Statistically speaking, if you’re buying a new car in Ireland in 2024, you’ve probably already decided upon which one. The bulk of new car sales, for all the efforts expended across the industry to move Irish buyers’ habits, still take place between now and the end of March, so in all likelihood you’ve already picked your whip.
However, for those canny few prepared to hold back from the 241-plate stampede, there are several enticing new all-electric cars arriving later in 2024, including…
Audi A6 and Q6 e-tron
Audi, which already has three successful electric models (Q4, Q8 and e-tron GT) under its belt, is going to seriously expand its EV line-up this year. The sleek-looking Q6 e-tron SUV arrives in the autumn of this year, and will use the same platform as Porsche’s all-electric new Macan. That means 600+km of range and 600hp+ of power – not in the same model, at the same time, of course. It’ll be Audi’s first model on the much-trumpeted and much-delayed Premium Platform Electric (PPE) but wait; there’s better. Based on the same platform, and arriving late in the year, will be the slinky-looking new A6 e-tron saloon and even slinkier A6 Avant e-tron estate, combining handsome styling with the potential for more than 700km on one charge. These models are also in the vanguard of Audi’s new model naming strategy, which will see even numbers (A2, A4, A6, A8, Q2, Q4, Q6, Q8) being all-electric and odd numbers keeping combustion and hybrid power.
Arrives? Autumn for the Q6, before year’s end for the A6
Expensive or affordable? Expensive
Max range? Up to 700km
BMW iX2
The all-electric version of BMW’s new chop-roofed SUV (basically an X1 which forgot to tell the barber to stop) will go on sale in late spring/early summer with a 65kWh battery and a range of up to 430km. It comes, initially, as a 308hp four-wheel-drive model, so expect decent performance, and if it’s hardly the best-looking car around then it should still be properly BMW-esque fun to drive.
Arrives? Spring/summer
Expensive or affordable? Expensive
Max range? Up to 430km
BYD Seal-U
BYD, which has already nabbed an Irish Times award for the sleek Seal saloon, is expanding its line-up yet again with a crossover version of that low-slung four-door. Called the Seal-U, this slick-looking SUV will go on sale later in 2024 with a more versatile cabin and boot than the Seal saloon, and a choice of battery capacities giving you ranges of 420-500km.
Arrives? Shortly
Expensive or affordable? Affordable
Max range? Up to 500km
Citroen e-C3
Citroen’s small and chunky new electric e-C3 is going to be a potentially hugely significant car for the Irish EV market, as it’s likely going to have a starting price of less than €25,000. For that you’ll get a range of up to 320km, which, given recent and planned improvements in the public charging network, is starting to look usable for many. It’s roomy and well-made inside, with some clever touches that keep the cabin feeling appealing, but which also save on costs, such as back-projected instruments.
Arrives? End of 2024
Expensive or affordable? Very affordable
Max range? Up to 320km
Cupra Tavascan
The Tavascan crossover will be only Cupra’s second all-electric model, after the generally-pleasing Born hatchback. The Tavascan uses the same Volkswagen Group MEB electric car platform and gets a 77KWh battery for a maximum range of up to 550km. In theory, this should be the model which properly sets out Cupra’s stall to be a maker of genuinely engaging, high-performance electric models, especially the all-wheel-drive VZ model with 335hp.
Arrives? Autumn
Expensive or affordable? Middling
Max range? Up to 550km
Dacia Spring
If you thought the Citroen e-C3 was cheap, wait until you see the Dacia Spring. Already on sale in Europe for some time, the Spring boasts the enticing combo of 65hp motor, a 240km range and a price tag of less than €20,000. The Spring that will come to Ireland, in right-hand drive, in the summer of 2024 will be an updated version, but it should keep those two touchstones intact. Expect a simple, straightforward cabin and a driving experience based around sure-footedness rather than fun. There may also be an even cheaper version with a tiny battery and a 100km range, as Dacia boss Denis Le Vot has said he’d be happy to “cut the battery in half” in order to save on costs, as most Spring owners seem to use the car for only very short hops.
Arrives? Summer
Expensive or affordable? Ridiculously affordable
Max range? Up to 240km
Fiat 600 and Panda
Fiat’s 600 – complete with headlights that look as if they’re wearing eye make-up and a range of colours that supposedly doesn’t include grey – arrives shortly using the same basic platform as the Jeep Avenger and the Peugeot e-2008. It’s not the most thrilling car in the world, but it has solid electric performance and should help put the Fiat brand back on more Irish buyers’ radar. The new Panda platform-shares with the Citroen e-C3 so should be equally affordable. Will Fiat introduce its much-hyped battery-swapping tech with these models, though?
