11 electric car start-ups you should watch out for

New electric car firms dream of becoming the ‘next Tesla’. The US brand’s rise from tech start-up to established car giant has been astonishing, and is now regarded as the benchmark for electric cars. 

Other EV start-ups are trying to replicate Tesla’s success. Choice is now greater than ever when it comes to electric cars, with the new technology giving start-ups the opportunity to grab a slice of the market. 

Some new firms won’t come close to replicating Tesla; some won’t even survive. But there is hope for newly created car brands: look at Volvo spin-off Polestar. 

But with so many new companies launching, it can be hard to decipher which firms have real potential. Here, we look at some of the most ambitious and credible electric car start-ups that you should keep an eye on for the future. 

Aehra

You’d be forgiven for being unfamiliar with Italian start-up Aehra – and for pronouncing the name wrong. The firm is planning to shake-up the premium EV market with its striking new SUV and saloon, both of which are set to offer up to 497 miles of range.

The “ultra-premium” brand’s design team is formed of ex-Lamborghini bosses, Filippo Perini, Alessandro Salvagnin, Alessandro Serra and Marco Quamori from Italdesign. Aehra plans to begin first deliveries of its £155,000 SUV in 2025, with the £138,00 electric Sedan landing in 2026. 

Aiways

The Chinese start-up was founded in 2017 and is aiming to take advantage of the seismic shift to electrification to build a global brand. Although relatively new, Aiways is currently active in 14 European countries as well as its home market of China, but hasn’t reached the UK yet. 

Two models make-up the firm’s model line-up: the U5 SUV and U6 coupe-style SUV. That’s not all however, as the firm is aiming to grow its line-up further with more SUVs, a five-door coupe and even a high performance sports car. 

Aptera

The Californian firm, founded in 2019, is aiming to offer an alternative to mainstream electric vehicles with its unusual three-wheeled solar-powered car. Deliveries will begin later this year with an Aptera Launch Edition that features largely standardised specifications to help the firm scale production faster.

While the Aptera Launch Edition will be sold in the US, the firm has plans for eight global manufacturing plants – it recently reached an agreement for one in Italy, for example. 

BYD

Another Chinese firm aiming to take a slice of the EV market is BYD – and so far its efforts appear to be delivering positive results. Previously a battery manufacturer, BYD started building cars in 2003, as well as commercial vehicles such as buses and taxis. 

In 2022, the firm stepped-up its expansion plans, revealing three new electric models for Europe and the UK. 

The 261-mile BYD Atto 3, a mid-size SUV built on a new bespoke electric platform, landed in the UK  in early 2023, with a duo of ocean-themed models called the Dolphin and Seal arriving toward the end of last year.

The Dolphin hatch costs from around £30,195, while the Seal saloon, which offers a range of up to 354 miles, costs from £45,695

Fisker

Fisker isn’t technically a new firm, but in a confusing way it is…sort of. You see the original Fisker brand developed the Karma hybrid saloon, but collapsed and was morphed into what is now known as Karma. Henrik

Fisker recently launched its new electric car brand, spearheaded by the sporty Ocean SUV.

The Fisker Ocean costs from around £60,000 in the UK and offers a range of up to 440 miles in range-topping Extreme trim. 

Despite a good uptake in EV sales, Fisker recently announced that it had to pause the development of its Pear compact EV having made a loss of £366m during the fourth quarter of 2023. The firm is looking for a collaboration with another car firm to help boost funds or reduce costs.

Lucid

American firm Lucid is aiming to undercut the Tesla Model S and become a leader in the luxury EV market. Formerly known as Atieva, the Chinese-backed electric car brand started out by building batteries and powertrains for other vehicle manufacturers in 2007. Led by the man behind the Tesla Model S, Peter Rawlison, Lucis showcased its Air saloon in 2016. 

The California-based brand started selling the Air in 2021. It is powered by two electric motors developing 794kW and has a range of up to 520 miles; its fast-charging capabilities also means you can add 300 miles of range in just 20 minutes. An entry into Europe is likely to begin later this year, with Lucid also planning to launch in the UK. 

Nio

The brandchild of technology entrepreneur William Li, Nio produces a range of electric saloons, crossovers and SUVs. In fact, the marque is about to roll out its second generation of models: the ET5 mid-sized saloon, flagship ET7 saloon and EL8 SUV. Formerly known as NextEV, Nio gained early prominence through its time in Formula E, winning the championship in its inaugural season. 

The EV car brand will arrive in the UK towards the end of 2023, launching initially with the ET5 before bringing other models that are appropriately sized for British roads. Nio’s innovative battery swap stations are also set to be implemented in the UK so keep an eye out for those once Nio lands later this year. 

Ola

The Indian start-up was set-up by entrepreneur Bhavish Aggarwal, and has since grown into a well-established electromobility company.Although it is yet to launch its first EV, Ola has made a name for itself with its S1 Air electric scooter and plans to launch a Tesla Model 3 rival and first electric car in 2024. 

Ola is planning to build a new factory in Coventry focused on engineering and vehicle design. The Futurefoundry site in the West Midlands will work alongside the brand’s headquarters in India and will focus on the production of two- and four-wheel vehicle design, advanced high performance automotive engineering, digital and physical modelling, and research and development. 

Rimac

Describing Rimac as a bellwether hyper EV firm is an understatement considering the list of hugely established car firms that are lined up to collaborate with the Rimac. In 2021, the firm agreed a new partnership to effectively take control of Bugatti, formulating a new company called Bugatti Rimac. 

Spearheaded by founder and CEO Mate Rimac, the firm is now rolling out its second model, the £2 million Nevera. Developing 1427kW, the hyper EV has a range of 300 miles and can sprint from 0-60mph in just 1.85 seconds. 

Rivian 

Aiming to prove that even pick-ups can go electric is American firm Rivian. The electric pick-up brand rose to prominence when it launched its first models, the R1T and R1S SUV in 2018. Since then the firm has grown into a multifarious EV maker, and produces electric vans for Amazon.

And don’t think that the American firm is producing a low-mileage alternative to piston-powered machines. The $73,000 R1T has a 400 miles range, can be charged from 0-140 miles in 20 minutes, and can tow up to 11,000lbs (5 tonnes).

We’d suggest you keep an eye on Rivian: it beat both Ford and Tesla to the market with the first electric pick-up truck and recently unveiled a brace of new electric cars called the R2 and R3. The new models could kick-start its operations in Europe. 

Xpeng

Another Chinese brand aiming to take a slice of the European pie is Xpeng. Launched in 2014 by founders Henry Xia and Tao He, Xpengs’s EV line-up is made up of two saloons, crossovers and the recently unveiled G9 SUV. The Guangzhou-based brand’s new flagship G9 will be the fastest charging mass produced EV due to its 480kW charging capabilities

Xpeng quietly launched the G9 SUV and P7 saloon in Norway in 2021, but is now planning to widen its reach by selling its models in Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands. The firm plans to launch in the UK but there is no official timeline yet, with Xpeng focussing on left-hand drive markets first.