12 new Electric Vehicle startups to watch. Subscribe to Electric Vehicle News Bitesize Podcast for FREE!
Every new automaker wants to be the “next Tesla.” The U.S. company has grown from a tech start-up to a rival to the established auto giants – and a benchmark for electric vehicles.
Since Tesla’s meteoric rise, other electric vehicle startups have been trying to emulate it. The electric vehicle market is large and growing rapidly, and new technologies provide opportunities for new companies to seize the market.
Of course, most of these new companies won’t come close to replicating Tesla. Some don’t even survive. But there’s room for a new brand: look at Volvo’s offshoot, Polestar.
But all these new companies can be confusing: which ones are you focusing on? Here, we take a look at some of the most ambitious and credible Electric Vehicle startups to focus on.
Aehra
If you’re not familiar with Aehra, you’ll be forgiven, as the Italian startup hasn’t even really taken off — but it plans to shake up the premium Electric Vehicle market.
In September, Aehra revealed a preview of a new SUV, the yet-to-be-named electric vehicle that will debut this month. Aehra plans to launch the model alongside the electric sedan, both of which will be available in the UK.
The design team for the “ultra-premium” brand consists of former Lamborghini bosses Filippo Perrini, Alessandro Salvagnin and Alessandro Serra, and Italdesign exterior designer Marco Quamori.
Both the electric SUV and the sedan will have the same battery, with a range of up to 497 miles. Production of both models is scheduled to start in late 2025.
Aiways
Aiways – pronounced i-ways – is a Chinese startup founded in 2017 that is trying to capitalize on the massive shift to electrification to build a global brand.
The new electric car brand, founded by former Volvo sales chief Sam Fu Qiang and his partner Gary Gu, has built a 300,000-car factory, a full research and development centre and a battery factory.
To support its ambitions, Aiways has partnered with a number of well-known automotive suppliers from the outset and has focused on developing vehicles that meet international expectations. Companies such as Bosch, battery maker CATL and parts supplier Lear are all working with Aiways.
Although relatively new, Aiways is currently active in 14 European countries and its home market of China, but has yet to enter the UK. Aiways is focused on growing the left-hand drive market, but has made it clear that the UK is caught in a short-term plan.
There are two models in the Aiways range: the U5 SUV and the recently introduced coupe-style U6 SUV. That’s not all, however, as the company aims to continue expanding its product range with more SUVs, five-door coupes and even high-performance sports cars.
BYD
BYD, which stands for Build Your Dreams – is another Chinese Electric Vehicle start-up, founded in 1995 and affiliated with industrial giants in the automotive, electronics, new energy and railway industries.
A leading manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries, BYD began producing cars in 2003 and launched its first model two years later. In addition to passenger cars, BYD also manufactures commercial vehicles, including buses and taxis.
Earlier this year, BYD launched three new electric vehicles and plans to launch its European expansion in the UK by the end of the year.
The company started rolling out the Tang large SUV in Norway in August last year, and thanks to its success, BYD aims to launch the larger model in Europe, with plans to launch its models in the Netherlands, Sweden and Israel.
BYD said the first phase of its European launch will focus on the Benelux and Nordic markets, where Electric Vehicle adoption rates are higher.
By the end of 2022, the BYD Atto 3, a mid-size SUV based on a new bespoke electric platform, will arrive in the UK. Other models will follow, but the Atto 3 will come first as it will be designed and built as a right-hand drive.
As a battery company, BYD is still very focused on battery production. In 2020, it launched the high-tech blade battery, which incorporates new technology and design elements.
Fisker
Some of you may be wondering if Fisher is really a new company. Well, it’s… kind of. The original Fisker developed the innovative Karma Hybrid Saloon Collapsed (which eventually became a company called Karma).
But Henrik Fisker, who worked at BMW, Aston Martin and Ford, has now returned with a new Electric Vehicle company that will be built on a stronger foundation.
