The year ahead for electric mobility: crystal ball gazing into the future

You may concede that things don’t bode well for 2025. However, a radical shift is occurring in the automotive industry, from the displacement of legacy car companies by Chinese EV upstarts to major breakthroughs in battery technology. Quite literally, everything could change.

So, grab your cup of karak chai, sit back, and take a peek into the next 12 months.

Most Anticipated EVs of 2025

An avalanche of new electric cars, many from traditional car companies as well as from Chinese brands, hit us in 2024. And despite concerns about the market, there will be no let-up in 2025.

BMW iX3

BMW’s Vision Neue Klasse X concept evolves into the iX3, slotting below the iX. It gets a new platform with 800-volt architecture, promising a 30% better range in a compact SUV.

BYD Sealion 7

BYD’s new luxury SUV will take the fight directly to the Tesla Model Y with up to 690Nm of torque and over 500km of driving range.

Chevrolet Corvette EV

Chevy’s first fully electric Corvette will use GM’s Ultium battery platform. If they can make the massive Hummer EV sprint to 100km/h in under 3.3 seconds, the Corvette EV’s performance should be shocking.

Ferrari EV

Ferrari is going electric. Details are scarce, but expect it to be outrageously expensive, astonishingly quick, and probably an SUV.

Hyundai Ioniq 9

This will be Hyundai’s version of the Kia EV9 and is sure to be cavernous and comfortable.

Land Rover Range Rover EV

The long-promised electric Range Rover will offer 800-volt architecture, off-road capabilities, and water-wading abilities of up to 33 inches.

Lucid Gravity

With Lucid Air saloons already being built in Saudi Arabia, expect the model line-up to be expanded with an SUV offering over 600km of range.

Polestar 5

A fast four-door GT to rival the Porsche Panamera with up to 884bhp and 900Nm of torque.

Porsche 718 Cayman & Boxster EVs

Porsche’s first electric sports cars will use a 900-volt architecture, offering stealth performance.

Renault 4

Following the highly acclaimed Renault 5 E-Tech, Renault has brought back another nameplate and electrified it. The Renault 4 E-Tech will be a little bigger with retro features.

Toyota Urban Cruiser

Toyota is also bringing back an old nameplate. The Urban Cruiser will be its second EV offering, slotting below the bZ4X.

Volkswagen ID.2

Forget the ID.2 badge; this will be the new electric Golf. It will more closely resemble the iconic hatchback, and there will, of course, be an ID.2 GTI version.

Leaps in Tech Advances

The literal milestone of surpassing a 1,000km range was allegedly breached by Nio’s ET7, courtesy of semi-solid-state batteries. Expect more manufacturers to follow suit. Solid-state batteries – longer-lasting, safer, and quicker to charge – are being worked on by several companies. While not likely to be widely deployed until 2026/2027, rapid advances in battery technology will continue throughout 2025.

Ultra-fast charging times are also high on the EV consumer wishlist. Companies like Nyobolt, Storedot, and Zeekr are leading the charge (again, quite literally), cutting charging times to as little as 10 minutes for up to 80% capacity.

The buzz around Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology will grow louder in 2025. Cars will start to act as mini power plants, feeding energy back into the grid when demand spikes. Meanwhile, Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) – turning your EV into a mobile power bank – will become a standard feature (BYD is already offering it). Whether powering your campsite fridge or massive speakers at a tailgate party, EVs will give back like never before.

Artificial intelligence is already deployed in many of today’s cars, from assessing sensor data to managing navigation and monitoring drivers’ attentiveness. However, AI will become more overt and obvious in 2025. Volkswagen has already made ChatGPT a standard feature in its cars. While fully autonomous, driverless cars remain years away, AI will begin to assist with car controls (especially smart cruise control systems) and even provide companionship on long road trips.

Closer to Home

EV uptake is expected to accelerate rapidly in the region, thanks to the forward-thinking leadership of authorities and the open-mindedness of consumers.

Various sources project significant compound annual growth rates (CAGR) for the UAE’s EV market during the forecast period (2024-30), ranging from 28.5% to over 45%. In Saudi Arabia, the growth is even more impressive, at 53.5%.

The region will also continue its rapid expansion of ultra-fast chargers. Expect more 800-volt and even 900-volt systems capable of delivering a full charge in the time it takes to catch up on TikTok.

Industry in Flux

More affordable EVs are expected to hit the market. Dacia is setting a new low bar for entry-level electric cars. But the Chinese – currently accounting for around 70% of the world’s EV market – will once again outpace the competition with affordable EVs.

In 2025, China’s dominance of the EV market will only strengthen. Brands like BYD, GWM, Nio, SAIC (with MG), and Geely (Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, LEVC) will continue their global conquest, offering advanced tech and accessible prices while legacy carmakers scramble to keep up.

South Korean brands Hyundai and Kia are clawing back EV market share with their range of excellent EVs. However, Japanese giants such as Toyota, Honda, and Nissan continue to lag. Nissan has already sounded alarm bells about its viability, and 2025 could see an epic merger between Honda and Nissan to create a new supergroup capable of rivalling Volkswagen and Stellantis.

Expect the Unexpected

Of course, it’s impossible to predict the unpredictable, but let’s try anyway! Here are some bold predictions:

• iPhone lovers will queue up not for a new phone but for Apple’s first car, packed with smart tech and AI features.
• Charging innovations will include wireless inductive parking spots and roads to recharge your EV, battery-swap stations will expand, and solar panels will become more robust and reliable.
• Electric VTOL (Vertical Take-off and Landing) autonomous drone taxis will finally debut in cities like Dubai and Jeddah.
• Plug-in hybrids will stage a comeback. As legacy car companies struggle against the Chinese onslaught, they will double down on what they do best – internal combustion engines – but with a twist. Plug-in hybrids will see EV-only ranges rise to 200km, with reduced emissions and the long-distance convenience of petrol cars.

Happy New EV Year!

Looking ahead, 2025 is shaping up to be a defining year for the EV – and the broader automotive – industry. Expect more affordable models, battery breakthroughs, and better infrastructure as the pieces start to fall into place for mainstream adoption. At the same time, the rise of Chinese brands and relentless innovation will keep traditional carmakers on their toes.

Ultimately, motorists and car buyers will get what they’ve always craved: more choice. With burgeoning numbers of brands and dealers offering diverse cars at ever more competitive prices, 2025 looks like a great year to buy a new car.