Scout is Volkswagen’s electric sub-brand created in 2022. The startup’s first models are an electric truck and SUV that are designed to resemble the International Harvester Scout from the 1970s. Information is currently very limited, but the company says both EVs will be highly capable off-roaders and have body-on-frame construction. The Scouts will also be original products designed and engineered by the company (not by VW), and they will not ride on a platform shared with any VW vehicle. To top it off, the upcoming EVs are designed specifically for the U.S. market.
Scout will unveil both vehicles in October and will likely share more information about them. The startup will manufacture the EVs in a plant that’s under construction in South Carolina and plans to have them roll off the production line by 2026. Volkswagen is investing $2 billion in the upcoming plant, which has the capacity to build more than 200,000 vehicles annually at full operation.
Estimated starting price: $50,000
Afeela (Sony Honda Mobility)
Sony Group Corp. — yup, the long-running electronics company — and Honda formed a joint venture in 2022 to produce EVs. When the company unveiled its prototype in 2023, it announced the vehicles would be sold under the Afeela brand. The prototype, which has yet to be named, is not related to any of Honda’s EVs and is a futuristic-looking midsize fastback sedan.
The EV is still being developed and information is sparse, but the startup says the car will have 45 cameras and sensors inside and out to keep track of passengers and help operate the Level 2 and Level 3 partially automated driver assistance systems. Display screens will span the width of the dashboard, and rear passengers will enjoy two large screens. The infotainment system will give passengers the ability to play video games and stream videos. The Afeela EV will boast an all-wheel-drive system and produce over 400 hp. A 91-kWh battery pack should provide an ample driving range.
Sony Honda Mobility says preorders for the sedan will begin in 2025, and production is expected to start in 2026. Earlier this year the company announced an electric SUV that’s slated for 2027 and an affordable compact sedan by 2028. The vehicles will likely be built at a Honda plant located in Ohio.
Estimated starting price: $60,000
New electric car companies already delivering vehicles in the U.S.
VinFast
VinFast, founded in 2017, is just one arm of a large Vietnamese conglomerate. The cash reserves of a deep-pocketed parent corporation have accelerated vehicle production at a breakneck pace; in 2021, the automaker announced its intention to enter the North American market, revealed its first U.S.-bound vehicle — the VF 8 midsize SUV — in 2022, and began deliveries last year. But the VF 8 is just the beginning. VinFast plans to start delivering the larger VF 9 later this year, and the smaller VF 6, VF 7, and VF 3 SUVs down the line. An electric truck concept was unveiled earlier this year called the VF Wild, but no word on if or when it will enter production.
VinFast has sold 21,747 vehicles globally in the first half of this year — which is up 92% from the first half of 2023 — and expects to sell 80,000 by the end of the year. Last year, the company sold 34,855 vehicles globally.
Edmunds hasn’t put the VF 8 through our comprehensive testing yet, but our initial drive review left us underwhelmed, to put it mildly. In addition to its relatively short estimated driving range of 264 miles for the Eco model (243 miles for the Plus model), the electric SUV’s ride and build quality are the worst in the segment. A long comprehensive warranty is one of its only standout attributes. Despite slow U.S. sales and challenging feedback about its vehicles, VinFast plans to start producing vehicles in a manufacturing facility located in North Carolina by 2028. Initial plans, though, had production slated to start this year.
Starting price: $47,200 for VF 8; $75,000 for VF 9 (both include destination)
Polestar
Polestar was once Volvo’s in-house performance arm, but in 2017, the Swedish manufacturer spun it off into the electric automaker that it is today. The brand’s first product was a limited-production 619-hp plug-in hybrid coupe called the Polestar 1. But we didn’t see Polestar’s first all-electric model until 2021 when it launched the Polestar 2, a raised hatchback sedan. The Polestar 2’s top-notch tech, agile handling, stylish interior and solid driving range make it a compelling choice for an EV.
The Polestar 3, a midsize SUV, went on sale earlier this year in other markets, and production in the U.S. started this summer at the company’s plant in South Carolina. The Polestar 4, a sporty compact SUV, is already on sale in other markets and is expected to go on sale in the U.S. next year. Polestar’s upcoming model called, you guessed it, the Polestar 5, is an 884-horsepower grand-touring sedan that’s expected to launch in 2025. If that isn’t enough Polestars, there’s also the 6, a four-seat convertible that’s slated for 2026.
