A Real Close Look at the Fake Cars of 2022

Tesla’s spectacular rise in the 2010s and the relative simplicity of electric powertrains have inspired countless entrepreneurs to launch trendy, forward-thinking auto companies. Many of these have already come and gone, their renderings and outlandish claims gathering dust in the forgotten corners of the internet, but to overcome the myriad of challenges that come with mass-producing a car, even more The EV market, on the other hand, is so crowded that we decided to analyze what happened and what didn’t in the world of automotive startups in 2022.

Tesla Cybertruck

Tesla finally brought its electric semi to market, delivering the first unit to PepsiCo in December, but the Cybertruck is still in operation.The radical pickup’s original launch date was late 2021. It was rescheduled for 2022, though Elon Musk confirmed in January last year that the Cybertruck would be postponed again, along with the revived Roadster.

But last spring, a leaked video showing a Cybertruck prototype sent Tesla enthusiasts into a frenzy, prompting Musk to announce that the Cybertruck will go into production in 2023 when the new Giga Texas factory opens in April. I promised. Since Musk has publicly questioned “the average cost of a Cyber ​​truck and how affordable it is,” Road Going, it’s unclear how well his model will match the original concept.

In 2022, Musk’s controversial acquisition of Twitter led to a surge in Tesla stock. Given Musk’s track record of over-expectations and under-deliveries, it wouldn’t be surprising to learn that his wedge-shaped EV truck will be delayed again in 2023. . . just kidding.

God Vayanne

The hypercar world has always admired obscure companies for making incredible claims, but with the democratization of power heralded by EVs, it’s looking to enter the realm of high-performance land-based missiles. The number of car manufacturers has grown exponentially. The 2022 New York Auto Show will introduce his Vayanne, the first vehicle proposed by Austria-based startup Deus Automobiles.

Although not scheduled to arrive before 2025, the Vayanne is said to make 2200 horsepower and 1475 lb-ft of torque. Deus claims this car he accelerates to 62 mph in less than 1.99 seconds before reaching top speed at 248 mph. However, the company has curiously omitted powertrain details, making the static model sitting on the show floor feel cheap and unfinished.

Deus will be enlisting the help of established players. Italdesign has been hired to write the slinky lines for Vayanne and Williams Advanced Engineering has been hired to polish the technical parts.

Faraday Future FF91

It’s been almost six years since we heard about Faraday Future, the California-based startup that unveiled its electric FF 91 crossover at the 2017 CES Tech Show (formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show). However, the company has come to the fore again this year by announcing in February that the FF 91 will begin production in the third quarter of his 2022.

Faraday Future has been facing financial difficulties since its inception and has failed to meet its goals, not only launching FF 91 in July, but also requiring significant investments to keep the business running until the end of the year. made clear.

However, the company won an estimated range of 381 miles from the EPA in September for its flagship FF 91 Futurist model, which uses a 142.0 kWh battery. In December, Faraday Future announced March 2023 as the new target start date for production of his 1050-horsepower crossover, but that is dependent on the arrival of more funding. Given the company’s troubled past, we remain vigilant.

dragon dragon

The Dragon super SUV is the second offering from San Jose-based Drako Motors, which combines four electric motors for a whopping 2000 horsepower. With all-wheel drive and a curb weight of about 5,000 pounds, the muscular SUV can reach 60 mph in 1.9 seconds, top speed over 200 mph, and sprint a quarter mile in just 9.0 seconds. Drako insists.

But there isn’t much evidence that the company offered a Fisker Karma-based GTE, the first model that made 1200 horsepower and cost $1.3 million.When Draco first teased Dragon, the company vaguely said it was currently “building and delivering in earnest.” [the] GTE to our customers and investment partners. ”

Just the red GTE unveiled at the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Draco still has several years to go before its planned 2026 Dragon launch, but the company’s unconfirmed production history and Dragon’s Fantasy-Land specs add to our confidence that it will become a reality. not.

Munro EV

Unveiled in early December, the Munro Mk1 EV continues Bollinger Motors’ mantle of square, back-to-basics off-road EVs. That’s because the American start-up is canceling production plans for the rugged B1 SUV and B2 pickup to focus on that. Bang instead. Munro, who hails from Scotland, was actually designed by the same man who used a ruler to draw Bollinger’s box, but the Mk1 somehow looks like a cobblestoned kit car assembled in someone’s cabin. .

