Autobayng News Team
2025 will go down in electric-vehicle history not for the new products that came out, but for the countless models that were killed, canceled or delayed. Yet those celebrating the death or decline of the EV industry are as misguided as those who expected limitless, uninterrupted growth. That’s because 2026 is set to the the best year for new EVs yet.
That’s true by volume alone. Nearly 30 new electric models are slated to arrive in the U.S. next year. But these aren’t the same kind of first- or second-effort cars that have been trickling in over the last five years. These are the first of a new generation, one that represents a decade of tough lessons learned.
No longer content to offer warmed-over gas cars as quick-response electric options, legacy companies are launching true software-defined vehicles on all-new architectures, right as upstarts like Lucid, Rivian and Slate gear up to deliver their first true mass-market products.
With so many brands pushing deeper into the EV market, it’s getting hard to keep up with all of the new options. But these are the models I’m most excited for, and the ones I think will have the biggest impact on the market.
2026 Rivian R2
Rivian R2
I’m kicking off with the big one, as this is a make-or-break model not just for Rivian, but for the overall industry. One key advantage of China’s automotive market is that the country has dozens of hungry new upstarts fighting for market share with entrenched automakers. The U.S. doesn’t really have that. We have Tesla, and then a few upstarts that have yet to prove they can manufacture a high-volume vehicle at a profit. Rivian is the most successful, well-known and proven of those brands. But its biggest test comes next year, when the company plans to deliver its high-volume Model Y competitor, the Rivian R2.
The R2 offers the same signature styling and clever design details of the R1S and R1T, but with a planned starting price of just $45,000, assuming you’re ok with rear-wheel drive. It’s also slated to get a lidar sensor, paving the way for eventual full autonomy, the company claims. More eminently, it’ll offer the software-forward interface of a Tesla, but in a new, adventurous package that appeals to a new customer base.
That customer base includes me. I love EVs, I love off-road adventuring and I can’t afford an R1. The R2 appears perfect. The question is whether Rivian can pull off a relatively smooth launch, scale up service and deliver an all-wheel-drive version at a reasonable price.
2026/2027 Honda 0 Series
Honda 0 Saloon
Photo by: InsideEVs
I’m cheating here, as the Honda 0 Series actually represents three models. But I’m less excited for any specific model, and more excited about Honda finally attempting to prove its mettle in the EV space. Despite its early lead in hybrids, the company has yet to make a single long-range EV in this market. The EVs it has launched in other markets all seem to be flops, too. That’s a bummer for me, as I’ve always been a fan of the affordable, fun-to-drive cars Honda makes. An electric Civic would kick ass.
But that’s not what we’re getting, at least not yet. The company is kicking off its electric era with three premium electric vehicles: The Honda 0 Series SUV, the 0 Series Saloon and the Acura RSX. All three are built on the same all-new, software-defined architecture and built in the same factory in Ohio. They’ll each use Honda’s ASIMO software stack, complete with a new AI-powered virtual assistant.
2027 Acura RSX Prototype
Photo by: Acura
The RSX will offer all-wheel-drive and double-wishbone rear suspension, but that’s about all we know. Honda hasn’t shared information on pricing, specs or features of either the 0 Series model or the RSX.
It’s too early, then, to be excited about the car. But I’m excited to see what Honda’s version of an electric future looks like. The company has insisted that by playing it slow and reacting to demand as it grows, it’ll be able to avoid the costly mistakes and flawed products of its competitors. Yet it’s also entering an increasingly competitive market with less experience than almost all of its competitors. These products, then, will either cement Honda’s place in a new era or prove that its wait-and-see approach was a losing bet. Either way, I’m excited to learn more.
2026 Slate Truck
Slate supercharger access
Photo by: Slate
The EV revolution is a chance for companies to rethink what a car can be. Freed from the constraints of internal-combustion manufacturing and design, designers can experiment with what the car of the future looks like. Slate is the best example of how new blood in the industry is forcing these conversations: What, exactly, should a truck be?
