• Boom in electric cars
• In 2023 numerous new models will come onto the market
• Chinese manufacturers on the rise
E-car pioneer Tesla has clearly dominated the market in recent years. But the competition never sleeps. Both industry newcomers and established car manufacturers want to snatch market share from Tesla and will bring new models to the German market.
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NIO wants to enter the German market with three models. The Chinese electric car manufacturer offers its vehicles with a BaaS (Battery-as-a-Service) option. With this business model, the battery is not sold but rented out. In this way, the manufacturer can maximize the usage intensity and duration of the battery as far as technically possible. For the end customer, this means that the purchase price for the vehicle falls.
It should also be noted that NIO differs from Tesla in that the company relies on changing stations for batteries. Here, empty batteries can be exchanged for full ones within five minutes. Thanks to this “Power Swap Station”, NIO wants to make itself independent of the charging infrastructure and customers no longer have to wait tiresomely while charging. However, if you decide to buy batteries, the exchange stations cannot be used.
The flagship, the ET5 sedan, is said to be available from 50,000 euros, the larger ET7 from 70,000 euros and the EL7 SUV from 74,000 euros – each without the battery. If the battery is purchased separately, this costs the customer an additional 12,000 euros for 75 kWh and 21,000 euros for 100 kWh. If, on the other hand, the NIO drivers opt for the rental model, they have to pay 170 euros a month for the small battery or 290 euros for the larger battery.
Airways U6
With Aiways, another manufacturer from China is strengthening its presence on the German market. The U6, a 4.80 meter long SUV coupe, is a slightly larger sister model to the U5, an electric SUV that has been available since 2020. With its 63 kWh battery, the crossover, which costs 47,600 euros, should have a range of up to 400 kilometers.
Its coupé-like lines – from the shark nose front to the three-part side line, the dome-shaped panorama roof to the spoiler on the C-pillar – give this SUV a sporty design. The handle in the center console, which is reminiscent of the thrust lever of a passenger jet, is striking on the inside.
VW ID.7
But the German manufacturers are also expanding their range in 2023. For example, Volkswagen wants to launch its first electric sedan with the ID.7, of which there should also be a station wagon version. According to company information, the electric successor to the Passat should be able to travel up to 700 kilometers with one battery charge, which, according to the “Handelsblatt”, means a larger battery format and/or better efficiency than the other ID models based on the MEB electrical kit. suggests. “Auto Bild” assumes that the basic ID.7 will cost no more than 50,000 euros and will therefore be competitive with Tesla’s Model 3.
Smart #1
The Smart car brand, which belongs to Mercedes Benz, also wants to launch a new electric car on the German market in 2023. The #1 is a rear-wheel drive compact electric SUV manufactured in China by joint venture partner Geely.
At 4.27 meters, the production version of the Smart #1 is about as long as a VW Golf VIII. The new crossover is therefore no longer just a car for the city, but also a comfortable vehicle for weekend trips, for example. Its 66 kWh battery enables a range of up to 440 kilometers.
According to “auto motor und sport”, buyers can choose between a total of four equipment lines. The entry-level line Smart #1 Pro+ is available for 41,500 euros, for the most expensive version, the Smart #1 Brabus, with all-wheel drive and greater acceleration, you have to pay around 49,000 euros.
Opel Astra Electric
From spring 2023 there will also be Opel’s classic Astra as a five-door model and from autumn 2023 also in the Sports Tourer estate variant with purely battery-electric drive. So far, such electric station wagons are still very rare on the market.
According to ADAC information, the exterior and interior design of the Opel Astra Electric are identical to the combustion engine. In contrast to many other electric cars, which rely on a particularly minimalist touchscreen design in the cockpit, the Astra still has many buttons to control the two 10-inch displays.
Equipped with a 54 kWh battery, which is stowed under the floor to save space, it should be able to travel up to 416 kilometers. According to the “Handelsblatt”, the starting prices should be over 40,000 euros. Opel is the German subsidiary of the Dutch car group Stellantis.
Maserati Grecale Folgore
Maserati, an Italian luxury and sports car brand from Stellantis, is also expanding its range in 2023. The mid-range SUV Grecale will soon also be available with a BEV drive in parallel to the petrol-driven variants, and this electric variant will be given the suffix Folgore – which means “lightning” in German. According to “Motorsport-Total”, the battery with a storage capacity of 105 kWh should enable a range of around 500 kilometers.
Ford electric crossover
The traditional US group Ford wants to enter the European high-volume market for electric cars in 2023. A sporty crossover, which has not yet been named, is planned, which is to be technically based on the MEB electrical kit from VW. Volkswagen and Ford are now working closely together on various projects around the world.
The electric crossover will be manufactured at the Cologne-Niehl plant from the second half of 2023. According to Handelsblatt information, its entry price should start at just under 40,000 euros.
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