In 2018, there are some stunning new vehicles planned from the most popular car manufacturers in the world. However, the attention of the industry is turning electric and the whole niche is moving forward faster than ever before. In the past, new electric vehicles have been released in dribs and drabs but now we’re starting to see the reward of many years worth of investment and research.

If we were to judge the first generation of electric cars, let’s just say they didn't exactly set the world alight. Sadly, their range was poor and some automakers even had to accept a loss on models just to make them affordable. From all the cars we had, we could pinpoint the Model X and Model S from Tesla as the two that actually shone bright.

For some, this has realigned the expectations for the second generation but we’re optimistic and the news we’ve heard already is enough to suggest more success this time around. In truth, it comes at a time where success is needed because failure might not be an option. If this second wave of vehicles proves to be a failure, the reputation and image of the EV market will take a severe hit and it’ll take a lot of work to redeem the trust of consumers. With this in mind, here are the five EVs we think could take the market and carry the niche into a new world.

Porsche Mission E

The more we hear about this model, the more it intrigues us and not just because of the 800-volt battery which has been taken from the 919 race car. Firstly, Porsche believe the model takes just fifteen minutes to charge to 80% and that this will last for around 250 miles which is phenomenal work by the company. With few power outputs than previously, the model will certainly be interesting and we’ll receive more information as we get closer to the release date.

In all honesty, we’re expecting the Mission E to reach 60mph in less than 3.5 seconds but this won’t be for a while. Compared to some of the other models we’ll have here today, the Mission E is expected much later and perhaps towards the end of 2018; they’ll start to become more common in 2019. To have the luxury of driving this vehicle, you’ll have to pay between $80,000 and $90,000 and we believe this is a great chance to compete with the Model S from Tesla. If Porsche fail this time around, it could spell trouble.

According to the manufacturers, the Mission E provides up to 440 kW and this leads to a top speed of 250km/h. In terms of design, ‘compact’ is very much a key word with no worries about an exhaust system, transmission tunnel, or combustion engine. As Porsche has said in the past, they’re really ‘exploring the limits’ with this model and this is good to hear.

Jaguar I-Pace

With Jaguar, we have a car manufacturer with bundles of history in the US, their home in the UK, and all around the world. Despite not having a single hybrid vehicle on the market, they surprised us all with their announcement of the EV SUV ‘I-Pace’. For those of you who keep up-to-date with industry news, you’re probably thinking ‘wait…this was only announced recently so it won’t be released next year’ and you would normally have a good point. However, just like the Mission E, the I-Pace has been spotted testing in Monaco which speaks volumes.

Although details are few and far between right now, we’re expecting a range of 220 miles with the I-Pace but news regarding the pricing has been mixed for quite some time. Although we do know it’ll fall in lower than $100,000, there isn't much else to go by unless you believe rumors of rumors which are, at the least, scraping the barrel.

If you’re wondering why Jaguar has been able to get the model ready for the market so quickly, you should know that Magna Steyr has been in charge of the assembly process. Since they assemble vehicles on a contractual basis, they have no other worries except producing the model to be ready for launch. With this model to be released earlier than most, will this give Jaguar the upper hand they need to excel in 2018?

Audi E-Tron SUV

Around the same time as the I-Pace or perhaps a little after, we should also welcome the Audi E-Tron SUV to the market. In fact, there are some similarities between the two since they’ve both gone for an SUV with their first major electric vehicles. Offering a range of over 310 miles, this particular model is set for a launch next year and will actually sit between the Q5 and Q7 despite not following in terms of the name.

In truth, the success of both this and the I-Pace could very much come down to which is released sooner, the success/lack of success of the early releases, and how they interact in the early months of the year. Although we aren't sure of how this will pan out, we do know Jaguar won’t have the SUV niche to themselves for long so they need to take advantage of the time they have available.

If we head into the details a little more, the price tag should be between $65,000 and $70,000 which could be a key factor. Why? The Tesla Model X and Jaguar I-Pace are both more expensive. For those looking to save a few bucks for a rainy day, they might just see the advantage in choosing the Audi E-Tron SUV (assuming it does everything just as well as the Jaguar or can at least compete in most areas!).

In terms of Audi themselves, they’ve got big plans in the coming years for the electric market so could soon become large players (just as they’ve always been in the wider market). With their forward-thinking nature and hard-working employees, we’re sure they’ll be important in the coming years. If the E-Tron SUV manages to get a good footing and a positive start, we could be seeing them on the roads right across the US next year and into 2019.

Mercedes Maybach 6 Cabriolet

When it comes to concepts, Mercedes knocked it out of the park when they revealed the Maybach 6. If any automakers were wondering how to produce a visually-stunning concept, Mercedes immediately entered themselves as experts within the market. Just recently, they went one better and announced the Maybach 6 Cabriolet. Similar to the coupe, it’s an electric vehicle and should reach up to 750 horsepower. With batteries integrated into the floor of the model, range should reach 200 miles.

As soon as you see the concept, you’ll notice it looks elegant, clean, beautiful, and like a work of art. In order to get the horsepower, it uses four different electric motors and will also boast a quick-charge which is something that has become extremely popular in the industry in recent months. If you need to pop out but the battery is running low, all you need is five minutes and you can add 62 miles to the charge. When you break it down and really consider the math, this is very impressive and likely to be a USP if nobody can improve on these numbers.

Unfortunately, for the wider market, we aren't all going to get our hands on the Maybach 6 Cabriolet because they’re only going to produce around 300 models which might just leave us in the dark. If the history of the automobile tells us anything, it’s that only the wealthiest are going to be driving these models. However, we’re looking forward to seeing it in action and it also serves as an important reminder of how far electric vehicles can be pushed. If ever you’ve thought they were limited in build and design, the Maybach 6 Cabriolet smashed this myth to tiny little pieces!

Tesla Model 3

If you’ve been following our list closely, you’ll have noticed all the vehicles have got one thing in common; they haven't been revealed. Well, it’s time to break this mold because we’re finishing off with the Tesla Model 3. First and foremost, Tesla is probably the king of the industry right now and they have the respect of everybody. With a young history and with expectations low for them around the industry, they did their job well and produced two models that were, as we said earlier, shining lights in a niche of sub-par vehicles.

As it has been reported in recent weeks, they are having some production issues which has stalled the production date a little but at least we know they’re only going to release the model when they’re happy and comfortable with the final result. Eventually, we will get to see the Model 3 and we can assess whether it lives up to the hype that exists around the brand this time around.

With each charge offering 220 miles, this model comes in at a very respectable $35,000 (before considering possible incentives which could reduce the price somewhat). If you want to reserve a Model 3, you can actually do this on the website and you’ll receive an email when you can place the order. According to their website, the units will be released to employees first before then moving across to those who already own a Tesla. Finally, it then goes to the order of reservations to the wider public.

If we come back to the production issue for just a moment, we can bring you some numbers because the reports are coming thick and fast. Initially, they wanted to produce 1,500 units in September alone but they actually produced 260 in the whole of the third quarter. By the end of 2017, they wanted to have 20,000 models being produced each month but it looks as though this isn't going to happen and it all comes down to a welding problem.

Summary

With Tesla, you could argue the industry needs them to fix all issues and have the Model 3 available as soon as possible but let’s not take away from what is going to be a big year for electric vehicles. With so much expected of this second generation, we have five models here that will be battling for the limelight. If they manage to live up to expectations, it might just be the biggest year for electric cars so far.

Tags: Jaguar,  Mercedes-Benz,  Fisker Karma,  Fisker,  Tesla Model S,  Tesla,  Audi A3 e-tron,  Audi,  Tesla Model X,  Electric Cars