According to the folks at Slate, it should be simple, modular and small. The idea is to tackle the affordability crisis with the exact kind of vehicle enthusiasts say they want: Small, fun trucks. To meet that goal, the Slate will come with no unnecessary equipment. Even things like a radio and power windows are optional, all in service of a mid-$20,000 starting price.
Will it work? No idea, if I’m honest. I’m an old truck fan and driver, partly because I love the simplicity of my 2001 Chevy Tahoe. But I’ve also been watching the car market for a long time, and while commentators and friends tell me they want simple, no-frills vehicles, their behavior at the dealership suggests the opposite. Give ‘em a chance, and they’ll almost always trend toward the nicest, most expensive vehicle they can afford. The result of this is that cars are more expensive and more “premium” than ever.
Slate is betting that this has left an increasingly large hole in the market, and its reservation numbers suggest that this may be a good bet. Trouble is, add on the “SUV” kit and a pair of back seats—practical add-ons if you ever want to bring more than one friend along—and you’ll likely spend over $30,000, which puts you in the neighborhood of some great new and upcoming EVs, along with trucks like the Ford Maverick.
It’s unclear to me whether Slate’s utilitarian design, truck bed, simplicity and configurability will be enough to overcome these challenges. But I hope it works. The industry needs new thinking, new companies and new “white space” products. A do-it-all, customizable city truck is exactly that.
2026/2027 Kia EV3
Kia EV3 in Seoul
Photo by: InsideEVs
Slate isn’t the only company that recognizes the dearth of affordable electric models. Next year, a handful of companies are bringing their newest EV tech to their more affordable models. The Kia EV3 may be the most exciting one. It’ll offer a sleek design and over 300 miles of range in its most efficient configuration.
It’s already available in Europe and other markets, and reviews have been glowing. Almost everyone agrees that the EV3 is one of the most refined, complete-feeling EVs in the affordable segment. With a target price of $35,000, it could give our defending Breakthrough EV of the Year, the Nissan Leaf, a real run for its money.
2026 BMW iX3
2026 BMW iX3
Photo by: BMW
BMW already makes great EVs. I’d take an iX, i4 or an i5 home any day. Follow the auto market, though, and you know that $90,000 SUVs and $70,000 sedans are not the path to victory. Buyers want SUVs, and they don’t want to pay a big premium over gas products to get an EV.
The new BMW iX3 is the answer to that problem. Not only is it targeting the heart of the luxury crossover market, but it’s doing so at a price that’s comparable to the gas X3: $55,000 to start. More importantly, the iX3 is the first model in the BMW “Neue Klasse” series. These models all ride on a new, 800-volt, software-defined architecture.
That means the iX3 offers 400-kilowatt fast charging, plenty of range, a new digital experience and an AI assistant. It’s also built from the ground up with over-the-air updates in mind. So while previous BMW EVs occasionally got mild patches over the air, the iX3 will be able to get full car-wide updates remotely, enabling the sort of upgradeability and constant improvement that made Tesla such a pioneer.
Based on Tim Levin’s first drive, the iX3 also offers the refined driving dynamics that built the BMW empire. It’s sharp to drive and utterly silent inside, with plenty of power. That should help convince luxury buyers of the truth: EVs aren’t just cleaner, they’re faster, more fun and offer far better technology.
2027 Chevy Bolt
2027 Chevrolet Bolt
Photo by: Patrick George
The Bolt’s coming back! America’s favorite affordable EV died last year, as General Motors focused on rolling out its new, Ultium-branded (RIP) EVs like the Chevy Equinox EV. But now the General is bringing its new software stack to the Bolt, along with new EV hardware and batteries.
That means the 2027 Bolt will finally offer a real fast-charging option, with Chevy promising a 10-80% charge time of just 26 minutes. That’s a massive improvement over the old Bolt, which took nearly an hour to do the deed. The range stays mostly the same, at 255 miles, but so does the price. Chevy says the new Bolt will start at under $29,000, which should make it the most affordable EV on sale. It’ll also be the first GM EV to use lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, rather than the more typical nickel-manganese-cobalt packs found in most Western EVs. That not only keeps the Bolt cheap, but should mean its battery suffers little degradation, and can be charged to 100% regularly without issues.
