Best EVs of 2022: Our verdict on the new electric cars of the year

A new government and a change in mindset made 2022 a significant year for electric cars.

Polestar and BYD were two of the new EV brands that arrived during the year and brands as diverse as Volkswagen and GWM confirmed their intention to start selling electric vehicles here in 2023.

It was also a year of EV milestones.

Tesla briefly entered the list of top sellers, with the Model Y also topping the SUV sales charts in September.

Tesla will comfortably outsell Lexus, Honda, Jeep and others with its Model Y a chance to be the top seller among electric vehicles (December sales figures will confirm whether it overtakes the Model 3 for overall the overall 2022 sales leader).

It was also the year the ushered in some significant new arrivals.

But which EV was best this year? Our team of experts has assembled their best.

Toby Hagon: Tesla Model Y

The Model Y is not the best driving EV of 2022 (it’s still comfortably outdone by the Kia EV6 and the Tesla Model 3 is nicer to drive, too) or the most daring (I’d stick the Genesis GV60 high on that list).

But it ticks a lot of boxes and makes a lot of sense for the EV interested.

It cleverly unleashes more space than the Model 3 is shares so much with, has loads of equipment and represents decent value, even if Tesla did remove some features (including the charging cable) and up the price soon after it went on sale.

It may be the slowest Tesla ever unleashed in entry-level Rear-Wheel Drive guise, but performance is still thoroughly respectable.

And the software and infotainment is way ahead of the established brands with regular updates adding tweaks and additional features.

Throw in one of the best sound systems of any new car – that includes Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Mercedes-Benz, etc – and you have a tempting package that plays in the EV sweet spot.

Sure, the ride is firm and there’s some booming over bumps from the rear, but the trade off comes in sharp dynamics that makes the Y a fun car to drive. And while it’s improved, the build quality doesn’t match the big boys (you don’t have to look far to spot glitches).

But Teslas have a big advantage over all other EVs: more places to charge. The vast Tesla charging network means that right now there are about twice as many places to charge a Tesla than all the others. In an era of regular charging station faults and sometimes lengthy queues to charge (especially in holiday periods) it’s certainly worth something.

Biggest EV surprise of 2022

The BYD Atto 3 was my biggest surprise of 2022. The EV newcomer is largely unheard of but arrived with an affordable bang in the form of the Atto 3. It’s loaded with equipment and well presented and comes with respectable performance and driving manners.

There have been hiccups with deliveries and certification (among other issues), but the Atto 3 has set a new benchmark at the circa-$50K price point that is lean for talent.

The EV I’m most looking forward to in 2023

There’s no shortage of impressive EV machinery due next year, some of which promise big performance. The Audi e-Tron GT, Kia EV6 GT and Hyundai Ioniq 5 N would be at the top of that list.

But it’s the volume end of the market where the action is, which is why I’m super interested in the next BYD arrivals, the Dolphin and Seal. It’s the larger, more expensive Seal (set to take on the Tesla Model 3) that holds the most interest for me.

But I’m also curious to see how Toyota fights back in the EV space. The top selling brand has been caught flat-footed in the EV race and in 2023 we will see the arrival of the company’s first battery electric vehicle, the bZ4X. On paper it’s nothing special, but given the might of the company and the desire for Toyota to protect its top-selling sales patch, the arrival of Toyota’s first EV will be a big moment.

Bruce Newton: BYD Atto 3

If electric vehicles really are going to take over our highways and byways then they are
going to have to get a whole lot cheaper while also offering respectable range, performance
and equipment levels.

The best chance of that difficult combination being achieved is almost certainly going to
emerge from China.

The proof is already on Australian roads in the form of the BYD Atto 3 compact SUV.

No, it’s not the outright best EV I drove in 2022 – there were plenty of better drives in the
purist sense – but it was the one that convinced me this whole battery electric thing really
has a big future for us working class schleps as well as the big end of town.

The Atto 3 is charmingly if idiosyncratically styled, has a decent equipment list, a range
between recharges as much as 400km in the real world, acceptable performance from its
150kW e-motor and a comfy if not especially dynamic ride/handling balance.

It’s the first ‘affordable’ EV that’s not felt heavily compromised or compromising. To me it
eclipses the MG ZS EV (although I haven’t driven the updated version) and makes the Kia
Niro and Hyundai Kona electric instantly overpriced.

Of course, it’s still too expensive for most of us at around $45,000-$50,000 drive-away, but
it’s at least headed in the right direction. The next step is a vehicle in the $30,000-$40,000
bracket with widespread appeal and decent capabilities.

