China has some very competitive electric vehicles hitting the market, and the market protectionism that currently prevents them from entering the United States will not last indefinitely.
Wrapping Up
As noted, I chose the Fisker Ocean as the electric car that best matched my needs. None of the legacy U.S. car companies have vehicles that I view as competitive,
Primarily because they continue to approach this market with cars that are derivative of their ICE vehicles.
That approach makes them more expensive and less performant than the cars brought to market by more focused electric car companies.