The startup sold 20,371 vehicles globally in the first half of this year, on top of the 54,626 sold in 2023 and the 51,549 sold in 2022. Polestar’s sales aren’t growing much but that’s because the startup has only offered one vehicle for a few years. The Polestar 3 and 4 should help bolster its sales this year and next. Polestar’s parent company Geely, a Chinese automotive manufacturer, is deep-pocketed, which should help with the future success of the company.
Starting price: $66,200 for Polestar 2; $74,800 for Polestar 3 (both include destination)
Rivian
Founded in 2009, this California-based EV startup operated discreetly until 2018, when it unveiled the electric R1T truck and R1S SUV. In fall 2021, Rivian became the first automaker to introduce an all-electric truck, which was followed by the release of the R1S SUV the following year. The midsize R2 SUV and compact R3 SUV were unveiled earlier this year. Production of the R2 is expected to start in 2026, with the R3 following sometime thereafter. Rivian says the R2 will start at $45,000 and the R3 for less than that.In addition to its passenger EVs, Rivian also manufactures an electric cargo van for commercial fleets called the Rivian Commercial Van. It secured a large contract to build electric vans for one of its largest investors, Amazon.
The startup delivered a little over 20,000 vehicles in 2022, 50,122 vehicles in 2023; and through June of this year, Rivian has delivered 27,378 vehicles. The company says it’s on track to produce 57,000 vehicles at its plant in Normal, Illinois, this year. A new $5 billion plant in Georgia that was slated to start construction in 2026 has been put on pause in order to save money and focus on R2 production. But a new joint venture with Volkswagen could speed up the plant’s opening. Volkswagen plans to invest $5 billion in Rivian. The companies plan to develop next-generation software and electrical architecture to be used in future EVs.
Both the R1S and R1T have received high ratings from Edmunds for their comfortable and spacious interiors, quick acceleration, sharp handling and remarkable off-road capabilities. Both EVs also sport distinctive styling, offer long driving ranges, and clever storage areas like the R1T’s gear tunnel located between the bed and rear seats.
Starting price: $71,700 for R1T; $77,700 for R1S (both include destination)
Lucid
Although Lucid might sound like a new company to some, it was founded way back in 2007 as Atevia, an electric powertrain supplier. The company was later renamed Lucid Motors, and under CEO (and ex-Tesla alum) Peter Rawlinson, developed the Air luxury sedan. Deliveries began at the end of 2021, and in 2022, 7,180 were produced, but only 4,369 were delivered to customers. 2023 was a slightly better year with 8,428 Airs produced and 6,001 delivered. This year is also on track to be slightly better for Lucid. Through the first half of the year, the company produced 3,838 Airs and delivered 4,361 to customers. The startup plans on producing 9,000 vehicles this year. But sales should expand thanks to two upcoming electric SUVs.
Lucid last year unveiled its three-row SUV called the Gravity, and deliveries are slated to start at the end of 2024. The large SUV seats up to seven passengers, and certain versions will boast over 800 hp and provide a driving range of 440 miles, which is a lot for a sizable SUV. The Gravity’s starting price will likely be around $80,000. Lucid recently teased its upcoming midsize SUV that will likely be called the Earth. Information is minimal, but the SUV is projected to have a starting price under $50,000. Production won’t start until the end of 2026 and it will be built in the company’s manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia (the country has invested heavily in Lucid). Lucid also has a plant in Arizona.
The Air isn’t a sales phenomenon, but it’s an impressive EV that touts some class-leading numbers. The Grand Touring’s 512-mile driving range is currently the longest of any EV, and the Sapphire model generates an astounding 1,234 horsepower, making it one of the most powerful production vehicles in the world. It’s also shockingly fast — no pun intended — with a claimed 0-60 mph time of under 2 seconds. The 933-hp Dream Range Edition we tested hit 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds, that’s faster than a Lamborghini Huracan Evo AWD and McLaren 570S. But as we’ve seen with other EVs from startups, the Air doesn’t have the build quality you’d expect from a vehicle in its price range and its tech can be glitchy.
Starting price for the Air: $71,400 (including destination)