Focused on commercial sales, the Munro is classified as a Class 3 medium-duty truck in the United States, capable of towing up to 7,700 lbs and carrying up to 2,200 lbs of cargo. The Mk1’s 375 hp peak output is surprisingly reasonable by start-up standards, but with a battery worth up to 81.0 kWh and a moving weight of at least 5500 lbs, the range is expected to be less than 200 miles.

Munro is still looking for investors, but the company claims limited production will begin in 2023. Munro EV caught.

Foxconn

Tech giant Apple’s EV has been rumored for nearly a decade, but it could be beaten by Foxconn, a Taiwanese company that assembles the iPhone, among other products. In October, Foxconn unveiled its first model, the Foxtron Model B, and formed a joint venture with Yulon Motor, Taiwan’s largest automaker.

The Model B hatchback, designed by Italian design expert Pininfarina, aims to start production in China in 2023 and eventually sell EVs in the United States. Little is known about Model B’s specs, but Foxconn has given other startups a head start after purchasing his 2022 Rosetown, Ohio factory.

Foxconn will build the Lordstown Endurance and Fisker Pear under contract at its Ohio plant previously owned by Lordstown Motors, and the Model B may eventually join its production line. While it looks hopeful for Foxconn, the long-term automotive outlook for the Taiwanese company remains uncertain, especially in the US market.

canoe

American startup Canoo debuted its first pod lifestyle vehicle in 2019, followed by a boxy MPDV van in 2020 and a unique pickup truck in 2021. Production of the lifestyle vehicle was originally scheduled for 2021 before being postponed. Despite financial difficulties in May, the company said it plans to begin production at its Arkansas plant later this year.

Clearly, Canoo fell short of that goal. With 2023 fast approaching, the company is now looking to start production by the end of next year. Still, Canoo could make headlines with several new partnerships for his 2022, showing that interest in the company’s signature EV is still high.

In April, NASA selected a Lifestyle Vehicle to transport the crew at the launch site of the Artemis Expedition, which aims to land humans on the moon in 2025 for the first time since 1972. At Lifestyle Vehicles, the retail giant has already tested the vehicle, and in December the US Army received a pickup for evaluation. Canoo still has to figure out a way to start production, but growing interest in its product bodes well for him in 2023.

Indy One EV

Along with the bedroom poster-worthy Deus Vayanne, the New York auto show gave us a chance to check out the Indi One EV, an electric crossover from an obscure California-based startup founded in 2017. At the show, Indi EV declared: Production is set to begin in mid-2023, and in October the Indi EV signed a deal with Foxconn to build prototypes at its Rosetown, Ohio factory.

The One is not meant to be a sports car. The standard version hits 60 mph in a claimed 6.7 seconds on the 230-mile range, while the top trim adds 70 miles and shaves 2.5 seconds off a 60-mph sprint. Instead, the One’s main focus is massive computing power that enables high-quality video streaming and gaming from inside the car.

The prototype seen in New York doesn’t look production-ready, and the company’s pricing is ambitious at $45,000 to $69,000. At the show, the company’s head of product design, Andre Hudson, unveiled the One, but since then he’s already abandoned the ship for another startup, Mullen Automotive. I’m not sure, but I’m always happy to be surprised.

honorable mention

Nicola, whose infamous founder Trevor Milton was convicted of fraud in October, will move away from a Badger pickup truck planned for late 2021 and build an electric Tre semi truck in 2022. , developed a hydrogen fuel cell version.

Bollinger has also shifted its focus from consumer pickup trucks to a cab-forward electric Class 4 truck called the B4, aiming for production in the second half of 2023. (a rebadged version of the Qiantu K50 sold in China) — bought a majority stake in Bollinger and the assets of his EV van developed by bankrupt Electric Last Mile Solutions.

Swedish company Volta has also expanded its line of Zero delivery trucks to start production in 2023, while UK-based Arrival has struggled to meet its 2022 production target, with first prototypes in September. was built.

Success story?

We can’t classify these companies as successes just yet, but in 2022, several start-ups will produce their first road-legal vehicles. After years of uncertainty, the first customer-facing Lordstown Endurance truck began line-off in Ohio in his November. Example of initial production in October.

Fisker will also begin production of the electric Ocean SUV in November, with Magna Steyr assembling the vehicle in Austria for delivery early next year. Fisker also hinted at two of his upcoming models. One is his sub-$30,000 small crossover called the Pear, and the other is his sultry sports car called the Ronin, due out in 2024.

VinFast has been selling cars in Vietnam since 2019, but its expansion into the US with its VF8 and VF9 crossovers was scheduled to begin in late 2022. Last week, VinFast announced that the first ship carrying US-spec vehicles had arrived in California, with deliveries to begin before the end of the year.