Electric vehicles are impacting the auto industry with new tech, features, and improved electrical components. As drivers become familiar with EVs, these new electrified models need to fit every driving situation, create the type of range desired, and ensure smooth and quick charging. In addition to these basic functions, we expect EVs to be filled with futuristic technology.

Although some drivers are still scoffing at electric vehicles, we’ve found ten that are impacting the auto industry in a lasting way. One model will surprise you by how long ago it arrived on the scene; others might be exactly what you expect, and still others are bringing the future to our current market, making it more enticing to drive an electric car, truck, or SUV.

Related: 10 Best Small Electric Cars Of 2023

1 Tesla Model S – Proved Long-Range EVs Were Possible

The first Tesla Model S hit the market in 2012. This new electric car was announced in 2008, but it took four years for Tesla to bring it to the market. Still, once it arrived, it changed the industry for good. The Model S was a luxury car, but more than that, it was the first mass-produced electric vehicle with up to 265 miles of driving range in the Performance model.

2012 Tesla Model S Performance Specs

As you can see from the specs, this first Model S was more than just a long-range EV. This new electric car provided exciting acceleration and speed while also including a luxurious, advanced, tech-rich cabin and a useful hatchback build.

2 Nissan Leaf – First Mass-Market EV

The Nissan Leaf was the first mass-produced EV in history, offering a small footprint, useful driving range, and an affordable price. This combination makes the Nissan Leaf the most popular EV in the world, with more than one million versions sold between the first and second generations.

2011 Nissan Leaf Performance Specs

As the first mass-produced EV, the early Nissan Leaf models weren’t for everyone, but they included excellent packaging and advanced technology for the time. Most owners used this car to drive around town. This was also one of the first cars with Level 2 charging capabilities, which cut the charging time from 21 to 7 hours, making it easy to recharge the EV batteries overnight.

Related: 2024 GMC Sierra EV: Everything We Know So Far

3 Ford F-150 Lightning – First Useful Electric Pickup Truck

Electric vehicles have been evolving quickly since the Tesla Model S arrived, but until recently, trucks weren’t part of the equation. Some thought EVs would never be trucks, but Ford proved that wrong. The new Ford F-150 Lightning electric truck arrived in 2022 to be a brand-new take on what electric vehicle power could offer.

2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Specs

In addition to being the most popular and impressive new electric truck in the EV market, the F-150 Lightning has a large frunk. This is a new feature of electric vehicles, which are built on ICE platforms, but Ford was the first to put this area to good use with power ports available to charge tools and devices.

4 Tesla Model X – First Full-Size Electric SUV

Considering the first Model S had only arrived four years earlier, and the Nissan Leaf in 2011, most automakers hadn’t pivoted to the idea of full-size electric SUVs in 2016. That said, the Tesla Model X was the first of its kind, with three rows of comfortable seats and a silent electric powertrain.

Pros

• Fully electric 3-row SUV
• Family-friendly midsize SUV
• Excellent acceleration
• Gullwing-style rear doors

Cons

• Cramped third-row seats
• Small cargo space
• Second-row seats don’t fold

One of the most unique features of the Tesla Model X is the set of gullwing doors, which allowed easier access to the second and third rows of this electric SUV. This was the next revolution in EVs and showed other automakers that electric SUVs were an important part of the equation.

Related: 10 Electric Cars That Came Well Before Their Time

5 Tesla Roadster – First Lithium-Ion Battery

Although limited to only a few customers, the 2008 Tesla Roadster was one of the most important modern EVs. This vehicle pioneered and popularized the use of lithium-ion batteries in future EVs. Before the Roadster, most automakers attempted to build EVs using traditional lead-acid batteries, which led to terrible driving range.

2008 Tesla Roadster Performance Specs

Some people are under the impression that the 2008 Tesla Roadster was a fast, high-powered EV, but that’s simply not the case. Still, this car was the first to utilize lithium-ion batteries that would become the staple of EVs for years to come.

6 AMC Amitron – First EV Regenerative Braking

Regenerative braking isn’t as new as many might think. While this feature was made popular by the Toyota Prius for use in hybrid vehicles, but it first appeared in a little-known EV. The AMC Amitron was a prototype EV created in 1967 that brought regenerative braking to the market. This braking system captures energy efficiency to reduce wear and tear on the traditional braking system.

The Amitron Turned Kinetic Braking Energy Into Electrical Energy

The AMC Amitron was obviously ahead of its time with a system to send power to the batteries of the car. The energy to power the car’s motor extended the range and reduces the need to recharge the batteries frequently. It took until the Toyota Prius to see another vehicle with regenerative braking. The Prius became the first mass-produced vehicle with this braking system.

Related: 10 Reasons Why We’d Buy The GMC Sierra EV Over The Ford F-150 Lightning

7 Mercedes-Benz EQS – Brought Augmented Reality To EVs

The Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan is the first EV to include an augmented reality display, offering an innovative technology that incorporates the benefits of virtual information and the real world combined. An augmented reality display is meant to improve the driving experience, and Mercedes-Benz is the first to add AR to the mix on the Hyperscreen.

Pros

• Ultra quiet, solid feel
• Impossible steering abilities
• Luxurious cabin

Cons

• Shape
• Rear seat is not as large as the S-Class
• Front trunk doesn’t open

The AR screen in the Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan provides information such as turn signal arrows, speed limits, and additional information presented on the windshield. This screen allows drivers to access important information without taking their eyes off the road.

8 Rimac Nevera – Amazing Performance Through Torque Vectoring

The new Rimac Nevera is one of the fastest and most advanced electric vehicles in the entire world. It also uses advanced torque vectoring tech that distributes torque to each wheel based on the driving conditions. This system offers incredible precision and agility, which makes the driving experience much better.

Rimac Nevera Performance Specs

The torque vectoring system ensures precise control over the vehicle’s weight distribution, which makes it respond quickly and smoothly to any driver inputs. The system analyzes the driving situation to make split-second adjustments and give this car the incredible performance desired.

Related: How The Lucid Air Sapphire Will Dominate The Performance Electric Car Market

9 Porsche Taycan – 800-Volt Architecture Is Possible

EVs face several challenges compared to traditional ICE models, charging time and speed being two of them. The 800-volt system was brought to the market in the 2019 Porsche Taycan, which doubled the charging speed of a conventional 400-volt charging system. The Taycan can recharge 80 percent of its battery in only 22.5 minutes using a properly equipped DC fast charger.

Another First For the Taycan

The Taycan is serving as the testbed for Porsche electric vehicles moving into the new age. The Taycan was the first with the 800-volt architecture, and it’s the first EV to have liquid-cooled charging cables. These cables are a huge step forward over air-cooled cables, which are prone to overheating, which reduces charging efficiency.

10 Tesla Model Y – Heat Pump HVAC System For Better Heating And Cooling

It’s no secret that heating and cooling an electric vehicle can drain some of the battery life and reduce the driving range of an EV. The Tesla Model Y makes use of heat pumps in the HVAC system to improve the efficiency of the heating and cooling systems. These systems use the principle of heat transfer to offer both heating and cooling functions.

Pros

• Consistent driving range in cold climates
• Maximize vehicle efficiency
• Impressive energy efficiency through heat transfer

Cons

• None

Compared to traditional HVAC systems, a heat pump ensures heat is transferred from one location to another, either removing heat from the cabin to cool it or moving heat into the cabin to warm it. To date, this is the most efficient and effective way to control the climate in an EV.