Last year, the company unveiled its first electric model, the sporty Ocean SUV, due to launch in the UK in late 2023. Fisker’s model lineup doesn’t end there, as the Electric Vehicle startup plans to launch the smaller Pear City and the Ronin Electric GT.
Lightyear
Lightyear, the Dutch company behind solar electric vehicles, wants to prove that the sun is a viable way to charge electric vehicles.
The company launched in 2016, a year after Lightyear officially launched, and in the process received its first pre-orders for its future solar-powered car.
It wasn’t until 2019 that the first prototype of the Lightyear 0, an ultra-thin, ultra-aerodynamic sedan, came out.
Earlier this year, the company unveiled the 0, which made its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. This innovative electric vehicle has a range of up to 400 miles and is made from a variety of recycled materials.
This innovation comes at a price, and Lightyear is no exception, with prices starting at €250,000 (£217,000). On the positive side, the Lightyear is available to order in the UK and will be a rare beast, with just 964 of them.
Lucid
American company Lucid Motors aims to undercut the Tesla Model S and become the market leader in luxury electric vehicles.
Formerly known as Atieva, the China-backed electric vehicle brand started making batteries and powertrains for other automakers in 2007. It wasn’t until 2016 that the company changed its name to Lucid Motors and announced its intention to build high-end luxury electric vehicles.
At the helm of the company is Peter Rollison, the man behind Tesla’s Model S, who led the design of the brand’s first model, the Lucid Air.
In 2020, the company completed construction of its $700 million (£626 million) manufacturing plant in Casa Grande, Arizona and began production of the Air sedan, with the limited-edition Premium Dream Edition being the first model to roll off the assembly line.
The California-based electric car brand debuted its Air sedan in the UK at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Lucid has yet to arrive in Europe, but it has been announced that it will launch in Germany first. It’s unclear if the American brand will make its way to the UK.
Nio
Since its founding in 2014, Chinese auto giant NIO has grown rapidly with its premium line of electric vehicles and innovative battery replacement technology.
Last year, the company expanded into Europe with the launch of the ES8 electric SUV in Norway. Nio now plans to expand its business and bring its fleet of electric vehicles to Europe, including the UK.
Nio, the brainchild of tech entrepreneur William Li’s brand, makes a line of electric sedans, crossovers and SUVs. In fact, the brand is about to launch its second generation of models: the mid-size sedan ET5, the flagship sedan ET7 and the SUV EL8.
NIO, formerly known as NextEV, made a name for itself in Formula E racing, winning the championship in its inaugural season.
Nio stands out from the competition with its battery replacement technology. A Nio driver simply drives to the battery swap station, parks the vehicle inside, and the robot swaps the empty cells for fully charged ones.
The Electric Vehicle car brand will arrive in the UK by the end of 2023, initially with the ET5, followed by other models that fit UK roads. Battery swap stations will also be set up in the UK, so keep an eye out for them when Nio lands next year.
Ola
Founded by entrepreneur Bhavish Aggarwal, the Indian startup has grown into a full-fledged electric vehicle company.
Although the first electric car has yet to be launched, Ola has made a name for itself with its S1 Air electric scooter and plans to launch its first electric car in 2024.
Ola is best known in the UK for its app-based ride-sharing service, and its Uber competitor Ola Cab has been available in London, Birmingham and Cardiff since 2018.
Don’t think India will be the only company to get all the spoils, as Ola plans to build a new factory in Coventry focused on engineering and vehicle design.
Ola’s Futurefoundry factory in the West Midlands will work alongside the brand’s India headquarters and will focus on two- and four-wheeler production, advanced high-performance vehicle engineering, digital and physical modelling, and research and development.
The Bangalore-based startup said it would invest £100m in the Coventry plant and plans to launch a 310-mile electric sedan to rival the Tesla Model 3 in the UK by 2025.
Rimac
Some Electric Vehicle supercar connoisseurs may be familiar with the Croatian marque led by founder and CEO Mate Rimac.
