2019 Audi e-tron first drive – Abu Dhabi UAE, December 2018
Regular readers of Green Car Reports know we have been saying for a year now that 2019 is the year of the electric SUV.
Now the year is finally here, and we thought we'd give our readers a peek at what we know about all the upcoming models. Most are SUVs, with a couple of hatchbacks thrown in.
In many cases their specific arrival dates are not made public, but we've estimated as closely has we can based on statements by the automakers.
2019 Hyundai Kona Electric
2019 Hyundai Kona Electric
The Hyundai Kona Electric should be going on sale any day and is one of the most promising electric cars of 2019. With a rating of 258 miles of range, it was a finalist in Green Car Reports’ Best Car to Buy competition for 2019. Its small-crossover format gives ample space inside and a good view out. With only front-wheel drive available, some may consider it a car, rather than an SUV. Hyundai has said that it will start at $37,495.
2019 Kia Niro EV
2019 Kia Niro EV
The Kia Niro EV is related to the Hyundai Kona Electric from Kia’s sister company. The pair uses the same 64-kwh battery, and the Niro EV is expected to have 239 miles of range, a little less than its corporate sibling. It will be the first all-electric version of Kia’s dedicated green car: the Niro Hybrid went on sale in 2017 and the Niro Plug-In Hybrid in 2018. Kia has not announced pricing but the Niro EV is expected to go on sale in February.
2018 Nissan Leaf SL
2019 Nissan Leaf long range
Perhaps the biggest news in affordable electric cars is that the original modern electric, the Nissan Leaf, will finally move into the age of long-range electric cars. While Nissan never intended the Leaf to be a compliance car, the original model was rated at just 73 miles of range. Despite a few improvements over the years, the new model introduced in 2017 could only go 151 miles—better than anything but a Tesla at the time, but still short of what many drivers wish for.
The long-range Leaf will have a 60-kilowatt-hour battery made by Korean conglomerate LG, which is expected to carry it about 220 miles. Dealer pricing guides have shown its cost will land right in line with the longer, 238-mile, Chevy Bolt EV. It is expected to go on sale in the spring and to debut next week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
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