Compilation / Zhang Gull
Edited / Tu Yanping
Design / Zhao Haoran
Source/CNET, by Andrew Krok
Over the past 75 years, many U.S. startups have been cracking codes in an attempt to get into the main track of the automotive market and take their place. Yet only a few people have succeeded.
Tesla is a rare exception. It was the first to discover and grasp the new wave of electric vehicles that has quietly arrived, and it is now the most valuable car company. In 2021, Tesla's global sales reached 930,000 vehicles, and this year will undoubtedly successfully break through the million mark. Its success also brings hope to more than a dozen new faces focused on the field of electric vehicles.
At present, electric vehicles are still niche and in a stage of rapid growth. Both new and existing companies are eager to make their own claims during the momentous electrification period. Today we're going to look at how this new set of faces is progressing and what innovations they're taking in terms of design and engineering.
Win at the starting line
Lucid
Some start-ups are navigating the chaos and have started producing and selling vehicles. Lucid is one such successful exponent, and its first electric Air sedans have made their way into owners' homes.
Lucid's history is much older than many of its competitors. It was founded in 2007 when it focused on electric vehicle batteries and powertrains rather than the entire vehicle, and began designing, developing and manufacturing battery packs for FIA Formula E racing cars in 2018. In 2016, it changed its name to Lucid Motors and launched the first pure electric sedan, the Lucid Air.
Lucid Air▼
With a battery of 113 kWh, the Lucid Air will generate more than 500 miles (805 km) of EPA estimated mileage. In addition to its amazing endurance, the Lucid Air is also a luxury car, with a spacious air cabin and technical equipment that all luxury cars must have. Even though the power is only half that of its most powerful model, the speed is still worthy of praise.
Of course, the cool stuff costs money, and the basic price of the Lucid Air is $77,400. Thankfully, Lucid already plans to expand its lineup to launch more sedan and SUV models, which could appear as early as 2025.
Lucid has a well-established global long-term plan, with the first North American plant in Arizona to reach an annual capacity of 400,000 units in the future, and plans to build a factory in China later. In January 2022, it confirmed on its social media accounts that it was about to enter Europe this year, and some of them were moving forward smoothly and steadily.
Rivian
Rivian's pace into the public eye looks incredibly brisk, and it is now seen as the most capable startup to compete with Tesla. Maybe in a few years, it can get rid of the "startup" label and become a full-fledged automaker.
Currently, Rivian offers two models, an all-electric R1S SUV and an R1T pickup. From the portal to the fans, many people have spent a lot of time evaluating the R1T that has already been delivered, and the praise is overwhelming. This truck not only has no obstacles in the dirt, but also has excellent performance, but also has a high degree of comfort.
R1T▼
The two electric motors combined can produce more than 800 hp and 1220 Nm of torque, and the 135 kWh battery pack enables the R1T to achieve an EPA range of approximately 314 miles (505 km). A larger battery pack is expected to arrive this year. Air suspension is standard and available in eight drive modes.
In addition to the first Nomer plant in Illinois, Rivian has announced that it will build a second plant in Georgia, starting production in 2024 and expected to reach 400,000 units per year.
In November 2021, Rivian raised about $12 billion in its initial public offering, creating a historic number. Coupled with strong private equity and cooperation including Amazon, it is a boundless scenery. However, just a month later, its CEO, RJ Scaringe, announced that it would delay delivery from 2022 to 2023 due to supply chain issues.
Stock prices that began to fall from the cloud, accused by former employees of high-level sexism, accused by Tesla of stealing trade secrets — despite the dreamy start, there were still some annoyances waiting for Rivian to deal with.
VinFast
VinFast, a Vietnamese automaker owned by Vingroup, is ready to make a name for itself in the industry. It has a clear plan for its global expansion, investing more than $200 million to open a U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles.
VinFast has clear plans for its global expansion, investing more than $200 million to open a U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles.
In 2021, the company not only unveiled an all-electric bus and some electric vehicles in Vietnam, but also unveiled three all-electric SUVs at the Los Angeles Auto Show: the VF5, VF6 and VF7.
The VFe35 and VFe36, which are currently prototypes, will be global vehicles with a promised range of about 480 kilometers and will be equipped with a range of advanced features such as virtual assistants and on-board offices. Interestingly, the design of these vehicles also bears Pininfarina's signature – the Italian company that has been designing classic Ferrari sports cars.
VFe35▼
In December 2021, VinFast announced plans to invest $174 million in vietnam to develop batteries to ensure it has its own battery supply chain; in January 2022, it went ahead to announce the construction of a battery plant in the United States, the establishment of a manufacturing plant in Germany, and a cooperation with ZF on autonomous driving technology. VinFast is going all out to catch up with other competitors and has a strong tendency to overtake.