Arrives? Spring (600) and year’s end (Panda)
Expensive or affordable? Affordable
Max range? Up to 400km
Ford Explorer
Another new EV that has been hugely delayed, the Ford Explorer is not only Ford’s second-ever full EV (after the Mustang Mach-E) but it’s also the first Ford passenger car to show off its new platform-sharing agreement with Volkswagen. That means that the Explorer is, basically, a VW ID.4 under the skin, using the same 77kWh battery. Will it feel properly Ford-sharp to drive, though? And given the sudden death of affordable models such as the Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo, will there be enough loyal Ford buyers prepared to wait to find out? Ford’s also going to launch a high-performance off-road version of the Mustang Mach-E, called the Mach-E Rally, which is designed for maximum speed and skidding on gravel tracks. Probably of interest only to those who own their own patch of forestry.
Arrives? Spring
Expensive or affordable? Middling
Max range? Up to 540km
Honda Eny:1
Honda’s new EV crossover gets a somewhat excruciating name (it’s meant to be pronounced ‘Anyone’) and a chunky price tag which sees it costing as much as a mid-range Tesla Model Y or Hyundai Ioniq 5. And for that you only get a range of up to 412km? Honda is surely one of those great engineering companies that really ought to be making the most of the switch to EV power, but sadly this Enty:1 is Eny-thing but.
Arrives? Imminent
Expensive or affordable? Expensive
Max range? Up to 412km
Hyundai Ioniq 7 and Ioniq 5 N
Hyundai has been one of the leading lights of the EV switchover with the brilliant Ioniq 5, and that model’s line-up is about to be extended with the arrival of the high-performance Ioniq 5 N. It may sacrifice quite a bit of range for its extra power, but with chassis tuning by ex-BMW genius Hans Biermann the Ioniq 5 N has the poise to go with its hefty price tag. Later in the year we’ll get to see the seven-seat Ioniq 7, which is basically Hyundai’s version of the excellent Kia EV9 SUV.
Arrives? TBC for both
Expensive or affordable? Expensive
Max range? Up to 560km
Jeep Recon and Wagoneer S
Jeep has seemingly hit a rich seam of European success with the adorable little Avenger, which is way more fun to drive than you might expect, and equally way better off road than you’d think for a front-drive EV. Next up are two models rather more in Jeep’s traditional wheelhouse. The Recon is a big and rugged 4x4 in the mould of the legendary Wrangler and is designed for proper off-roading. The Wagoneer S is a sleek luxury EV SUV designed to take on the likes of the Audi Q8 and BMW iX. Both use the Stellantis Group’s new electric car platform, which can offer up to 600hp power or 700km of range.
Arrives? Summer for the Wagoneer S, end of year for the Recon
Expensive or affordable? Expensive
Max range? Up to 700km
Kia EV5
Kia has given us small EVs (the Niro and the Soul) and big EVs (the EV6 and EV9) but now comes, potentially, the motherlode – a mid-size EV crossover badged as EV5. Already on sale in China, European specs aren’t finalised as yet but expect a maximum range in excess of 500km, and styling lifted from the big EV9. Given how many sales the EV6 and similarly-sized Sportage have racked up in Ireland in 2023, expect this to fly out of showrooms.
Arrives? Late 2024
Expensive or affordable? Reasonably affordable
Max range? Up to 550km
Land Rover Range Rover EV
We don’t have any proper details regarding the all-electric Range Rover yet, but Land Rover has promised that it will match the performance of the 530hp petrol V8 model, and will be even better off-road thanks to precise dollops of electric power when you need it. Expect a range of about 500km if it’s to be competitive.
Arrives? Late 2024
Expensive or affordable? Enormously expensive
Max range? Up to 500km
Lotus Emeya
Lotus’s first electric car – and its first SUV – the Eletre is already on sale, but it’s going to be followed up in 2024 by something rather sportier. The Emeya is a low-slung electric saloon, based on the same chassis as the Eletre, but taking on the likes of the Porsche Taycan and BMW’s i5 M60. Top-spec models will boast as much as 900hp and you can expect a range of at least 550km. As with the Eletre, it’s a Chinese-built model.
Arrives? End of 2024
Expensive or affordable? Very expensive
Max range? Up to 550km
Mercedes-Benz CLA
Based on the CLA Concept shown at the Munich motor show back in September, the new electric CLA will be a serious foil to the likes of Tesla’s Model 3 and the BMW i4. Using an entirely new electric car platform, this electric CLA will have a maximum range of about 700km (depending on the version) and an ultra-high-tech interior to match. Mercedes will also be updating the existing EQA and EQB electric crossovers during the year, giving them slightly more range.
Arrives? End of year
Expensive or affordable? Pretty expensive
Max range? Up to 700km
Mini Aceman
With the first examples of the new electric Mini hatchback and Countryman SUV just arriving in Ireland in the next few weeks, attention now turns to Mini’s new model – the Aceman. This is a lower-slung crossover than the bulky Countryman and essentially is a replacement for the old estate Clubman model. It shares a platform with the BMW iX2, so expect a range of between 450 and 500km.
