Global BEV Trends: Current Situation and Future Plans Until 2022

FOURIN has compiled a list of BEV (battery electric vehicle) models currently on the global market and future launch plans until 2022. Although high battery prices and the slow progress of charging infrastructure development are rendering the market penetration of BEVs uncertain, global passenger vehicle manufacturers are steadily drawing up BEV model plans. Japanese automakers are launching BEVs in China ahead of other markets in response to China’s upcoming NEV regulations in 2019. Toyota, Honda and Nissan plan to release BEV lineups in China from 2020 followed market launches in Japan, Europe and North America. Nevertheless, BEVs are only launched to satisfy new regulations while automakers remain focusing on HEVs. Many other Japanese manufacturers have joined forces with EV C.A. Spirit, a joint venture set up by Toyota, Mazda and Denso in 2017, to develop basic structural technologies for BEVs. In cooperation with EV C.A. Spirit, Japanese automakers develop their own BEV technology. Similarly to Japanese automakers, US manufacturers plan to release BEVs in China ahead of other markets. GM and Ford intend to expand their BEV lineups until the first half of the 2020s in collaboration with their Chinese joint venture partners. However, it is rather obscure what kind of BEV models they are planning to release by 2022. As for FCA, the automaker plans to release a BEV variant of the Jeep brand, which enjoys high popularity in China, as well as launch BEV grades of core Fiat and Maserati models until 2022. Nearly all European automakers have put forth a detailed BEV launch plan until 2022. Similarly to Japanese and US manufacturers, Europeans also attach great importance to the Chinese market. However, their market approach is different. European automakers are developing strategic BEV models not exclusively for the Chinese but for the global market. In accordance with this, Europeans are making a strenuous effort from an early stage to develop platforms exclusively for BEVs. VW’s MEB, Audi and Porsche’s PPE and Daimler’s MEA platform are expected to enter the market around 2019-2022. Planned BEV models span from mini vehicles to large SUVs and sports cars, consumer choices quickly expanding around 2020.

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