Brace yourself for an emissions-free future.
No more internal combustion engines. No more polluting trucks and cars. Only 100% electric vehicles will be shown and sold in dealerships.
Automakers are shaking up and electrifying their lineups, teasing motorists with images of upcoming gasless vehicles. The U.S. automotive industry will look a lot different by 2025 than it does today.
Online car shopping site Edmunds predicts 2021 will be a "pivotal year" for electric vehicles, with U.S. sales rising to 2.5% versus 1.9% last year. Consumers will also see a deluge of new models entering the market in the next 11 months: 30 EVs from 21 brands, up from 17 models in 2020, according to Edmunds.
Stephanie Brinley, an industry expert at IHS Markit, said a larger selection of EVs at affordable prices will help change Americans' attitudes on emissions-free vehicles. Automakers, though, will have to work hard to highlight why EVs are the smarter choice, she added.
"Cost is still a factor and range anxiety will be partly addressed by education," Brinley told ABC News. "There's no reason a consumer can't adjust to an electric vehicle."
Which automakers are charging up their portfolios and betting big on battery technology?
The British company owned by India's Tata Motors has become the latest manufacturer to commit to an electric future.
Jaguar, the storied sports car maker known for its seductive designs, will become an "all-electric luxury brand" by 2025 to "realize its unique potential," the marque announced Feb. 15. Future Jaguar models will be built "exclusively on a pure electric architecture," the company noted.
Jaguar currently manufacturers one EV: The I-PACE. Global sales of the stylish, futuristic-looking SUV totaled 7,807 units in 2020.
The first all-electric Land Rover model will come in 2024 followed by five "pure electric variants" in the next five years, the company said. Moreover, JLR expects nearly 60% of Land Rovers sold by 2030 will be equipped with zero tailpipe powertrains.
The company has set another ambitious goal: Zero net carbon emissions in its supply chain, products and operations by 2039.
Bentley Motors
The formidable, mighty W12 and V8 engines that power Bentley's pricey sedans, grand tourers and SUVs will soon become part of automotive legend.
The ultra luxury automaker announced in November that its first electric vehicle will debut in 2025. Then, by 2030, every conveyance assembled at its Crewe, U.K., factory will be battery electric.
Adrian Hallmark, Bentley's CEO, acknowledged the company's bold move, calling it a "profound change in the industry."
"It's really a transformation of business," he told reporters. "There is demand for a Bentley EV."
Bentley's EXP 100 GT concept car could provide additional clues about the company's plans. The svelte, radically-looking grand tourer incorporates sustainable materials and comes programmed with autonomous electric driving technology. The battery-electric powertrain propels the EXP 100 GT from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds, according to Bentley.
More EVs
Automakers worldwide are busy readying their EV models for motorists. German luxury automaker Audi recently introduced its 2022 e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT, two high-performance electric cars that pack 522 horsepower and 637 hp respectively.
Volkswagen's new compact ID.4 promises to be a serious challenger to the top-selling Tesla Model 3. All-electric automaker Rivian has been testing its $67,500 R1T truck in Arizona's desert; the truck can get 300+ miles of range on a full charge.
The slew of EVs hitting the market could upend the industry, IHS Markit's Brinley noted.
"Consumers' willingness to consider EVs will change as products get better," she added.
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