Family matters and that’s why we’re seeing EVs getting bigger
Large SUVs are loved by families around Australia, and the electric SUV market is expected to explode in response.
We’re all told size doesn’t matter, and we all know it’s not true.
When it comes to electric vehicles, they started out small, like glorified golf carts, but now we’re reaching a new era of family-friendly large cars and SUVs.
Large SUVs make up the fourth-largest segment in the Australian car market, with the vast majority snapped up by family buyers. Models like Toyota Kluger, Ford Everest and Subaru Outback are among the bestsellers but there are currently no electric models in this segment of the market.
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By contrast, there is already a range of small and mid-size electric SUVs, with more on the way. This includes the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, MG ZS EV, BYD Atto 3 and soon the Toyota bZ4X, Subaru Solterra and Ford Puma EV.
Ford Global chief executive Jim Farley spoke during a recent earnings call about the growth potential in the three-row SUV segment.
“We could see the overcapacity in the two-row electric utility segment years ago,” Farley told analysts.
“In contrast to two-row crossovers that we believe will be a very saturated market, we believe Model E (Ford’s EV department) can be highly differentiated in markets where we know the customer well, like the three-row utility space.”
Ironically, Ford has just launched its second two-row electric SUV, the new Explorer EV, which will likely sit alongside the Puma and Mustang Mach-E in Australian showrooms in the near future.
Ford isn’t alone, though, with several other brands set to electrify the large SUV market. Bigger EVs are coming from brands including Hyundai, Volkswagen, Skoda and Jeep.
Kia will be the first brand to get into the action with the EV9, a Sorento-sized electric offering that promises space for the whole family and is due to arrive in Australia before the end of the year.
It will be the biggest model yet on the “e-GMP” modular underpinnings that are already used on the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6.
Because it’s built on a bespoke EV platform it allows for a bigger, more flexible interior space, with Kia offering four seating options, including more-conventional bench seats as well as what the company is calling “relaxation-type” recliners.
The EV9 will soon be joined by the Hyundai Ioniq 7, which will use the same underpinnings but get a unique look.
Hyundai has previewed its next EV model with the 2021 Seven concept, a luxurious-looking seven-seater. The arrival of the Ioniq 7, expected in 2024, will add an electric alternative to its Santa Fe and Palisade offerings.
Also coming soon will be a pair of family focused models from Skoda, the Czech brand that’s part of the Volkswagen Group.
It has previewed its electric flagship, a seven-seat SUV, with the Vision 7S concept and is targeting a launch by 2026. While unlikely to make the production version, the Vision 7S concept included a unique three-row layout with a car-seat fitted to a centre console that runs the length of the cabin, highlighting the freedom that EV platforms allow.
And that’s not all Skoda has planned. An electric Estate (or station wagon, if you prefer) is also part of the brand’s future, providing another alternative for buyers looking for more space.
If you don’t want an SUV but still want to move your family in an EV, then the Volkswagen ID.Buzz could be the solution. The revival of the Kombi, the family van, will have space for five initially, but a seven-seat version is on the way.
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