The Best EVs Of 2022

The EV market is growing fast and 2022 has more EVs for sale than ever. Technology developments over the past two decades have finally made way for electric cars to be made by multiple manufacturers offering consumers a broad variety of vehicles to choose from. The market once dominated by the pricey Tesla is now filled with a range of options from economy to luxury, and the models on offer represent healthy competition among manufacturers, a good thing for consumers.

For 2022, buyers can pick whatever fancies them from an oversized truck to a sensible yet attractive mid-size wagon. The technology in the drivetrains is highly advanced, but the interiors are also full of digital comforts, conveniences, and safety controls throughout. One of the best developments of 2022 is the availability of EVs with a good usable range that don't cost as much as a loaded 5-series. With this kind of momentum in the market, affordability should become more widespread as time moves forward. These are the best EVs 2022 has to offer.

For a country with little known connection to automobile manufacturing, Croatia is entering the scene with a splash. Rimac is one of the newest EV builders, with its first production car being delivered in 2022. Although Rimac is just now delivering vehicles, the company's existence dates back to 2013, when it was founded by Zagreb, Croatia, native Mate Rimac. After Rimac presented a promising concept car in 2016, two years later the concept C_Two debuted and it would be developed into the Nevera production car. Mate Rimac's history of developing technology led him to transform a BMW into an electric race car that would transform his passion into a full-fledged electric automobile manufacturer.

The car called Nevera, named for a Mediterranean storm, is probably the wildest electric car produced to date. It is all electric with electric motors for all four wheels. A powerful battery pack sends enough juice to the motors to create a collective 1,914 horsepower. With this astonishing amount of power, the Nevera rockets to 60 mph in less than two seconds, and eats up a quarter-mile of pavement in just 8.58. The body is carbon fiber and the interior is packed with technology, including Driver Coach, a computerized system to help drivers achieve faster laps with audio and visual cues. Even more impressive than the performance is the fact that Rimac manufactures every component in-house and of its own designs. With its price tag of more than $2 million, one should expect nothing less.

Volkswagen has ambitious plans to ditch the internal combustion engine altogether by 2035. Having just now begun releasing its range of EVs, VW's plan is bold. However, based on its ID.4 electric crossover, it appears to be on the right track.

The ID.4 is built upon the VW MEB platform that is designed to sit beneath a range of vehicles, requiring little alterations to accommodate a broad variety of vehicle types, including cars, SUVs, and vans. The ID.4 comes in rear- or all-wheel-drive powered by a choice of batteries that give it a range of 209 to 275 miles, which is average among the competition. Performance is adequate for what is mostly intended to be a family car. Handling is excellent and is set more toward comfort than performance. The interior is on par with other VW models, being relatively well-finished and nice with moderate upscale flourishes, although the infotainment system is a bit lacking.

Volkswagen is doing with this car what it has done for some time, building good cars in the middle of the price range that offer comfort with excellent driving characteristics. This car shows VW taking its electrification in the right direction, making engaging electric cars of good quality and value. Prices start at $37,495, according to Kelley Blue Book.

Perhaps the most surprising development in the EV space is the arrival of the new GMC Hummer. The Hummer brand was shuttered in 2010 due to high gas prices and the economic downturn (via Business Insider). Bringing it back to life as an electrified model under the GMC brand was a clever move. Now the Hummer can exist as an oversized pseudo-military-style off-road vehicle without the environmental guilt.

According to CNBC, GM partnered with LG to create the Ultium platform, which is a scalable battery platform that can be altered to use on a range of vehicles and uses technology to reduce the amount of cobalt used. The Hummer is the first production vehicle to go on sale using the technology. Despite its size, the Hummer is quite capable thanks to its substantial 205 kWh battery pack, which offers brisk acceleration and a 329-mile range. It is also packed with a cutting-edge interior featuring a central control screen with graphics driven by the Unreal Engine, software used to render the expansive worlds in some video games.

The overall package is a blend of power, comfort, and a few tricks, including its ability to drive sideways in "Crab Walk" mode. The vehicle is a large and expensive showpiece with relatively little practicality for its price of nearly $100,000, but the technology shows that GM has the ability to make EVs that work in the real world.

Volvo's Polestar name first appeared in 2005, according to Which Car, as its high-performance tuner for factory-built cars. Since the Swedish automaker's acquisition by Chinese carmaker Geely, Polestar has been spun off into an upscale marque for European electric cars. The first Polestar-branded car was the pricey luxury hybrid Polestar 1, which was then followed by the all-electric Polestar 2 in 2020.

The second Polestar is a much more reasonably priced EV, coming in at nearly $100,000 less than its predecessor at a more reasonable $59,900. The interior is well designed with an excellent layout that retains high-quality physical controls missing more and more in new cars, offering the solid and tactile feel many drivers prefer. It is also the first car to integrate Android Auto fully, offering seamless integration to owners of Android phones. Its 408 horsepower gives it quick acceleration and the 78 kWh battery is good for upwards of 300 miles of range. The takeaway is that this is an excellent car, worth owning regardless of its electric drivetrain. Furthermore, the price is reasonable, which is impressive considering it is subject, according to Car Scoops, to a stiff tariff as a result of the trade war started a few years back with China, the place of manufacture for the Polestar 1.

Hyundai entered the American market in 1985 with the compact Excel, an abysmal little car beset by problems (via Hot Cars). It was a rocky start, but Hyundai pulled through and is now positioned as a manufacturer of a line of good cars. In fact, Hyundai has come so far as to have the Ioniq 5 named Motor Trend's SUV of the year. In being chosen for this, the Ioniq 5 is praised for its sleek styling, impressive interior, and range-topping technology.

Calling the Ioniq 5 an SUV may be stretching the definition as it sits relatively low like a car, but it also has a long roof with rear hatch and it rides high with oversized wheels and tires. Whatever it is, Hyundai is doing something right. The abundance of straight lines, sharp creases, and subtle curves give it a stunning and distinct retro-futuristic look, but the Ioniq is not just about looks. Available with single or dual motors, the power and range of this car are above average compared to other EVs in its price range, but Hyundai's 800-volt architecture allows charging from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes, a first for a car in its class.

Hyundai has raised the bar with this car both in technology and style. With a base price of around $41,000, it is also good value for money. Furthermore, while it displays many cool cues from the past, it is decidedly a car for the future.