Focus on your own footsteps
Fisherman
Famed car designer Henrik Fisker's first attempt at electric vehicles, karma, a plug-in hybrid, was sold to a company renamed Karma Motors after its battery supplier declared bankruptcy. But Fisk himself didn't stop, and now he's back with a new all-electric piece.
The 2023 Fisker Ocean debuted at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show. It's an all-electric powertrain, half a foot longer than the Honda CR-V, and runs on a modified Magna-Steyr platform to help reduce development costs. Its 275-horsepower, front-wheel-drive base model is expected to deliver 250 miles (400 kilometers) of range, while more expensive models are able to offer greater range with larger batteries.
Fisk Ocean▼
Fisker wants to position it as one of the more sustainable models on the market, thanks to its clever use of recycled materials. For example, carpets inside the car are made from used fishing nets and plastic bottles.
There are many other interesting innovations in the Fisk Ocean. Fisker promises owners an additional 2,000 miles (3,218 kilometers) of battery life per year free of charge through its Solar Sky solar panels. Two-way charging will enable it to supply power to the home or the grid. The most recently released data shows that Orders for Fisk Marine have exceeded 60,000 vehicles.
Instead of building a factory, Fisk chose to outsource production to save huge sums of money. Fisker Marine is expected to start production by the end of 2022 with its manufacturing partner Foxconn. Pricing starts at $38,000.
Aptera
The Aptera has actually been around for more than a decade, with the goal of building a three-wheeled electric car that looks like a Cessna aircraft with bigger wheels and no wings. The company ran into some problems in 2011, when it had to shut down its business and return customer deposits.
Aptera's two co-founders, Chris Anthony and Steve Fambro, regrouped the company in 2019 and are currently moving at full speed, determined to build a solar-powered electric car.
Apteta's solar electric vehicle▼
Aptera promises to travel 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers) on a single charge, and it also wants to offer batteries of different sizes to suit different owners. At the moment, the most advanced electric vehicles on the market cannot reach more than 550 miles (885 kilometers), a promised figure that really seems difficult to achieve. And that confidence comes in part from Apteta's purest engineering systems.
At the same time, in terms of design, they are making their car as light as possible and at the same time aerodynamic. The car's built-in 180 or so solar panels theoretically generate 45 miles (72 kilometers) per day, so Aptera claims on its website that the solar car doesn't need to be charged deliberately for most everyday use.
On Aptera's website there is a link to "Become an Investor", along with a booking page. Investors do not have to pay for the booking. The price of this car will be between $26,000 and $52,000.
Canoo
Canoo is an American startup founded after several executives parted ways with another electric vehicle startup, FF (Faraday Future).
Canoo works on a modular electric vehicle platform that can support many different vehicle designs. The first to publish an official preview of the body was a sleek minivan and plans to launch a variety of delivery vehicles subsequently, as the commercial sector is keen on electrification to help reduce operating costs and is a huge market.
Canoo multi-purpose van▼
In early 2021, Canoo opened pre-order for delivery vans, production scheduled to begin in 2023, with a refundable deposit of just $100.
Although the company has postponed its production from 2021 to 2023, the pace of growing the lineup has not been delayed. In March 2021, it launched another pickup concept car with an extension of a fold-out bed and lots of storage space, with a powertrain that promises 600 hp and 746 Nm of torque.
Canoo's designers were creative, and its miniature car moved passengers to the front of the car, like an old-fashioned Volkswagen minibus, using a skateboard-like platform with motors and batteries mounted underneath. This provides a huge interior space for passengers and cargo.
Rimac
While many startups aim to produce luxury models or vehicles that cater to the mainstream market, some EV startups have more niche intentions. That's where rimac comes in.
In the beginning, it was just a hobby of founder Mate Rimac. His first work was a modified E30 BMW 3 Series. Over time, the company gained the attention of investors, and Porsche began investing millions of dollars in it.
Rimac Fridge▼
Rimac's production car is currently a single electric supercar, the Nevera. While other companies expanded their marketing and announced tens of thousands of bookings, Rimac was focusing on its $2.45 million electric car, taking the Dream Car route. It is said to be able to accelerate from stationary to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 1.85 seconds and then run 1.2 km in 8.6 seconds. According to foreign media test drive feedback, it did not live up to people's expectations.
Since Nevera's debut, Rimac has gained more reputation, with Volkswagen ceding control of the Bugatti brand to Porsche and Rimac, forming the Bugatti-Rimac joint venture. The two automakers will exist as separate entities, but the expertise will be interoperable to collaborate to create the next generation of high-value, high-power dream cars.
Desire nirvana to be born again
Karma
That is, the Above Mentioned Karma Cars at Fisker Motors, although it sells basically the same cars as the company, But Karma has some big plans of its own.
The only vehicle produced by Cama is the luxury plug-in hybrid GS-6. Formerly known as Revero, its design language is essentially the same as Fisker-Karma's design language.