2026/2027 Lucid Midsize EV
Lucid Midsize Preview
Photo by: Lucid Motors
Lucid Motors makes the longest-range and most efficient EV in America, the Lucid Air. It also makes one of the best-driving SUVs ever, the Lucid Gravity, which is also arguably the most practical three-row on sale. This company doesn’t seem to do “good enough.”
Yet its first two products are expensive and have had some teething issues with software and quality problems. That’s common with all start-ups. Making cars is, after all, quite hard. But the company now has four years of production experience, and has been given plenty of cash injections by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, its majority owner. That gives it an opportunity that most companies would envy: A chance to establish itself as a leading, electric-only brand in the eyes of American consumers.
It has already proven it can do that in the high-end segments where it competes. Next year, it aims to bring its innovative design and technology prowess to the mid-size SUV segment, putting it right up against rivals like the Tesla Model Y and forthcoming Rivian R2. Like Rivian, the company needs to prove that it can succeed in a high-volume, ruthlessly competitive segment that is actually attainable for many Americans.
If the forthcoming mid-size Lucid SUV—which many expect to be called the “Earth—can match the stunning driving dynamics of the Air and Gravity in a mature-feeling and affordable package, it’ll have its first mainstream hit on its hands. I hope the company pulls it off.
Honorable Mentions
2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ (U.S. Spec)
Photo by: Patrick George
Last year, I struggled to create a list like this. There just weren’t that many options that got me excited. This year, I have the opposite problem. The Mercedes CLA-Class and GLC with EQ Technology are exciting for the same reasons as the iX3, as the company’s EVs have reached a new level. Mercedes even has a limo-like electric van in progress, which I’m extremely excited to see in the flesh. Mercedes-AMG GT XX concept smashes several distance records for EVs Photo by: Mercedes-AMG
I’m also looking forward to the Mercedes-AMG GT XX EV, the first car on the company’s AMG-specific performance platform, which will also underpin an upcoming SUV. If those fail to set a new performance EV standard, the Ferrari Elettrica might. And that’s not all for driving enthusiasts: The Polestar 5, Hyundai Ioniq 6 N and Genesis GV60 Magma should be some of the most exciting EVs yet. Tesla Cybercab Photo by: Tesla
The Tesla Cybercab is sure to be interesting, too. I would have included it, but I’m skeptical, as ever, of Elon Musk’s timelines. The two-door autonomous car is supposedly entering production in April, but Tesla has yet to launch Unsupervised FSD, and we haven’t seen much evidence of prototype testing or factory retoling. Even still, I’m looking forward to seeing how this story plays out. I also can’t wait to try wireless EV charging, either in the Cybercab or the new Porsche Cayenne Electric. Porsche Cayenne Electric (2026) Photo by: Porsche
Even beyond the more revolutionary products I named above, there’s a lot of slow-and-steady progress to come, too. Subaru and Toyota are launching a slate of EVs. Jeep is launching its first off-roader. Volvo is preparing to launch its second software-defined vehicle, after learning a lot from the messy EX90. And scores of other cars are getting minor updates, from new software features to Tesla-style North American Charging System (NACS) ports. 2026 Subaru EV Family Photo by: Subaru
The point is, this train ain’t slowing down. It’s not just that EVs are getting cheaper. They’re getting better at the same time, and improving far, far quicker than gasoline cars have in decades. Sure, it would have been nice if the EV takeover had been instant and painless.
But this is how progress works. It’s not one big decision, where the whole world moves together. It’s thousands of engineers, product planners and executives sorting through the thorny, messy issues of a technological revolution. It is the slow, careful work of turning our all-electric dream into a practical reality.
In 2026, that work will pay off.
Contact the author: mack.hogan@insideevs.com More EV News We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Insideevs.com? – The InsideEVs team