Calling Rimac a leading hyper-electric vehicle company would be an understatement, given the list of well-known car companies that have partnered with Rimac.
Rimac was founded in 2009 with just a few employees and now employs around 1,300 people at its headquarters in Sveta Nedelja, Croatia. Rimac is currently building its new factory in Zagreb called The Campus, which will be the new manufacturing facility for the brand’s new Nevera hypercar, while also assembling transmissions, motors and inverters for automotive customers.
Focused on small series premium supercars, Rimac has only built eight examples of its first model, the Concept One. The company is currently building its second model, the Nevera – a 1427 kilowatt, £2m super electric car that can sprint from 0-60mph in 1.85 seconds.
Last year, the Croatian brand agreed to a new partnership to effectively take control of Bugatti and formed a new company called Bugatti Rimac LLC. The new company, partly owned by Porsche, Rimac Group and Hyundai, will support Bugatti in its future Hyper-Electric Vehicle ambitions.
Rivian
American company Rivian wants to prove that pickups can also be driven electrically. The electric pickup brand rose to prominence in 2018 when it launched its first models, the R1T and R1S SUVs. Since then, the company has grown into a diversified electric vehicle maker, producing electric vans for Amazon.
Founded by engineer and entrepreneur RJ Scringe, Rivian didn’t officially launch the brand until 2011. Initially, the young entrepreneur set out to build a 2+2 hybrid coupe in 2009, then shelved the idea focusing on other projects.
Rivian’s plans for Europe are unclear, and given it’s a left-hand drive, it may be awhile before we see one of its models in the UK. However, we recommend you keep an eye on Rivian: they have launched the first electric pickups before Ford and Tesla.
Sono
Sono Motors specializes in solar powered vehicles and recently launched the new Sion SEV and solar bus kits.
Founded in 2016, the German brand unveiled its first solar-powered concept car a year later – the Sion, a six-seat MPV with a choice of battery and powertrain. The Sion’s final design wasn’t finalized until 2019, with the brand confirming that its new electric car will be produced at the Swedish National Electric Vehicle Company’s former Saab factory in Trollhättan.
The Munich-based company says 20,000 customers have privately pre-ordered the Sono Sion SEV, with prices starting at £21,700. You’ll have to wait until you see one on the street, though, as production isn’t scheduled to begin until the second half of 2023.
Like the aforementioned Lightyear 0, Scion’s solar panels complement a traditional battery-powered system rather than running auxiliary electronics.
In addition to solar electric vehicles, Sono Motors also produces panels for buses and trucks. Available as a business-to-business retrofit solution, the Solar Bus Kit is designed for 12-metre public transit buses. Solar panels can power subsystems such as heating and ventilation, helping to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and fuel consumption.
Xpeng
China is making progress in the Electric Vehicle space, and the evidence for this is clear considering Xpeng is the fourth Chinese brand on this list.
Launched in 2014 by founders Henry Xia and Tao He, the Xpengs Electric Vehicle line includes two sedans, a crossover and the recently launched G9 SUV. The Guangzhou-based brand claims its upcoming flagship G9 will be the fastest-charging mass-produced Electric Vehicle thanks to its 480 kilowatt charging capacity.
Xpeng Motors has expanded into Europe, launching its P5 electric sedan, which competes with the Tesla Model 3, in Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden in March.
Earlier this autumn, Xpeng vice-president and chairman Brian Gu announced that the Chinese brand could be coming to the UK. In an interview, Gu said the company is currently focusing on the left-hand drive market, but does not rule out a move to the UK in the future.
If Xpeng chooses to list in the UK, it will face competition from NIO and BYD compatriots.
Despite its focus on EVs, Xpeng Motors has shown its willingness to further develop in the Electric Vehicle space, recently launching its new X2 eVTOL vehicle. The aircraft successfully completed a test flight in Dubai, and the company hopes to commercialize the X2 for use as an air taxi in the future.
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