8 Car Brands The Build The Best Electric Cars

When it comes to the most popular EVs on the market in 2024, many of them fall under the SUV category, with electric pickup trucks also beginning to rise through the ranks. While more scarce, there’s still a wide array of electric cars to choose from, many of which offer their own unique features and characteristics to keep this side of the EV industry just as competitive.

A common theme for electric car manufacturers is that they only make one model. If not, brands may really exceed three or four electric cars for their fleet. Still, by putting focus on a more limited selection, these eight brands manage to set standards in their own way that show the potential of electric cars, whether that’s through cutting-edge powertrains or the latest cabin technology.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources. The entries on this list are arranged in no particular order.

1 Hyundai

Electric Cars In The Portfolio: Ioniq 6

The first brand to feature on this list only offers one electric car, but this single entry has cemented Hyundai as one of the best electric car manufacturers on the market today. Focusing on providing standout efficiency at an affordable price tag, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 starts at just $37,750 for the latest 2025 model, positioning the car as the most affordable new electric car on the market in 2024.

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6 Specs

Alongside the Ioniq 6, the Ioniq 5 keeps Hyundai competing at the top of the electric SUV segment, particularly with the new Ioniq 5 N. Recently, the upcoming Ioniq 6 N was spotted testing, signaling that we could get the high-performance version of the popular electric car sometime in 2025, potentially as a 2026 model-year car.

You have four trims to choose from for Hyundai’s only electric sedan, all of which offer great value for money. The base trim doesn’t offer much performance at 149 horses, but the AWD configurations for the SE, SEL, and Limited trims manage to put down a solid 320 horses. As expected, the AWD versions aren’t as efficient, with the SE achieving 121 MPGe, down from the 140 MPGe rating you get with the RWD model. The SEL and Limited trims drop further to 103 MPGe, but that’s still more than most electric cars on the market.

2 Audi

Electric Cars In The Portfolio: e-Tron GT

Moving over to Europe, Audi finds itself in a similar position to Hyundai in the sense that it only has one electric car currently in production. This is the Audi e-tron GT, which puts performance and technology at the forefront of its conception rather than affordability, resulting in one of the most exciting electric cars on this market this year.

The 2024 model is the newest model you can buy, with a mild styling refresh set for the upcoming 2025 model. The performance of the electric Audi will also be significantly bolstered, but that by no means makes the 2024 model a slouch. With the RS trim, the e-tron GT can reach 60 MPH in just 3.1 seconds, with a top speed of 155 MPH.

Regarding power increase for the 2025 model, the top-spec RS e-tron GT produces a whopping 912 horsepower, enough to compete with the heavy hitters from Porsche, Tesla, and Lucid. While the e-tron GT is the sole Audi electric car due to the brand’s focus on electric SUVs thus far, the fleet is set to be expanded by the upcoming 2026 A6 e-tron.

3 Tesla

Electric Cars In The Portfolio: Model 3, Model S

When it comes to the ever-growing world of EVs, Tesla has been one of the front-running manufacturers for years. After the release of the startup’s first production car back in 2008, Tesla’s fleet has continued to expand, with the Model 3 and Model S cars setting at either end of the market in terms of price.

If you’re looking for a budget EV that still offers solid performance, the updated Tesla Model 3 will be near the top of your list. Starting at $38,990, the Long Range Rear-Wheel-Drive trim is available for just $3,500 more. This trim provides up to 363 miles of range and a 4.9-second 0 to 60 MPH time, making it one of the best value-for-money electric cars you can buy currently.

Turning to the Model S, this full-size electric car has been on the road for 12 years and has remained one of the most competitive. With an increased focus on luxury and performance, the 2024 Model S starts at $74,990 and goes up to $89,990 for the top-spec Plaid trim. Producing 1,020 horses from its tri-motor setup, the high price tag isn’t much of a surprise for Tesla’s flagship sedan.

Performance Specifications

4 Lucid Motors

Electric Cars In The Portfolio: Air

Carving out its niche within the EV industry, Lucid Motors has become one of the most commended startups in a very short time. Releasing the Lucid Air in 2021, the electric sedan has broken multiple records in its various guises, most notably with the Grand Touring trim setting the benchmark by achieving 516 miles of range on a single charge.

The pricing changes quite significantly between the trims, with the base Air Pure trim coming in at $69,900. Moving up to the Air Touring, the performance increase bumps the price to $78,900, which goes up even more to $110,900, for the Air Grand Touring. However, for the top-spec Sapphire trim, the industry-leading 1,234-horsepower trim costs a staggering $249,000. This is the fastest and most powerful electric sedan, so the high exclusive price tag doesn’t surprise us massively.

Lucid Air Performance Specifications

While it’s unknown whether Lucid will produce another electric sedan anytime soon, the American startup plans to expand into the SUV segment with multiple models, taking the brand from the luxury niche it’s currently in into a more mainstream position on the market. After achieving success with its first model in such little time, what Lucid has in store for the focus is a seriously exciting prospect.

5 BMW

Electric Cars In The Portfolio: i4, i5, i7

Alongside Audi, BMW is another German brand that has been fully committed to electric power, even if it’s leaving a little more room for ICE development than originally planned. Hydrogen power is another focus for the Munich brand, but EVs are still at the forefront of BMW’s future.

