QOTD: Does the Electric Realm Have Borders?

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

The trail-trampling fodder of the previous post — Volkswagen’s rugged, hypothetical, yet-unnamed electric off-roader — sparked this question, as it really seems there’s little ground the once nerdy and impractical electric vehicle can’t claim.

The EV revolution, if indeed that’s what it is, started a decade ago with Tesla’s Lotus-bodied roadster, and continues at an ever growing speed. As of this writing, choice is already plentiful. Come two years or so, and the options could be virtually limitless.

Is there a segment where you just can’t see the EV becoming a fixture?

Call your bank, assess your funds, and you can, in early 2019, get into an electric sedan, compact or midsize. Hatches are there, too, and the first mass-market, battery-powered crossovers have already begun to arrive. Sporty (Jaguar I-Pace) or practical (Hyundai Kona EV)? Keep in mind the Kia Soul EV’s been around for some time. Rivian would love to sell you a larger electric SUV in the near future, as would Tesla and Ford. Oh, and Volkswagen. It has a microbus coming, in addition to a two-row crossover, three-row crossover, and the possible aforementioned off-roader.

Those horrified by the thought of ridding themselves of jerry can assistance while crawling through the backcountry have PHEV versions of the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport to choose from, and Jeep’s plug-in Wrangler is hot on their heels.

Pickup truck fan? Rivian wants in on that, too. Same with Atlis, which debuted an electric concept just a few days ago. ( Workhorse would argue it was first on the scene.) Tesla also sees the pickup market as fertile ground, with the Silicon Valley lifestyle maker planning to unveil a prototype later this year. Maybe. Meanwhile, it’s Ford’s intent to bring serious electrification to the segment in a big way with its forthcoming F-150 hybrid. Depending on the truck’s reception, this could cause domestic rivals to respond in kind.

We’ve already seen how high-zoot sports cars can go gas-free, as, oddly, this was the vehicle type that broke the seal. Italian automakers have electric propulsion in their sights for future models. Even motorsports isn’t immune, with Formula E offering emissions-free thrills for the few who choose to attend. Life on two wheels suit you better? Harley-Davidson wants a word.

There’s few, if any, areas of autodom where EVs aren’t trying to make inroads, but which segment will hold out the longest with primarily ICE-powered vehicles? It would seem that pickups, which require sizeable (and expensive) battery packs to move their hefty bulk, even when unladen, is the obvious answer. Still, you might have other ideas. Sound off in the comments.

[Image: Atlis Motor Vehicles]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • JaySeis JaySeis on Jan 12, 2019

    Hybrid diesel electrics been hauling ICE vehicles for nearly a 100 years. And speaking of infrastructure..post WW2 our county easily had twice the “gas” stations we’ve today. 4 in the small town I grew up in and another 2 in the immediate rural area. Today there is 1. Seriously overbuilt. I can charge a vehicle overnight on the equivalent of a dryer plugin? Certainly easier than going to Home Depot & buying a refinery in a box. Get off my AstroTurf Luddites! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel_Electric-class_ferry

  • Carlson Fan Carlson Fan on Jan 13, 2019

    I've said before that with the current technology EV's are almost a no-brainer for multi-car households as a second or third vehicle. Initial purchase cost being the biggest limiting factor currently. But I suspect China will take care of that in a few years. I'll be trailering from Minneapolis to the upper UP of Michigan for a snowmobile trip in a few weeks and it will be a long, long time before an EV tow vehicle is available that can replace the ICE tow vehicle that will be doing that job. So anything powerful enough to tow something that sits on tandem axles long distances to remote areas in the winter will probably not be replaced with anything electric in my lifetime.

  • The Oracle Well, we’re 3-4 years in with the Telluride and right around the time the long term durability issues start to really take hold. This is sad.
  • CoastieLenn No idea why, but nothing about a 4Runner excites me post-2004. To me, they're peak "try-hard", even above the Wrangler and Gladiator.
  • AZFelix A well earned anniversary.Can they also attend to the Mach-E?
  • Jalop1991 The intermediate shaft and right front driveshaft may not be fully engaged due to suspected improper assembly by the supplier. Over time, partial engagement can cause damage to the intermediate shaft splines. Damaged shaft splines may result in unintended vehicle movement while in Park if the parking brake is not engagedGee, my Chrysler van automatically engages the parking brake when we put it in Park. Do you mean to tell me that the idjits at Kia, and the idjit buyers, couldn't figure out wanting this in THEIR MOST EXPENSIVE VEHICLE????
  • Dukeisduke I've been waiting to see if they were going to do something special for the 60th Anniversary. I was four years old when the Mustang was introduced. I can remember that one of our neighbors bought a '65 coupe (they were all titled as '65 models, even the '64-1/2 cars), and it's the first one I can remember seeing. In the '90s I knew an older gentleman that owned a '64-1/2 model coupe with the 260 V8.
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