2025 EV Preview: Will we or won't we see these 7 EVs next year? | Reviews

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“Turbulent” is one word you could use to describe this year, especially when it comes to electric vehicles. The growing new segment has seen wild price fluctuations, availability issues, recalls, and more. But perhaps the most telling trend of this year has been the flurry of announcements – and cancellations – surrounding a whole bunch of new electrified vehicles.

After governments globally announced some ambitious plans for all-electric sales goals, many opportunistic companies popped up to grab a slice of the EV pie. However, a few of those automakers have perished since then. For every (arguably) successful Rivian and Lucid, several automakers have instead died out, like Lordstown, NEVS, Sono Motors, the Dyson electric car, and more.

Even cars that we’ve already heard details for or seen in person have had their launches pushed back, as automakers wait and see if the push for electric vehicles will continue within various government administrations, or if the public’s appetite for EVs will continue through a new era.

Let’s take a look at cars that have been promised, announced, or seen with an on-road date of 2025 and determine if we’ll actually drive these vehicles next year or not.

Fisker Pear

Well, this one is a definite “no,” thanks to Fisker Inc. declaring bankruptcy in 2024. It’s a bit of a shame, as the Fisker Ocean was decently well-received, with publications like Car and Driver suggesting it was loaded with interesting features, snappy acceleration, and a fresh design.

The Pear was supposed to be the more affordable alternative, with a starting price of around $30,000 and over 500 km (310 miles) of battery range. Unfortunately, the automaker began liquidating its assets in the fall of 2024, meaning the Pear has fallen off the tree to rot away.

Canoo EVs

Another electric vehicle company whose name is popping up in the news a bit too often is Canoo. It recently furloughed 23% of its factory works, and its stock price has plummeted since it went public in 2020. We were expecting Canoo to deliver a variety of vehicles, including a delivery van, a passenger van, and a pickup truck.

Unfortunately, things have been very slow, despite the automaker securing orders from the likes of NASA, Walmart, and USPS. So far, only a handful of vehicles have been delivered, and there are questions about whether the automaker can keep up this slow pace for another year.

Tesla Model Q

There has been some recent buzz lately about a Tesla Model Q, suggesting the American EV giant is finally working on an affordable vehicle for its customers. This rumour comes from a recent investor meeting with Deutsche Bank, which name-dropped the Model Q, though some are questioning if the moniker is from Deutsche Bank or Tesla itself.

In the past, Tesla had described a strategy of launching more affordable vehicles in 2025, though the automaker hasn’t always stuck to its promises.

A new, cheaper model was thought to be meant to compete with vehicles like the Volkswagen ID.3 or BYD Dolphin, two vehicles that don’t have a presence in North America, which makes this new vehicle seem unlikely for Canadians. Others believe that the Model Q is a pared-down Model 3 stripped to meet aggressive pricing goals. Time will tell if this is just another empty promise or something with substance; knowing Tesla, it could go either way.

Volkswagen ID.7

Sedans are already having a tough go in today’s market, but what about electric sedans? There are just a few electric sedans out there, mainly from luxury automakers, and we were expecting a more mainstream offering from Volkswagen with the ID.7. Originally slated to arrive some time in 2024, the automaker has since stalled its release indefinitely for North America, citing changing market conditions.

As we know now, sedans have been unpopular in North America. Even the Hyundai Ioniq 6 sedan, which was well-received by the press, has been met with middling sales. Rather, Volkswagen made a bigger deal with its new ID.Buzz electric van, which may appeal more to North Americans.

It seems unlikely that VW will toss all of its ID.7 plans, but there’s been so little talk about the sedan that we may not see it at all in 2025.

Toyota Tacoma EV

Another automaker that’s coy about its electric vehicle plans is Toyota. The Japanese giant has often criticized the government’s approach of pushing and incentivizing EVs, suggesting the efficiency and affordability of its many hybrids and PHEVs is more appealing.

Still, that hasn’t stopped the company from showing the public images of a very appealing electric pickup truck earlier this year, which threw the internet into a buzz about the possibility of a Tacoma EV. While the automaker promises an electric version of the HiLux will hit global markets some time next year, it is necessary to point out the HiLux and Tacoma are slightly different, and that bringing an international utility vehicle to North America could subject it to additional taxes, making it a hard sell.

We all know Toyota is in this business to make money, so until it tells us it’s working on a Tacoma EV that will be built in North America, it’s unlikely such a vehicle would show up any time soon.

Chevrolet Corvette EV

If you thought a mid-engined Corvette was an unthinkable prospect, then the gas-electric hybrid-powered Corvette E-Ray must have blown your mind! The next logical step for ‘Vette is to ditch the V8 engine for several electric motors, delivering one of the first American all-electric sports cars on the market. Many expect the new Corvette EV to feature 1,000 horsepower from either a three- or four-motor setup. The alternative is a whole new Corvette brand that includes an SUV.

Naturally, this will be super-pricey, but that’s the cost of doing all-electric business. The real question is how it will perform. The mid-engine Corvette always felt like it could handle more power, and with multiple electric motors motivating it, it may finally achieve its peak performance. Expect more news about this electrifying sports car next year.

Lightyear 2

Dutch startup Lightyear promised us in 2023 that its solar-powered EV will be on our roads in 2025. As we flip the calendar to a new year, we can’t help but notice there hasn’t been much news about the Lightyear 2, which was supposed to start under US$40,000 and feature a driving range of 800 km (500 miles). That sounds a bit too good to be true, which is why it seems doubtful this will be hitting our roads any time soon. It doesn’t help that the automaker secured approximately US$11 million to pivot from making cars to supplying solar hardware.

As the name suggests, the Lightyear 2 was planned to be a follow-up to the automaker’s limited production proof of-concept car known as the Lightyear Zero. Just under 1,000 copies of that solar-powered sedan were made, and each one cost a whopping US$265,000. It was slow but efficient, and the plan was to take the technology and concept of that initial model and make it more mainstream and affordable. That, unfortunately, seems unlikely now.

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