It can’t come too soon and it’s a good bet it will come from China.

Biggest EV surprise of 2022

I dunno if it’s the biggest surprise, but the most pleasing news of 2022 was the way the
irrepressible die-hards in what remains of the Aussie auto industry leapt on the opportunity
EV presents. Foremost amongst them was EV ute converter Roev, while established truck
maker SEA has also got plans to go down the same path.

The EV I’m most looking forward to in 2023

To continue the earlier theme, I’m looking forward to driving three new Chinese EV entries
to the Australian market, all of them potentially offering outstanding value for money. In no
particular order they are the GWM Ora, BYD Dolphin (or whatever it may be called) and the
MG4.

I’ll chuck the Toyota bZ4X onto the wish list as well. Any car Australia’s dominant car retailer
launches is big news. But is it any good?

Stephen Corby: BMW i4

I was going to say that the most fun I had in an EV this year was, as usual, in a Porsche Taycan, almost regardless of which model (although the entry-level, single-motor version is a bit of a slug), but then I remembered that it has been bested, at least in terms of driving joy, if not outrageous speed.

Yes, my best drive in an EV this year was, without question, the BMW i4 Gran Coupe. Sure, it’s not a new platform or something world changing, like the weird-ass BMW iX, but what it does do is take the already fabulous 3/4-Series platform, slap in an electric powertrain and thus create something truly wonderful – a driver’s car that’s also an EV.

It’s got the great, meaty steering of a BMW, the low centre of gravity of an EV, the short, sharp wheelbase that provides cornering ability, and a reasonable amount of punch.

On the downside, it makes stupid, Star Wars noises in the cabin, which really do divide opinion, but fortunately you can turn them off. 

And, unlike the BMW iX, the BMW i4 actually manages to look pretty good as well. No, it’s not practical or family friendly, but who cares, it’s an EV that brings genuine joy, and one that gives any Tesla a proper spanking in terms of build quality and driver involvement. If it wasn’t so stupidly expensive (around $100K, at least), I’d buy one.

Biggest EV surprise of 2022

Aside from the truly shocking fact that a government, in Australia, actually passed some legislation aimed at making EVs more attractive and affordable to both companies and actual humans, the biggest surprise to me this year was the Genesis GV70 Electrified.

I am about as likely to buy, or even desire, an SUV as I am to join the Barnaby Joyce fan club (which would double the membership if I did), but I found myself genuinely impressed by this Genesis, which is not only far faster and more exciting to drive than it needs to be, but also rides and handles with a properly premium feel.

And, because SUVs are all Australians really care about, it’s a very important EV indeed.

The EV I’m most looking forward to in 2023

I must admit I’m quite excited about the Cupra Born, because the idea of a hot hatch with EV torque punch is quite enticing (and because the Mini EV really doesn’t provide it in the way you’d hope).

Other than that, the Kia EV6 GT should be pretty good and, at the top of the list, the Audi RS E Tron GT should be a belter, because it’s related to the Taycan, and we already know how good that is, and because Audi so needs it to be great that it will have thrown everything at the job of making it so.

Iain Curry: Hyundai Ioniq 5 AWD

After much procrastination over Christmas drinks, I’ve plumped for the Hyundai Ioniq 5 AWD. I reckon the Porsche Taycan RWD remains the better EV to drive (despite lacking a bit of shove), but the Hyundai’s the car I’d rather live with.

Why? Its stunning retro/cosmic/Blade Runner looks haven’t lost their power to shock and awe; its cabin is incredibly spacious and family friendly, it cruises serenely, doesn’t disgrace itself in a corner, and its 430km range is ample and accurate.

Its occasionally crashy ride is acceptable considering the decent handling and grip, and I’m madly keen to see how the performance, track-ready Ioniq 5 N performs when it lands late in 2023.

The Ioniq 5 is also about half the price of the Porsche, more economical, faster accelerating and almost as quick at ultra-rapid charging. Oh, and the fact I can plug my coffee machine into the car thanks to its vehicle-to-load functionality still blows my mind.

Distilled into one short sentence, it’s just bloody cool. 

Biggest EV surprise of 2022

The BYD Atto 3. For the money, the drive experience (bar the handling), its features, tech, style and overall presentation surpassed my quite low expectations. I’m not a fan of BYD’s ambiguous warranty, high service costs and grand claims and promises, but the car ain’t half bad you know.

The EV I’m most looking forward to in 2023

The MG4. It’s scored rave reviews from European motoring journalists who recognise a Good Thing; it’ll be more affordable than most EVs on our market and appears to be the complete family electric car package. It’ll give Volkswagen, Toyota, et al. much to worry about while they continue to endure EV-size holes in their showrooms.