Karma GS-6▼
Technically, it's an extended-range electric car, as the 3-liter BMW i8 engine on the car only charges the battery and powers the electric motor, not directly to the wheels. Underneath the car is a 28 kWh battery that provides 61-80 miles (98-129 km) of range per charge.
Cama's goal is an all-electric lineup. At the end of 2020, the company unveiled the chassis for the upcoming GSe6 model, which has a body derived primarily from the GS-6. The estimated mileage is 400 miles (644 kilometers) and pre-sales have already begun, with an estimated price of $80,000.
Nikola
In 2020, the startup released Badger, a pickup truck that can be propelled using fuel cells or conventional electric power. Initially, GM signed up as a partner to help validate and produce Badger, but before the end of 2020, GM withdrew and Badger eventually aborted. However, it always has a chance to come back.
Nikola Badger▼
Nikolai is another electric car startup embroiled in the lawsuit. Hindenburg Research published a report claiming that Nikolai and trevor Milton, the founder who has left the company, lied in a big deal, including falsely reporting that one of its early trucks would be able to drive itself.
In July 2021, a federal grand jury indicted it on two counts of securities fraud and one count of telecommunications fraud, and Nikolai agreed to pay $125 million to settle with the SEC. As the first Nikolai 3 began to be delivered at the end of December, Nikolai's stock price, which had previously plummeted due to litigation, began to slowly recover.
Uncertain future
Bollinger
Founded in 2014 and debuted in 2017, Bollinger unveiled a sharp car, both literally and figuratively. The company has received attention for its vehicle design — dull, full of hard corners, with an emphasis on minimalism. That concern dissipated in the years that followed, though, as Bollinger ticked a six-figure high price for its upcoming electric car.
The Bollinger has two models coming into production, the B1 SUV and the B2 pickup truck. Production was originally scheduled to begin in 2021 and is expected to be delayed until the end of 2022. Specifications have not been finalized, but the company estimates its vehicles will have an endurance of more than 200 miles (322 kilometers). It's also an off-road-friendly electric car with lockable differentials, swing bars with manual disconnectors and 15 inches of ground clearance with huge towing and stumps pulling capabilities.
Bollinger B1▼
In addition, Bollinger also wants to enter the commercial vehicle field, intending to manufacture chassis-van trucks. The battery capacity of these commercial vehicles will be between 140 and 280 kWh, allowing ranges of more than 200 miles (322 km), which is absolutely impressive for heavy-duty trucks.
Currently, it has established a small operating establishment on the outskirts of Detroit, but it is said to lack funding.
Lordstown
Every story about Lordstown seems to paint a different picture of its future, piques curiosity. It started in 2018 and the following year bought the Lordstown assembly plant from GM, which has invested about $75 million in the startup to date.
Lordstown's only future model will be the Endurance electric pickup. It promises to implant separate electric motors into each hub, which will drastically reduce the number of moving parts. It was originally estimated to hit the market in 2020, but production and release date were delayed.
Since 2020, Lordstown's journey has been like a roller coaster ride. In March 2021, Hindenburg Research published a report arguing that the company had misled investors, allegedly with false bookings and engineering and production issues. In June, a Wall Street Journal article reported that the company lacked the funds to start production.
Lordstown has since announced that it is under federal investigation due to booking issues and a merger with a shell company that led the listing. The story continues in a different direction, though, as Lordstown received a $400 million hedge fund investment in July 2021, after which the startup sold its factory to manufacturing giant Foxconn in September.
Faraday Future
Some EV startups made a big splash when they made their debut, but fell silent for a long time afterwards. Faraday Future is one of these companies. The FF91 electric car, first unveiled at CES in 2017, is stunning, promising Tesla's pedal-style acceleration and autonomous driving under certain conditions through a series of sensors connected to the body.
The interior and exterior aesthetics of the FF91 are impressive, and they also offer a fairly comfortable ride. But they've been quiet since that debut, with most news reports about financial hardship. Faraday Future will be listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange in mid-2021.
In October 2021, Roadshow editor-in-chief Tim Stevens had the opportunity to interview its CEO, Carsten Breitfeld. Faraday Future is still working to bring its vehicles to market by July 2022. Bi Fukang said that during this time, they have made some improvements to the vehicle, because the entire segment has developed a lot in the past three or four years.
After the debut of the FF91, Faraday Future hopes to produce the FF81. It's a smaller, more affordable car that will be Faraday's future mass sales product.
FF 91▼
The electric vehicle market opens the door to opportunities for many people, but it is likely to close at any time before it is full, and the development in the short term is especially important for the survival of these startups. After all, in addition to them, experienced, well-funded and well-known old car companies are not idle.
Although this is the status quo today, in a few years, which brand can stand out and occupy the highlands, who is right?
Front and rear feet into the power circuit, Ning Wang, Geely who is stronger