Anyone who reads my posts knows that I am not a fan of wide cars, bulky SUVs, and monstrous trucks. You’ll never see me swooning about an i7, Escalade IQL, or an F-150 Lightning. I like vehicles that are fun, tight, right sized … and a little quirky. Unfortunately, all of those things vaporized from manufacturer lineups over the last two decades leaving “interesting” to the domain of supercars and supersized prices. Every automotive manufacturer focused on the same market within the US, in particular. The market contracted to variations on rolling refrigerators and with energy prices the way they are, a repeat of the 1970s is well underway.
Although the US EV market took a big hit over the last two years, EV manufacturers (other than Tesla) seem to be looking ahead and taking advantage of the slowdown to rethink and redesign. It is no secret that the age of used cars is going up, and there will likely be pent up demand for affordable vehicles starting in about three years. What I’m seeing now are sparks of what possibilities at much better price points. Here are some models that I am putting on my list when I finally lose the last shred of interest in BMW and my X3.
First on my list is a recent discovery — the Telo Trucks MT1. It is as long as a Mini Cooper, has a more usable bed than a typical crew cab pickup, and very quirky. It even supports CarPlay (unlike GM). I really do like this thing. How about an orange one?
Next up is a retro EV that is close to my heart — the Renaut 8 Gordini concept. I learned how to drive on a 1969 Renault R10 that was very similar to the original R8. Seeing a future forward retro of an R8/R10 just tugs at my motoring heart strings.
So this one is a little odd. I’m not one for faux paramilitary vehicles, but this just looks like a stupid fun concept with some shred of practicality. Definitely not an X3.
And then there’s another throwback for me. After learning on the Renault, the first car I could call mine was a 1984 Volkswagen Rabbit and so when I saw the first shots of the Rivian R3, I immediately was drawn to it. Looking at it more, I started thinking about what it would look like in yellow. Yes, yellow.
Finally, there’s an Alfa Romeo within the European concept lineup of Stellantis. Whether we see something like this as an EV (or at all in the US) remains to be seen. One can dream. That’s definitely not a refrigerator.