Upcoming electric cars in 2020

A new year brings exciting new cars to the forecourt. If you’re in the market for a fresh set of wheels, or you like to keep up to date with the latest vehicles, this article is for you. We take a look at these new electric cars in 2020: the Audi Q4 e-tron, BMW iX3 EV,
Citroen C4 EV, Fiat 500 EV, Peugeot e-208.

AUDI CAN DO ELECTRIC TOO WITH THE AUDI Q4 E-TRON

It might sound like something from a Transformers movie, but the Audi Q4 e-tron is the latest addition to the e-tron range. Even though the fuel is different, the family resemblance is obvious with recognisable Audi design features like prominent wheel fenders, e-tron style 22-inch alloy wheels and similar lower body cladding.

Fitted with a 82kW battery, the Audi Q4 e-tron will be able to travel over 450km or 279 miles on a single charge as long as you don’t floor the accelerator at every opportunity.
Both the front and rear axles are powered by separate electric engines optimally distributing a total of 225Kw in power. This provides excellent traction in all weather conditions on all surfaces – exactly what you’d expect from an SUV. And, with the battery stored in the car’s floor, the weight distribution and low centre of gravity make it nice and nimble around corners.

Where the Audi Q4 e-tron differs slightly from the larger, full-sized e-tron car is that it’s compact design also makes it great for city driving, providing you with a great mixed-use SUV.

As you might expect from upcoming electric cars in 2020, sustainability is at the heart of the Audi Q4 e-tron’s design which integrates:

• High quality floor coverings made from recycled materials
• A sealed grill to enhance the car’s aerodynamics and boost mileage
• Paint that reflects short-wave sunlight to reduce the build up of heat on the surface and interior of the car. This reduces energy input required for air conditioning and improves the car’s range.

Inside the vehicle the cabin is filled with infotainment screens, a 12-inch display behind the steering wheel and another in the centre of the dash. You can also opt for a model that uses augmented reality to project the sat-nav’s directions onto the road.

Charging speeds

● Fastcharge power (maximum) = 125kW
● Fastcharge time (80% charge from 26 to 208 miles) = 33 minutes

As a fairly high-end vehicle, all this comes with a price tag starting at £47,000. But thanks to new benefit-in-kind rates, the car’s zero emissions mean you could drive the Audi Q4 e-tron for a very competitive monthly amount via a salary sacrifice scheme.

If this sounds like an option for you, you’ll need to be patient as the Audi Q4 e-tron is one of the latest new electric cars in 2020 to be released as it’s expected in September 2020.

BMW ADDS AN ELECTRIC SUV WITH THE BMW IX3 EV

The BMW iX3 EV is the manufacturer’s first electric SUV, providing direct competition to the Audi Q4 e-tron.

Boasting a 7Kw battery, the BMW iX3 EV can achieve 400km or 249 miles on one full charge with sensible driving. Sharing the same platform as its combustion-engine cousins, the BMW iX3 EV differentiates itself with add-on features including a revised front and rear end to make it more aerodynamic squeezing extra miles from the battery.

With two electric motors, one for each drivetrain, the BMW iX3 EV is the electric equivalent of a four-wheel drive. Add to this the car’s zero tailpipe emissions, which will help it avoid congestion and emission zone charges, and the BMW iX3 EV is prepared for both city driving and rougher terrain.

As with all new electric cars in 2020, there’s no need for a gearbox. This creates a flat space and a spacious feel in the front of the car. In addition, BMW’s careful battery storage design ensures that the cabin space isn’t reduced leaving plenty of room for the updated infotainment system that visualises the car’s electric drivetrain.

The BMW iX3 EV will cost from £56,000 and, due to its zero emissions, will attract excellent tax breaks significantly reducing the monthly amount payable.

Charging

• Fastcharge power (maximum) = 150kW
• Fastcharge time (80% – 22 to 172 miles) = 28 minutes

The BMW iX3 EV will be available from March 2020, so if you’re looking for an e-SUV in the first quarter of 2020, this could be the one.

INTRODUCING THE PEUGEOT E-208

Super-minis aren’t always well known for their looks. However, the Peugeot e-208 has stacks of style both inside and out. The interior features its characteristic i-Cockpit layout with a small steering wheel and raised driver’s display. Models above the entry-level trim also come with a 3D digital driver’s display lending the cabin a futuristic look.

Regardless of trim, every Peugeot e-208 is packed with tech including:

Higher spec cars can be upgraded to a larger touchscreen and other features like adaptive cruise control and a reversing camera can be added too.

Drivers who have tested the Peugeot e-208 report that it accelerates much faster than its petrol or diesel counterparts and its motor feels responsive at most speeds thanks to consistent torque.

The Peugeot e-208 comes with a 50kW battery which is laid out in a T shape under the front seats providing as much cabin space as petrol and diesel models. As you’d expect from one of 2020’s upcoming electric cars, the battery delivers the 200 miles or more that drivers tend to expect from EVs with an official driving range of 211 miles.

Charging

• Fastcharge power (maximum) = 100kW
• Fastcharge time (80% – 19 to 148 miles) = 28 minutes

The Peugeot e-208 comes with a price tag of £30,000 and up and will be available from February 2020.

THE FIAT 500 EV PROVIDES ANOTHER ELECTRIC CITY CAR OPTION

In the summer of 2019, Fiat committed to investing 700 million euros into the Fiat 500 EV. The aim is to consolidate the brand’s city car dominance by providing drivers with a vehicle that beats emission and congestion zone charges.

The result of that investment is a bespoke electric car platform that will power the vehicle which is expected to be slightly larger than non-electric Fiat 500 models. This additional scale will accommodate the battery without compromising on cabin space. Specifications are still a little hazy but you can expect the car to provide around 200km (124 miles) on a single charge.

Despite being completely different under the bonnet, the Fiat 500 EV will have a similar look and feel to its fossil-fueled brothers. Recent Fiat 500 sales have shown that consumers are increasingly seeking upgraded trims and you can expect this to be reflected in the design of the Fiat 500 EV which will include luxury touches as standard giving it an upmarket look and feel.

Expected to be priced around the £22,000 – £24,000 mark, the Fiat 500 EV falls toward the more affordable end of the EV market, particularly when tax breaks are factored into monthly payments.

Without battery specifics it’s not possible to provide details of charging speeds. So watch this space for more information.

According to Auto Express, Fiat will take the covers off its new EV at the Geneva Motor Show, which runs from 5 to 15 March 2020 and showcases some of the upcoming cars of 2020.

THE SECRETIVE CITROEN C4 EV

Another of the expected new electric cars in 2020 is the Citroen C4 EV hatchback. As part of Citroen’s plans to electrify its entire range by 2025, the Citroen C4 EV is based on the standard C4 model but will be manufactured as an all-electric vehicle.

That said, Citroen aren’t sharing an awful lot of details about their new release. Said to be based on the CXPERIENCE concept shown at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, we know that the Citroen C4 EV is expected to use a longer version of the e-CMP platform.

This will provide a slight increase in battery capacity compared to smaller models using the same CMP technology. It’s expected that this will propel the Citroen C4 EV into the plus-200 miles category making it suitable for a range of drivers seeking a hatchback vehicle.