From cheaper and better EVs to simpler car shopping, here are the six automotive trends that are coming in 2022!
While you’ve probably cared about health and making sure you had stocked enough toilet paper more than anything else for the past two years, the automotive industry didn’t stop growing. Yes, some major automotive events were delayed or canceled, but manufacturers didn’t stop innovating. In fact, they revealed tons of new car technologies during the pandemic, and some of them might’ve even added new flavors to the modern car culture.
So, with these innovations coming fast in the sector, I think it’s safe to assume there’ll be some new automotive trends coming this year. Here is what you should watch out for.
More Affordable EVs with Decent Range
In 2021, and despite the pandemic and lockdowns, we’ve seen more new electric vehicles released than ever before. However, you might’ve noticed that those offering a decent range, and as such, suitable as a primary household vehicle, are still mostly premium models.
Some high-end EVs like the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan have plenty of power and over 350 miles of range, but of course, they also cost well over $80,000. On the other hand, the more affordable ones like the sub $30,000 Nissan LEAF or Mini Cooper SE have ranges of only up to 110-150 miles — quite short compared to most similarly priced gas-powered cars.
However, we should finally see cheaper EVs, with enough range for most people, come up. That would make the EV ownership experience closer to regular gas-powered vehicles, finally getting rid of range anxiety.
Of course, EVs like the Hyundai Kona Electric, Chevrolet Bolt EV, and the new Nissan LEAF with a bigger battery are on sale for around $30,000-35,000, offering more than 220 miles of estimated range — not that bad at all.
This year, though, a plethora of new affordable EVs should be unveiled. For instance, Toyota and Subaru will launch the bZ4X and Solterra duo, Hyundai and Kia are already selling the Ioniq 5 and EV6, while Nissan will launch the highly-anticipated Ariya this fall.
The Rise of Electric Trucks
While the electric revolution is well underway for passenger vehicles, we haven’t really seen electric trucks on the road yet. However, that will change this year — the Ford F-150 Lightning, Hummer EV, and Rivian R1T are all about to reach dealers. And yes, they will be as competent (if not more) as their gas-powered, heavy-duty counterparts.
When it comes to Tesla, the EV pioneer also promised a 2022 launch for the Cybertruck, but recent information says the truck will only launch next year — that doesn’t really come as a surprise, though.
Moreover, we’ve waited years for the Rivian R1T to finally go on sale after its dramatic reveal, and 2022 could be the jackpot year. Rivian has only existed for 13 years, but the company is spot-on with the design of its electric truck, packing it with a ton of enthusiast features. For instance, the 3.1-ton electric beast goes from 0-60 mph in a staggering 3 seconds, has a range of 300-400+ miles, and a towing capacity of up to 11,000 lbs.
Furthermore, Ford’s bold move to introduce the EV version of the world’s best-selling pickup truck, called F-150 Lightning, sure caught the public’s attention. It’s expected to go on sale in spring 2022, sell from $40,000 to 90,000, offer between 426 and 563 hp, and a driving range between 230 and 300 miles, depending on the battery unit you choose — sounds very promising, indeed.
Also, keep an eye on the superbly capable Tesla Cybertruck (if it ever comes out) and Hummer EV, both offering specs about to make the electric pickup rivalry even hotter.
Thus, with this new significant market segment opened, we might be starting to see electric trucks on the road this year. Also, we should see more unveils, like the Chevy’s Silverado EV pickup at the CES 2022.
Increased Maturity of AI
It’s no secret that Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays, or will play, a significant role in the automotive industry. And with the rise of EVs and software-based vehicles, it’s safe to assume that automotive-related AI tech will only keep improving this year.
In the production process, we’ve seen AI study owners’ behaviors to create a more appealing vehicle design for each type of consumer. Another form of AI is also involved in the supply chain and assembly process, such as robots distributing parts around factories and increasingly managing the different steps. Last but not least, AI will help with quality control in the post-production phase, effectively reducing defects due to human error.