John Carey: Renault Megane E-Tech

There are several very good reasons the Renault Megane E-Tech is my standout EV of 2022. It’s not due to reach Australia until late 2023, but I drove it at its international media launch in Spain in early 2022. Living and working in Europe has its advantages…

So, what’s impressive about this small EV, styled to blur the boundary between conventional hatch and crossover?

Firstly, it’s designed around the new EV platform developed by the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. In practical terms this means a slimmer underfloor battery pack, plus other measures to increase interior space without also increasing exterior dimensions. The Renault is relatively light for an EV its size, too.

The Megane E-Tech is also very pleasant to drive. It’s remarkably quiet, even compared to other EVs around the same size and price. The chassis is set-up to deliver decent agility, too.

While the exterior is attractive, the interior fit-out is even more pleasing. The clean and simple themes are easy on the eye, while the infotainment tech is very easy to use.

Powered by Google’s Android Automotive operating system, its responsiveness is superior to just about anything else on the market today. Including much more expensive EVs.

In Europe, the Megane E-Tech is positioned to compete with its most obvious rival, Volkswagen’s relatively affordable ID.3. Assuming local Renault importer Ateco positions the Megane E-Tech in similar territory here, it’s sure to be a success in EV-starved Australia.    

Biggest EV surprise of 2022

The Mercedes-Benz EQXX may be a one-off concept, but it’s also a very persuasive preview of technologies that together promise to make next-gen EVs from the world’s oldest car maker much better.

A brief ride along in the sleekly aerodynamic EQXX with one of the engineers to helped create it quickly made it clear that there are many ways to make better use of every kWh stored in a battery pack.

The EV I’m looking forward to most in 2023

It’ll look as good as yesterday’s Maserati sports coupes, but the new Gran Turismo Folgore also features under-the-skin innovation.

Instead of being a flat underfloor slab, its 800-volt battery pack will be what Maserati engineers call a ‘T-bone’. The meaty part of the pack will fit under the bonnet, while the bone extends along the four-seater’s central tunnel.

This layout enables the low and lovely exterior design, as the occupants aren’t perched above the battery pack. It’s also better for handling, Maserati claims.

Add the fact that it’ll be powered by three electric motors, and the Gran Turismo Folgore is looking like the car most likely to challenge the Porsche Taycan at the very top of the EV tree.

Andrew Chesterton: Kia Niro EV

Ok, so this is going to seem like a boring choice compared to the vehicles my esteemed colleagues have no doubt chosen, but for me, the happiest EV surprise of 2022 was the Kia Niro EV.

This is Kia’s second go at a small, green SUV – the first Niro landed in Australia late in its model cycle as a kind of test case to get Australians used to its low-emission offerings – and it’s a seriously accomplished all-round performer.

Sure, it’s not as headline-grabbing as models like the EV6 GT, and (given it starts north of $65k), it’s nowhere near as cheap as the BYD Atto 3, but it also carries a design that doesn’t feel like it will age poorly, a small but well-packaged interior that feels spacious enough for my needs, and an easy-to-learn driving style that delivers all the best things about an EV powertrain while still managing to feel comfortable, and comfortably familiar. 

Yes, it’s a lot of money for a small SUV. And yes, it lacks some of the fast-charging bells and whistles of its EV6 big brother, but it also shrinks the gap between buying an ICE or an EV to something that will no doubt feel instantly manageable to anyone thinking of buying their first electric vehicle.

Biggest EV surprise of 2022

It just has to be BYD. When rumours of the Chinese brand launching the Atto 3 in Australia first began to surface — with the help of little-known distributor EV Direct —  many of us thought it sounded a bit like a shameless cash grab. You know, source cost-effective Chinese vehicles, then on-sell them at a mega-premium to a handful of comparatively cashed-up Aussies.

But instead the brand arrived largely on time, and at a super-appealing price point, and almost everyone I’ve spoken to who has bought one is over-the-moon with the cost-to-quality ratio of their Atto 3. 

The EV I’m most looking forward to most in 2023

For mine, I’m less looking forward to any specific car, and more eagerly awaiting more cost-effective EVs arriving in Australia. To truly take over, we need many more EVs in the sub-$50k bracket, and it looks like we’ll be getting many more next year. Look for vehicles like the BYD Dolphin, the Fiat 500e, the GWM Ora Good Cat and the MG4 to (hopefully) lower the entry point to an electric vehicle in Australia.