Page 98 - Sharp Spring 2021

SHARP AUTO
CANOO
What? A sci-fi hippie bus built on an electric “skate- board” architecture, meaning Canoo could use this basic chassis to make almost any type of car, pickup, or cargo van.
Where? Los Angeles
When? 2021 (subscription-only)
APTERA MOTORS
What? An egg-shaped, solar-pow- ered EV that, theoretically, never needs to be plugged in to recharge. Where? San Diego
When? 2021
LUCID MOTORS
What? First revealed in 2016, Lucid’s sleek Air sedan is an interesting alternative to Tesla’s Model S. The base model is said to have a range of 650 km.
Where? Based in California. Built in Arizona.
When? 2021
NIO
START ’EM UP
Keep your eyes and ears on these six electric vehicle startups with bold plans for the future
BY matt bubbers
CARS HAVEN’T BEEN THIS WEIRD AND
exciting since they were invented. That’s because cars are being invented all over again, only this time, they’re electric (or maybe hydrogen-powered). The result is a $2 trillion industry ripe for disruptors, garage inventors, ven- ture capitalists, get-rich-quick scam- mers, and everyone in between.
New startups come and go quicker than your SkipTheDishes delivery guy, but these six are worth keeping an eye on. That doesn’t mean you should dump your life savings into them — there’s
a good chance some (maybe most) of these upstarts won’t succeed — but it does mean we like what they’re doing.
What? Nio is building a network of service stations that’ll let
users swap a fresh battery into its electric sedans and SUVs in a matter of minutes. The company says it’s already done 1 million battery swaps in China.
Where? Shanghai
(plus global offices)
When? More than 70,000 are already on the road in China.
RIMAC AUTOMOBILI
What? The company impressed Porsche so much, the German brand bought a 24 per cent stake in Rimac. Its upcoming C_Two supercar has 1,900 hp and will be scary fast.
Where? Croatia When? 2021
BYTON
What? Despite plenty of setbacks since unveiling its cars in 2018, a recent partnership with Foxconn means Byton’s sedan and SUV may yet see the light of day.
Where? China
When? 2022
98 SHARPMAGAZINE.COM SPRING 2021