Thanks to the marvelous adaptability of modern automotive construction, dedicated electric vehicle platforms allow manufacturers the freedom to play around with body styles. Sleek, low-drag sedans like the Lucid Air and Mercedes-Benz EQS will be the most efficient EVs for performance and range — but people want SUVs, and electric ones will be a substantial segment of the EV market. Whether it’s a spacious family crossover or a badass, rock-crawling off-roader, SUVs are the vehicles that buyers want.
Electric SUV options will proliferate in the coming years; new electric SUVs like the three-row Rivian R1S and Nissan Ariya should arrive very soon. But there are still a number of compelling options on sale right now — with Tesla’s Model X and Model Y leading the way on range and potential cargo space.
But Elon doesn’t have a complete lock on the market. Here are the best electric SUVs you can currently buy in America.
The Best Electric SUVs You Can Buy in 2021
EV buyers, like everyone else, want SUVs — and they’re starting to have plenty to choose from.
Volkswagen
The Cheapest Electric Cars You Can Buy in 2022
Going zero emission does not have to be a huge expenditure
Chevrolet
Hyundai Kona Electric
The Kona Electric is Hyundai’s full-electric version of the Kona subcompact crossover. It only comes in front-wheel-drive.
EPA Range: 258 miles
Cargo Space: 45.8 cu ft
Seats: 5
Starting Price: $34,000
Hyundai
Tesla Model Y
The Model Y is Tesla’s smaller compact crossover, available in both rear- and all-wheel-drive.
EPA Range: Up to 326 miles
Cargo Space: 68 cu ft
Seats: 5-7
Starting Price: $39,900
FREDERIC J. BROWN
Kia Niro EV
The Kia Niro EV is a FWD subcompact crossover. It shares a powertrain (and much more) with the Hyundai Kona Electric, although it offers more cargo space — but less range.
EPA Range: 239 miles
Cargo Space: 53 cu ft
Seats: 5
Starting Price: $39,900
Kia
Volkswagen ID.4 (2021)
We’ve been waiting for the transformational electric vehicle: the affordable crossover everyone wants to buy that happens to be electric and will kick off the mass electric conversion. Fresh off a World Car of the Year award, the VW ID.4 — with a robust 64 cubic feet of cargo space and a price tag starting under $40,000 — may do just that.
Original MSRP: $39,995
Volkswagen
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E
Base Price (Price as Tested): $43,995 ($56,200)
Powertrain (as tested): Front and rear electric motors, direct-drive transmission, 88-kWh battery (usable capacity)
Horsepower (as tested): 346
Torque (as tested): 428 lb-ft
EPA Fuel Economy (as tested): 96 mpg-e city, 84 mpg-e highway
Seats: Five
Ford
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Volvo
Audi E-Tron/E-Tron Sportback
The E-Tron was the first Audi EV. It went into production in 2018. It runs on a variant of the MLB Evo platform that underpins the Audi Q5 and Q7 SUVs. By all accounts, it’s excellent to drive. Power is generous, up to 402 hp and 490 lb-ft of torque in Boost Mode. But the full EPA range, 226 miles, disappoints by present standards. And the price tag, starting MSRP of $70,800, remains steep for what you get.
The E-Tron Sportback is the Audi E-Tron with a swoopy sportback roofline (a trend that sadly will continue into the EV era). It’s more expensive than the standard E-Tron, starting at $74,000. The EPA rates it for one mile less range, 225 miles, and the roofline costs a cubic foot or two of cargo space.
Audi
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Audi
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Jaguar
Tesla Model X
The Model X is Tesla’s midsize crossover, which launched in 2015. It’s available as a dual-motor AWD car and offers the most potential range and cargo space for a current electric SUV. The “falcon wing” rear doors are a distinctive feature.
EPA Range: Up to 371 miles
Cargo Space: 87.8 cu ft
Seats: 5-7
Starting Price: $79,900
The Future Electric Cars We’re Most Excited to Drive
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audi / polestar