AI will also be increasingly present on the road in the form of driver-assist and monitoring systems. Modern cars can now receive much information about their surroundings and adjust several parameters when it’s about to collide, in need of more traction, or need to take a break after a long drive. Some vehicles can now even detect drowsiness and automatically call emergency services for you if you’ve been involved in a crash.
And we’re not even talking about autonomous driving features getting much smarter, advanced trip planning for EVs, and predictive maintenance yet. So don’t be surprised if AI only becomes more competent and embedded in many automotive aspects this year.
Online Sales Platforms
The lockdown forced businesses to operate remotely and people to work from home. Hence, following the trend of digitalization, plenty of car manufacturers are shifting to the direct-to-consumer business model, encouraging people to buy cars online from their website, including Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen, and Hyundai, just to name a few.
This new business model is expected to be beneficial to customers, at least that’s what they say. Still, with only a computer or mobile device, buyers are exposed to detailed information, make their minds about what they want, select options, order a test drive at home, or even buy and get it delivered right away.
Moreover, online vehicle purchases would allow customers to avoid having to go to car dealerships, bypassing pushy salespeople, and eliminate the chances of overpaying. Thus, we can expect online vehicle sales to spike again this year, as it’s a very efficient buying process, leading to higher consumer satisfaction.
On the other hand, people that aren’t super tech-savvy or knowledgeable about cars, mechanics, and the different features offered in the automotive industry might see it as a drawback. But regardless, seems you won’t really have a choice but to embrace it, since this new business model seems here to stay. After all, it’s not only beneficial for the customers as manufacturers will also be able to cut down on salesmen salaries, rents, bills, insurances, and such.
So yeah; welcome to 2022!
Electrified Classic Cars
Despite being aesthetically pleasing, classic cars are generally unreliable and quite worse for the environment. Fortunately, the modern era has come up with a solution that allows us to convert these classic beauties into EVs.
Indeed, companies offering such conversion services (e.g., Zelectric, Zero Labs, London Electric Cars, etc.) sprouted only a few years ago, yet, they’re currently flooded with orders from customers worldwide. And while most of them cost a bit more than your average restoration project (and may take longer to complete as well), those converted classics are fully functional and bespoke to each customer.
And it’s not like car manufacturers dislike the idea either. In 2017, Jaguar introduced the E-Type Zero Concept as an electric converted E-Type; Volkswagen also did the same thing with the e-Beetle Concept in 2019. As a result, they confirmed that electrified classic cars are the real deal.
So, with plenty of resources to study from and experts getting better at nailing the conversion process, electrified classic cars could be a significant part of most car restorations happening this year.
More EVs, More Chargers
There’s no denying the fact that EV sales are surging big time! With roughly 5.6 million sold in 2021 globally, it was yet another record year for electric cars. And according to BloombergNEF, this number is 83% higher than 2020, and a whopping 168% increase over 2019 sales!
As a result, we can safely assume EV sales will escalate even more this year. Prepare to witness more electric cars on the road, especially with tax rebates and other benefits attracting even more people to drive an EV — not to mention that new EVs are only getting better.
Thanks to the higher demand, we can also expect the EV charging network will expand significantly, with improved reliability and faster-charging rates. Governments in many countries are also on their way to strengthening the infrastructure supporting EV production and consumption. Thus, fingers crossed, we’ll be seeing more chargers available in various locations like gas stations, parking spaces, apartment complexes, and business plazas.
Final Words
Although the pandemic is still raging, it’s astonishing how car techs just kept improving at a rapid pace. Hence, don’t be surprised if the automotive trends mentioned above only scratched the surface of what will happen in 2022.
Without a doubt, the future seems bright for EVs, especially with a bunch of new models going on sale soon. And while petrolheads might be sad to see EVs slowly taking over, the infrastructure supporting the usage of EVs is heading towards perfection.
On the bright side, these new EVs will only get smarter, faster, safer, more accessible, and will charge a lot quicker — I’d say it’s still a win for us!
