Behind the Wheel: Four all-new electric vehicle models for 2027 that set the bar high

Discerning fact from fiction is difficult these days, and Canada’s electric vehicle segment is no exception. Some say the EV revolution has stalled and is in free fall; others contend we are only a few years away from the last gas station. As usual, the truth lies somewhere in between.

What can also not be denied is that global automakers continue to invest in EV technology, and will be bringing a whole new crop of all-electric vehicles to Canada in 2027. Here’s a look at four we’re looking forward to seeing on Canadian roads.

Only in Italy would the deputy prime minister weigh in on a new car design, but that’s exactly what happened when Ferrari revealed its first all-electric car, the Luce. The sedan, said Matteo Salvini, “looks like anything but a car from the prancing horse,” adding, “I wonder what (founder) Enzo Ferrari would say.” The quad-motor all-wheel drive system boasts 1,036 horsepower and a zero-to-100 km/h sprint in 2.5 seconds. Range is estimated at around 450 kilometres. The most notable number, however, is the price: $884,000.

For the vast majority of us mere mortals, the Ferrari Luce is nothing but a lottery fever dream, so let’s get our feet back on the ground with the 2027 Kia EV3, the latest impressive all-electric from the Korean automaker. This small crossover has a starting MSRP of just $36,995, making it exactly what many Canadian consumers have been waiting for: an affordable EV. As with all Kia all-electrics, the EV3 offers a number of choices, from two battery sizes, front-wheel or all-wheel drive, and no less than six trim levels.

If you haven’t heard, minivans are having a moment. Once derided as “soccer mom rides”, minivans have stormed back, with sales in Canada up some 36 per cent. Millennials have embraced the practicality and living room-like vibe, and no all-electric minivan embraces that more than all-new and all-electric 2027 Mercedes-Benz VLE. With a reported range of around 600 kilometres.

Fans of the Highlander movie and TV show know well the motto “there can be only one,” and Toyota has embraced that philosophy by turning its longtime Highlander SUV into an all-electric model only. No more gas Highlanders. A gamble to be sure, but considering Toyota’s increasing development and production of very impressive EVs, there’s no reason to believe the automaker’s first three-row all-electric won’t be a success.

Andrew McCredie is Driving Editor at the Vancouver Sun and The Province and the host of Postmedia’s Plugged In podcast.