Five we'd like to drive
The Geneva Motor Show is the top showcase event in the automotive world when it comes to new reveals from an international slate of exhibitors.
If you want to make a big splash with your new offering, this is where you bring it for maximum impact. The 2018 edition was outstanding from a plug-in vehicle perspective, with dozens on display, many for the first time.
While there are a number of concepts to catch the eye and give hints about upcoming tech and styling cues from various manufacturers, we tend to be more interested in what's going to be available for consumers. With that in mind, we've put together the top five electrified vehicles from the show, according to us, the editors here at InsideEVs.
Read Also: All our coverage of the 2018 Geneva Motor Show
You may not agree with the positioning of all our choices (that's fine, but you're wrong), and there may be a car you think is more deserving of a spot on the list than one of the ones we've chosen.
Please feel free to let us know where you think we went astray in the Comments below.
5. Volvo Polestar 1
Key specs:
- electric range 93 miles (150 kilometers)
- 34 kWh battery
- Double electric rear axle drive system with internal combustion engine powering front wheels
- 600 horsepower and 737 pound-feet of torque
- 130,000 to 150,000 euros ($161,260 to $186,000 at current exchange rates)
Why We Picked It
This handsome coupe from Volvo's new electric sub-brand Polestar is a high-performance halo car. While it is, in effect, a plug-in hybrid, the models that follow it into production will be all-electric and much more affordable. We can only hope their designs are as stunning as this.
4. Jaguar I-Pace
Key specs:
- 90 kWh battery for up to 480 km (298 miles) of range (WLTP)
- 0-100km/h (62 mph) 4.8 seconds / 0-60 mph (sec) 4.5 seconds
- Top speed mph 200 km/h (124 mph)
- two permanent magnet electric motors; synchronous – 400 PS (294 kW) total system output
- all-wheel drive
- 0-80% DC fast charging in 40 minutes using 100 kW CCS Combo
- 0-100% AC charging using 7 kW 0n-board charger in nearly 13 hours
Why We Picked It
The Jaguar I-Pace was actually unveiled in the week prior to the Geneva show, but this is its first public showing of the production version. It's a premium all-electric crossover with a relatively reasonable-sounding base price tag of $70, 495. It offers terrific performance and could be seen as a foil to the Tesla Model X. It's also a strong design that saw very little change from the original concept to the version that will appear in showrooms.
3. Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo
Key specs:
- more than 310 miles (500 km) of range (probably NEDC)
- 155 mph (250 km/h) top speed
- 0-62 mph (100 km/h) in less than 3.5 seconds
- 0-125 mph (200 km/h) in less than 12 seconds
- dual motor all-wheel drive
- 440 kW of system output
- ultra-fast charging capability – 80% of range (400 km) in 15 minutes and 100 km in 4 minutes
Why We Picked It
It's a long-range electric crossover, the hottest segment in the U.S. It looks stunning too and it's a Porsche. Need we say anything more? No, no we don't.
2. Hyundai Kona Electric
Key specs:
Short-range Battery / Motor spec:
- 39.2 kWh battery – 300 km (186 miles) range (WLTP)
- 99 kW, 395 Nm electric motor (front-wheel drive)
- 0-62 mph (100 kmh) in 9.3 seconds
- 104 mph (167 km/h) top speed
- 7.2 kW onboard charger and 100 kW CCS Combo DC fast charging capability
- 64 kWh battery – 470 km (292 miles) range (WLTP)
- 150 kW, 395 Nm electric motor (front-wheel drive)
- 0-62 mph (100 kmh) in 7.6 seconds
- 104 mph (167 km/h) top speed
- 7.2 kW onboard charger and 100 kW CCS Combo DC fast charging capability
Why We Picked It
The Hyundai Kona Electric is likely to be the first "affordable" all-electric crossover available in most major markets. It offers a great amount of range and decent performance. Its slick fascia differentiates it from the gasoline-powered version that's already in showrooms. Well, that and the lack of killer emissions from a tailpipe.
1. Rimac C_Two
Key specs:
- 120 kWh battery
- 1,888 horsepower and 1,696 pound-feet of torque
- 0 to 60 in 1.85 seconds
- Top speed of 256 miles per hour
Why We Picked It
What? Are you kidding? Just look at it!
The sophomore effort from the Croatian company, the C_Two sets the bar for electric performance, with an acceleration of 1.85 seconds from 0 to 60. That's a fraction faster than the announced "2020" Tesla Roadster. Sure, its battery doesn't quite equal that of the coming car from California, but the 120 kWh pack is larger than anything currently available to consumers.
Closing
That's a wrap for both the show and our Top 5 list.
A few notable mentions made some lists of ours, but not others. These include the following:
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