Welcome back to another interesting (I hope) blog post from EVision Electric Vehicles. If you read our first review of the Fully Charged Live 2023 you would have seen that I discussed the Maxus T90, the BYD Atto 3, the BYD Dolphin, the Ora Funky Cat and the Ora Lightning Cat. All brilliant vehicles, and all Chinese (Maxus is owned by SAIC from Shanghai).
In this edition I will be looking at 5 vehicles that were all serious head-turners for different reasons. Strap yourselves in and let the EV adventure begin.
The Rivian R1T
In the first blog of this series I said how the Maxus T90 wasn’t feeling the love that the other vehicles were getting. With the Rivian, however, there was no lack of affection. Easily the most popular vehicle of the day, The Rivian R1T is a head-turner in so many ways.
For those who are unfamiliar with the Rivian, it is a large pickup truck that is packed with great features, particularly for camping. Currently, this vehicle is exclusively sole in the United State, but EVision have starting bringing them over (albeit with left hand drive) for the many fans in the UK.
Aside from the many features in the vehicle, including a portable bluetooth speaker, it is the performance of the Rivian R1T that is what makes it special. The real world range is a fantastic 250 miles, there is a top speed of 115mph and you can go from 0-60mph in an astonishing 3.3 seconds. The acceleration of the Rivian R1T was something we wowed the crowd with at the EVision official launch earlier this year.
Fisker Ocean
Fisker will be unfamiliar to the vast majority of people. Brainchild and founder of the company, Henrik Fisker, is a Danish automotive designer and entrepreneur who is currently based in Los Angeles. Mr Fisker has previously worked for Aston Martin and comes from a strong car building background.
The Fisker Ocean will be the second Fisker car to go into production, after the Fisker Karma, but will be the first fully electric vehicle from the manufacturer. A further two models are expected to follow in the footsteps of the Ocean shortly afterwards.
The Ocean itself is a gorgeous looking SUV crossover and it has won a lot of praise from the car industry. The largest battery size due to be released is the 100kWh version. This will have some seriously impressive specs. A real world range of around 315 miles, a top speed of 124mph and an astonishing 0-62mph time of just 3.9 seconds!
Xpeng P7
The Xpeng P7 is another Chinese masterpiece that was shown off at the Fully Charged Live South event. This car came to the UK from the Netherlands, which is one of the few countries in Europe that offers the car. A strikingly sporty saloon style vehicle, the Xpeng is a real car-lovers machine. The wing style opening doors just accentuates the sporty style.
With a real world range of just over 290 miles, this is a car that will be seriously practical. Elsewhere on the performance scale, you can expect a top speed of around 125mph and a 0-62mph time of 4.1 seconds. The price of the Xpeng P7 in the Netherlands is around €71,000. This equates to around £61,700. Not the cheapest of cars, but compared to its rivals (think Porsche Taycan) it is an absolute bargain!
Subaru Solterra
Subaru is a manufacturer that you may be more familiar with. The Japanese car makers have a long history of automotive experience. With the Solterra (sun earth in Latin) you are seeing the manufacturer’s first venture into the electric car world. It has taken some time, but they wanted the car to be good.
The 4-wheel-drive is a distinction of Subaru vehicles, and the Solterra happily provides this via its dual motors. While the top of the car is mostly from Subaru themselves, the guts of the vehicle are from Toyota, a fellow Japanese manufacturer of repute. This coming together of minds is destined to be of benefit to both companies in the EV world.
The Solterra has a real world range of around 195 miles. Not the best but certainly not the worst when compared to other EVs in the price range (£49,995). The top speed is 99mph and you can achieve 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds. This car won’t be breaking any records, but it sure looks good and is almost certain to be a reliable vehicle, considering who is behind it.
The Munro Mk1
The craziest and most noticeable vehicle at the show must go to the Munro Mk1. This is the first car (never mind electric car) to come out of Scotland in decades. Boxy and tank-like, this is the EV answer to the Range Rover and is designed to take on some seriously rough terrain.
If you are looking for a vehicle with all the mod-cons and next-level infotainment system, then you may want to look elsewhere. Even the manufacturer has said that if you are not planning to do a majority of your driving over rough terrain and steep hilltops, look elsewhere. They literally do not want your business.
However, if challenging terrain is your thing, then this is a seriously powerful vehicle that will handle the rough grounds and mountain-like climbs in its stride. The specs for what is essentially a land-working vehicle are pretty good. There is a 75.8kWh useable battery powering the Munro Mk1 and it can achieve 275km. Charging it is also very quick, with 15% to 80% of charge possible in just 36 minutes. Not bad at all.
