It’s a confusing time for electric vehicles. On the one hand, EVs are getting better and more popular than ever. On the other, the EV industry just went through a rockier-than-expected year of sales and is staring down four years of whatever fresh hell Donald Trump is cooking up for it.
For regular folks like you and me, though—people who don’t work at these companies or on Capitol Hill and don’t need to face these problems head on—the nice thing is there are plenty of interesting new EVs launching or becoming widely available in 2025. Since Tesla proved EVs could be cool and profitable, basically every brand under the sun has unleashed a growing tidal wave of battery-powered models year after year. Despite the gloomy vibes around the EV space, 2025 will be no different.
The bigger-picture question I’m keeping an eye on is whether these upcoming models are the right ones. In other words, can they move the needle for EV adoption in a major way? Some definitely have that potential, but the field as a whole will still sorely lack affordable options.
In years past, families looking for three-row electric SUVs have been starved for options. Hyundai will help plug that gap with the Ioniq 9, a relative of the wildly popular Kia EV9 that will serve up more than 300 miles of range across all trims. It’s stylish, spacious and uses the same impressive, fast-charging technology that Hyundai’s become known for.
The Lucid Gravity, the American EV startup’s second model, just entered production too. It’s a sleek three-row SUV with clown car-like cargo space and the cornering ability of a Porsche 911, as I learned during a recent test drive. Its EV street cred is practically unmatched too, with 450 miles of estimated range in its debut trim. Whether it can deliver the fledgling startup to the promised land is still TBD—especially given its potentially off-putting minivan shape—but it is a very special vehicle.
Buckle up for a ton more EV crossovers in 2025, too. Cadillac plans to release the Optiq, Vistiq and Escalade IQ, building on parent company General Motors’ breakout year for EVs in 2024. Jeep fans will finally get their first all-electric options in the form of the large Wagoneer S and compact Recon. Chrysler’s first EV also breaks cover in 2025, although we don’t know anything about it yet.
Plus, the electric Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen is coming soon to a Rodeo Drive near you. The G580 with EQ Technology will offer a mouthful of a name, plus four motors and the ability to spin like a top by turning them just so. The first all-electric Range Rover is scheduled for a 2025 launch, too.
But we’ve had electric crossovers of varying sizes for years now. What’s on tap for people who've been waiting for something different?
One of the most interesting new vehicles of the year will be the Ram 1500 Ramcharger. The clever pickup truck combats range anxiety by pairing an electric drivetrain with a gas generator that feeds it extra juice. This setup makes a lot of sense. Pickup buyers are particularly reluctant to embrace electrification and fret about the very real range limitations of electric towing. The pitch of the Ramcharger is that you can use cheap all-electric power for shorter trips without sacrificing the convenience of gasoline.
The Ram 1500 REV, the brand’s first all-electric truck, will also launch in 2025, and it’ll be really interesting to see how sales of the fully and partially electric trucks stack up.
Despite EVs’ clear quickness advantage over gas cars, there haven’t been any electric sports cars to speak of in America since the original Tesla Roadster. Probably because EV makers desperately need scale to make the technology profitable, and not all that many people want coupes and convertibles in the scheme of things. But the next-generation Porsche Cayman and Boxster will be electric, and they’re arriving in 2025.
The Dodge Charger Daytona will hit dealerships in earnest as America’s first electric muscle car. I have no idea who will buy it, and I’m not convinced Dodge does either. But maybe a few brave members of Dodge’s “Brotherhood of Muscle” will set aside their supercharged V8s and give EVs a go.
While the cars I’ve listed so far inject some fun and much-needed variety to the EV space, none solve perhaps the biggest hurdle facing EVs today: price. In November, the average new EV changed hands for just over $55,000. For electric cars to become just cars, they’ll need to match combustion vehicles on sticker price. And that won’t happen in any kind of significant way in 2025.
There’s a bit of good news coming on that front, though. By the end of the year, Chevy plans to launch the third-generation Bolt as a 2026 model. The beloved little EV was a huge seller before GM suddenly axed it in 2022. Now it’s coming back with updated tech, faster charging and a mission to be the most affordable EV on the market. Chevy already made waves in 2024 with the launch of the Equinox EV, a $27,500 (with incentives) crossover that packs 319 miles of range. We named it our 2024 Breakthrough EV of the Year, so we expect big things from the revamped Bolt too.
Nobody’s entirely sure what’s coming next from Tesla, but America’s EV leader has said that it would start rolling out new models, including more affordable ones, in 2025. Tesla’s head of investor relations told Deutsche Bank analysts recently that it would launch a $37,500 EV next year, made on its existing production lines. This could be a rental-car spec Model 3 or Model Y, or a new model entirely. It’s hard to say; Tesla hasn’t returned our calls in years.
One thing’s for certain, though: More choice is a great thing for America’s EV shoppers and makers. And you can look forward to that in the New Year.
Contact the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com
