Bigger EVs Are Coming

Shoppers looking for a seven-seater EV will have more options soon.

July 24, 2023

Shoppers looking for a seven-seater EV will have more options soon.

According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, car companies targeted their first EVs mostly at males who fit the early adopter buyer type. But now executives have told the Journal that “as automakers roll out bigger, family-oriented electrics, they have the chance to draw more female buyers.”

Currently there are 22 small or compact electric SUVs on the market, but just a smattering of larger vehicles, including the Mercedes-Benz EQS.

Some new models soon to be on the market: Kia’s EV9 and Volvo’s EX90, in showrooms in the coming months. Cadillac is expected to unveil its electric Escalade IQ in August. Hyundai, Ford and Toyota have large electric SUVs in the works as well.

According to the article, “Through June, the top three EV sellers in the U.S. were Tesla’s Model Y, a midsize SUV that offers a snug, optional third row; Tesla’s Model 3, a compact sedan; and GM’s Chevrolet Bolt, a small hatchback.”

Kia’s midsize SUV, the EV6, has a customer base that is about 75% men. The company expects its new EV9 SUV to be bought equally by men and women.

Midsize and large SUVs account for 26% of all new vehicles sold, up from 21% in 2018.

The Journal reports that the “rollout of bigger SUVs also will represent a test of Americans’ readiness to go electric with vehicles that are more likely to be used for road trips, where finding available charging stations can be a logistical challenge and lengthen travel times.”

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