Arrives? Late 2024
Expensive or affordable? At the affordable end of expensive
Max range? Up to 450-500km
Polestar 3 and 4
Polestar’s 3 is the firm’s big, expensive SUV – basically a Volvo EX30 with a low-slung roof and only five seats. It’s a six-figure car, but it offers a range of up to 600km, so expect it to be popular with the well-heeled set. The 4, which arrives late this year, is more intriguing. It’s very low slung for a crossover, almost a fastback saloon, really, and combines long range (up to 600km) with big power (up to 544hp). Also – it has no rear window and instead uses a rear-facing camera. A gimmick? Well, Polestar says it’s for aerodynamic reasons. We’ll find out the truth of it soon enough.
Arrives? Summer (Polestar 3), before year’s end for the Polestar 4
Expensive or affordable? Expensive
Max range? Up to 600km
Peugeot e-3008 and e-308
The e-3008 is a hugely important vehicle for Peugeot, as it’s the debut model to use the vast Stellantis Group’s new STLA electric car platform. This is cutting-edge stuff, and while the initial models that arrive this summer will have a range of about 550km, later versions will stretch that to 700km. In the meantime, there’s also the all-electric version of the exceptionally handsome 308 hatchback, which can’t match the range of the e-3008, but which can still manage a respectable 420km.
Arrives? Summer for the e-3008, e-308 is imminent
Expensive or affordable? Both
Max range? Up to 700km for the e-3008, up to 420km for the e-308
Porsche Macan EV
As with the Audi models that share its PPE platform, the all-electric Porsche Macan has been much-delayed (software problems, apparently). It will finally go on sale in 2024 though, and offers an enticing combo of up to 600 – in either horsepower or kilometres of range – depending on which model you go for. High-tech cabin gets three screens (too many?).
Arrives? Early summer
Expensive or affordable? Expensive – c’mon, it’s a Porsche
Max range? Up to 600km
Renault 5 EV and Scenic
This year looks set to be a massive one for Renault’s electric car range. Later in the year we’ll get the new, all-electric Scenic, which might be trying to look like an SUV, but which is just about practical enough to deserve that storied name. More significantly, we’ll also get to see (and buy) the production version of the gorgeous Renault 5 EV hatchback, which replaces the long-serving Zoe. Expect a 400-ish-km range, retro looks and a sharp chassis – even more so for the Alpine A290 EV hot hatch version. We should also get to see the production version of another retro-look Renault electric car, the new 4 EV.
Arrives? Mid-2024
Expensive or affordable? Affordable
Max range? Up to 600km (Scenic), up to 400km (5 EV)
Smart #1 and #3
Smart is coming back to Ireland and it’s arriving with two electric crossovers based on the same Chinese EV platform as the Volvo EX30 (both brands are part of the vast Geely empire, although Smart is still part-owned by Mercedes). The #1 is short but tall, the #3 is low but long. Neither is what you’d call inspiring to drive, and both have deeply frustrating infotainment screens, but they offer decent electric performance at an affordable price. High-power Brabus versions are a bit of a giggle.
Arrives? Spring
Expensive or affordable? Decently affordable
Max range? Up to 450km
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y
Tesla’s much-hyped ‘Project Highland’ upgrades for the Model 3 bring sleeker styling (which finally banishes the frog-like appearance at the front) and improved cabin quality. Oh, and a basic rear-drive model which can now stretch to beyond 500km on one charge. All at a still-bargain price tag, compared with most of the competition. Later on in the year, the enormously popular Model Y will receive a similar round of updates.
Arrives? Spring for the Model 3, TBC for the Model Y
Expensive or affordable? Quite affordable
Max range? Up to 629km
Volkswagen ID.7
Ireland – more’s the pity – won’t get the new plug-in hybrid VW Passat, which is being made as an estate-only. Thankfully, we will get the new ID.7 saloon, which will come with two battery options (77kWh or 82kWh) and a range of up to 700km. It will also – hallelujah – get a roomy estate version later in the year. The catch? It’s expensive, starting at €59,000 when the Tesla Model 3 is about €15,000 less. Mind you, at the other end of things Volkswagen is chopping the entry price of the ID.3 hatchback by about €5,000. VW will also be updating the ID.Buzz, with a bigger battery model and a longer seven-seat version, as well as upgrading the ID.4 with a new, more efficient and more powerful electric motor.
Arrives? January/February
Expensive or affordable? Expensive. Too expensive?
Max range? Up to 700km
Volvo EX90
The EX90 should have been on sale by now, but delays in developing the complex software means that it won’t arrive until the late summer. Worth waiting for? Well, it looks terrific, seats seven, has a potential range of up to 585km and should be essentially the safest single car that you can buy. It sure won’t be cheap (€117,000 is your starting point) but it could be worth it. The smaller, and almost comically affordable, compact EX30 goes on sale in the next couple of months.
Arrives? Late summer
Expensive or affordable? Very expensive
Max range? Up to 585km
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