Eletre

Make
Lotus
Segment
SUV

If you want a little inside baseball, it's a fascinating time to be an automotive journalist when it comes to drivetrains. We're in a world where we're covering everything from hybrid cars achieving 55 to the gallon to a W16-engined four-wheeled bullet breaking the 300 mph barrier. We've got four-cylinder engines, both turbo and supercharged at the same time out in the mainstream, attainably priced supercharged V8 muscle cars, and stupidly fast hybrid supercars. Then there are the battery electric vehicles (BEVs), which is the segment where the most new models will be coming from in the foreseeable future. It's a veritable feast for the senses. But as we look forward, there are some new cars coming that stand out more than most, and of the bevy of EVs on the way by 2024, these are the ones we can't wait for.

1. Lotus Eletre

We're keen to see the first Lotus SUV on the road for a number of reasons, mainly because we have questions like "what will it weigh?" After all, Lotus is a company that prides itself on "adding lightness," but going electric means adding weight - as does building a vehicle for four or five people. Because the Eletre will be a production model designed to sell in numbers and at a profit, Lotus can't use the kind of weight-saving materials and tech it's using for the Evija electric hypercar. As far as we know, it will make 600 horsepower and hit 62 mph in under three seconds, and, no doubt, it will go around corners incredibly well for an SUV. The brand has promised it will be lightweight and handle the way the brand's history and heritage demand. Still, though, it's a Lotus-branded SUV, and that's mind-boggling. Expect it to arrive as a 2024 model year sometime next year.

2. Nissan Ariya

Nissan got into the still-burgeoning electric market early with the Leaf, and then didn't follow up on its success. Now Nissan is finally getting its mojo back; the Ariya is on its way. The Ariya promises to be affordable, exceptionally safe, have a 300-mile range, and be uniquely stylish. Most of all, though, it will be a significant step forward for Nissan. Unfortunately, its fall of 2022 release in the US has been set back due to the ongoing and now-exhausting supply and production constraints the automotive industry is battling. When it does eventually arrive, it should be the modern takeover from the Leaf for a crossover-obsessed society, but with more power (up to 389 hp) and improved range (304 miles), along with a healthy dose of driver-assist features.

3. Polestar 5

The Polestar 2 is one of our favorite electric vehicles on the market right now. It's quick, it handles brilliantly, it's comfortable, and its technology is on point. The Polestar 3 will be a premium electric performance SUV, and entering the largest segment in the industry is key for Polestar's growth. The future Polestar model that we're most excited about, though, is the Polestar 5. We checked out the concept when it was on display earlier in the year, but now a prototype made its moving debut at the Goodwood Festival Of Speed. While that prototype was running at about 75% of full power, we know Polestar is aiming for 872 horsepower and 663 lb-ft of torque with all-wheel drive and a scheduled launch date in 2024.

4. Volkswagen ID.Aero

Volkswagen's plan is to dominate the battery-electric vehicle market, putting Tesla in its place while doing so. The ID.Aero's 2024 launch in the US is way out compared with Volkswagen's other electric offerings, but Volkswagen promises a 385-mile range from its 77-kWh lithium-ion battery - helped by a drag coefficient of just 0.23. The ID.Aero will be the replacement for the now-defunct Passat, and we hope like hell the ID.Aero is more engaging to sit in, let alone drive, than the last generation of Passat. According to Volkswagen, it will be, and the brand promises "dynamic driving behavior" and "a new level of digital networking."

5. Rolls-Royce Spectre

Details on the all-electric Rolls-Royce are thin on the ground, but it makes sense on so many levels. A Rolls-Royce is supposed to be quiet, and the problem Rolls-Royce might need to solve is the Spectre being unnervingly quiet with electric power. Weight and size is expected of a Rolls-Royce, so it can have as large a battery pack as it needs. What we've seen so far indicates a coupe and vague release date of some time in 2024. It'll be a technological masterpiece, however, and will also retain classic design cues like the pantheon grille.

6. Chevrolet Silverado EV

Unlike the current Ford F-150 Lightning, the Silverado EV isn't a Silverado repurposed for electric power. The Silverado EV will arrive on an electric-only platform, which opens the hood for some cool features. It'll come with a 4WD system, four-wheel steering, over 660 horsepower and 780 lb-ft of twist, and a bed that can extend from five-foot-eleven to ten feet thanks to the crazy-cool Chevrolet Midgate. Chevy is aiming to have deliveries start in 2024 with the RST First Edition model with all the bells and whistles that will come first and with a $105,000 price tag. A $39,900 WT model with the full 400-mile range will follow as production ramps up.

7. Dodge eMuscle

When Dodge released the modern Challenger, it brought back the muscle car. When Dodge released the Challenger Hellcat, it showed us just how financially attainable big horsepower can be and that a factory-produced car can be a blast on the quarter-mile. However, the 807-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock is pushing limits that the car should leapfrog using the instant and plentiful torque an electric drivetrain can offer. What we know for is that the electric Challenger will run on Stellantis's large electric vehicle platform, which is said to deliver up to 500 miles of range. However, we expect the Challenger eMuscle to err on the side of power over range. Otherwise, what would be the point? We'll know more in the coming months, however, as a reveal - of a concept at least - will happen at the Dodge Speed Week in August.

8. Maserati Grecale Folgore

When Maserati unveiled the Grecale SUV, it did so with two initial models. But then the Italian marque showed off an all-electric model that will follow. Folgore means lightning in Italian and marks the start of Maserati's EV lineup. Maserati has been light on details other than that we should expect 590 lb-ft of torque, a Folgore-specific grille, and that the Rame Folgore paint will be exclusive to the model. The Grecale Folgore is planned for the 2024 model year, one year after the gas-powered Grecale, and Maserati says it will offer fully-electric versions of all its models by 2025. This is just the beginning, which is why we're so eager to see it. It needs to be good as a sign of future cars to come from the brand.

9. Mercedes-Benz EQG

Going electric should suit Mercedes G-Wagen. An electric motor at each wheel will only make it more capable as an off-roader, it should have as much power or more than the current AMG fettled version, and its price will keep it up there as a symbol of wealth. According to Mercedes, later in its production the electric G-Wagen will use batteries with silicon anode chemistry technology and have an energy density increase of 20-40% compared to contemporary batteries. The Mercedes-Benz EQG should be with us with current battery technology in late 2023.

10. Volkswagen ID.Buzz

We're trying to be patient about Volkswagen's modern take on the classic microbus, the ID.Buzz. Volkswagen recently described it as being a "digital living room" due to the level of comfort and connectivity. We want to test it as a digital traveling office, though. The first production vehicle has left the factory, but the ID.Buzz isn't due to land in America until 2024, which is disappointing. However, the American version will arrive longer and with a third row of seating. Based on the MEB platform as used in the VW ID.4, it'll have single and dual-motor configurations, a minimum of 201 hp on tap, and oodles of style.