BMW has taken a different approach to its electric lineup in 2024 compared to other brands, with three out of the four models being sedans rather than SUVs. These include the compact i4, the mid-size i5, and the flagship luxury i7. While expensive, these three models cover three different price ranges, allowing the brand to appeal to as wide an audience as possible.

Designed to compete with the Tesla Model 3, the 2024 i4 costs $57,900, which is noticeably more than its American rival. However, the i4 offers more storage space and a more driver-focused experience behind the wheel. Despite being compact, you still get generous space inside, as well as a massive 536 HP in the top-spec M50 trim. If efficiency is more important, the base eDrive40 trim would be the way to go, the base eDrive40 trim achieving a combined 112 MPGe.

Stepping up in both pricing and overall size, the i5 offers a little more comfort inside thanks to its longer wheelbase. The styling of the i5 also follows a more traditional BMW kidney-grille style, starting at a higher $67,100 for the base eDrive40 trim. This model also comes in a performance guise named the M60, which produces 593 horses in the updated 2025 model.

The i7 is not only the most luxurious BMW you can buy today, it also sets the standard for EVs across the board when it comes to cabin quality and technology throughout. Starting at $105,700, it’s the most expensive electric car from the brand by some margin, going all the way up to $168,700 for the top-spec M70 trim. Producing 650 horses from a dual-electric motor setup, the 2024 i7 M70 expectedly doesn’t offer as much range as the base trim, being rated at 285 miles compared to the base trim’s 314 miles.

Performance Specifications

6 Mercedes-Benz

Electric Cars In The Portfolio: EQE, EQS

With its key rivals, Audi and BMW, both competing at the top of the EV segment in 2024, it isn’t much of a surprise to see Mercedes-Benz join them at the very top. The Stuttgart-based brand falls in between its rivals regarding the total number of models it produces, with the EQE and EQS sedans defining what luxury and innovation mean for electric cars.

Starting at $74,900, the EQE is the cheaper of the two sedans, but is still one of the most expensive choices on the market this year. Inside the cabin is where the Mercedes-Benz EVs separate them from the rest of the pack, with the MBUX Hyperscreen taking center stage.

While its effectiveness and usability are a touchy subject, there’s no denying how impressive the flagship piece of technology is. You also have the choice of the EQE AMG Sedan, which produces up to 677 horses with boost and can reach 60 MPH in just 3.2 seconds.

Stepping up to the EQS, the price tag goes up to $104,400, adding performance and more range, but retains most of the standard interior features. Despite being so expensive, the EQS has recently garnered attention for how much value it loses in one year. According to iSeeCars, the Mercedes-Benz EQS loses a whopping $65,143, which equates to 47.8-percent of its value. If the EQS seems like an attractive choice, it’s best to pick one up on the used market.

As with the EQE, the EQS also has an AMG variant producing a whopping 749 horses with boost. Because of its weight, it goes from 0 to 60 MPH in a slower 3.4 seconds. This is still an ultra-competitive time, however, considering how many more technological features are standard inside the EQS. You do get considerably better range and efficiency with the EQS AMG, achieving 305 miles on a single charge and 82 MPGe combined.

Performance Specifications

7 Porsche

Electric Cars In The Portfolio: Taycan

Slowly but surely, Porsche is continuing to expand its all-electric range, with the likes of the Macan EV joining the Taycan in the brand’s current fleet. While also a German brand, Porsche is by far the most performance-oriented, which can be seen with the Taycan, the sole electric car that Porsche currently produces. It has always been one of the best electric cars on the market, but the recent refresh has taken it to all new levels.

Performance Specifications

While you still have the choice between both the standard sedan models and the Cross Turismo wagons, the all-new top-spec Turbo GT trim produces a whopping 1,019 horsepower, edging closer and closer to the Lucid Air Sapphire and Tesla Model S. With the Weissach Package, however, the Taycan Turbo GT broke the EV track record at Laguna Seca.

If you don’t want to spend the $230,000 that the Turbo GT trim will cost, there’s still a wide range of trims to choose from, starting with the base model priced at $99,400. This rear-wheel-drive variant of the Taycan still produces a solid 429 horses, which is good enough to get the electric sedan to 60 MPH in 4.5 seconds.

8 Genesis

Electric Cars In The Portfolio: Electrified G80

The second Asian manufacturer to feature on this list is Genesis, which happens to be the luxury division of Hyundai. Considering the quality of Hyundai’s in-house EVs, it comes as no surprise that Genesis also carries over the quality. Currently, the Electrified G80 is the only electric car Genesis produces, becoming another entry with only a single competitor on the market.

Performance Specifications

Despite this, the 2024 Electrified G80 is one of the most capable luxury EVs you can buy, taking essentially everything from the gas-powered model apart from the powertrain. With all-wheel-drive coming as standard through dual-electric motors, the Electrified G80 produces an impressive 365 horsepower, more than key rivals like the base EQE sedan. There’s only one trim to choose from with the Electrified G80, but Genesis ensures to make their only electric car one of the most well-rounded for its price tag of $74,375.