Let's cut straight to the chase: if you're shopping for a new car these days, you're probably looking at an SUV. And if you're being smart about it, you're considering going electric. The EV landscape has completely transformed over the past few years, moving from a handful of expensive oddities to a genuinely impressive lineup of battery-powered SUVs that can handle everything from the school run to cross-country road trips.

What's really exciting is the sheer variety now available. We're not just talking about Tesla anymore – though they're still in the mix. You've got budget-friendly options starting under $35,000 that'll give you over 300 miles of range, all the way up to absolute monsters packing over 1000 horsepower that can leave supercars in the dust. The electric SUV market has something for everyone, whether you're a penny-pinching pragmatist or someone who thinks 600 horsepower is just getting started.

I've spent months behind the wheel of these electric SUVs, from early-morning coffee runs to weekend mountain adventures, and I can tell you the future is looking pretty damn good. Here's my rundown of the best electric SUVs you can buy right now, ranked by price from most affordable to "holy crap, that costs how much?"

2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV: The People's Champion

Price: $34,995 | Range: 307–319 miles

The Chevy Equinox EV might not be the most exciting vehicle on this list, but it's got something that matters more than flashy looks or neck-snapping acceleration: it's genuinely affordable. At just under $35,000, this thing costs barely more than a comparable gas-powered SUV, which is frankly remarkable when you consider we're talking about cutting-edge electric technology.

Sure, the base model is pretty basic – you get 220 horsepower, front-wheel drive, and an interior that won't make anyone mistake it for a luxury vehicle. But here's the kicker: it delivers 319 miles of EPA-rated range. That's more than most electric SUVs costing twice as much managed just a few years ago. For families who need reliable, efficient transportation without the premium price tag, the Equinox EV is a game-changer.

The styling is deliberately conservative – Chevy clearly wanted this to look like what people expect an SUV to look like, just with a slightly more futuristic twist. It's not going to turn heads at the country club, but it'll blend seamlessly into suburban driveways across America. And honestly, that's probably exactly what most buyers want.

If you're willing to spend a bit more, the dual-motor all-wheel-drive versions pack significantly more punch and can still be had for under $45,000. That's still incredible value in today's market, especially when you factor in potential tax credits and the money you'll save never buying gas again.

The Equinox EV proves that electric doesn't have to mean expensive. It's the SUV that could finally bring EV technology to mainstream America, and that's worth celebrating even if it doesn't make your pulse race.

2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E: The Style Icon That Got Cheaper

Price: $38,490 | Range: 240–320 miles

The Mach-E caused quite a stir when Ford first announced they were slapping the Mustang name on an electric SUV. Purists were outraged, enthusiasts were skeptical, and everyone else was curious. Three years later, the controversy has mostly died down, and what we're left with is one of the most stylish electric SUVs you can buy.

Ford recently gave the Mach-E a price cut that brought the entry point under $40,000, making it genuinely competitive with mainstream offerings. But honestly? Skip the basic versions. The real magic happens when you step up to the GT or Rally variants, which pack a larger battery, all-wheel drive, and a whopping 480 horsepower.

These performance versions will hit 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, which is proper sports car territory. It's the kind of acceleration that makes you grin involuntarily and immediately start looking for excuses to floor it. The instant torque delivery of electric motors means there's no waiting for turbochargers to spool up or transmissions to downshift – just immediate, violent thrust that pins you to the seat.

The Mach-E's interior strikes a nice balance between high-tech and usable, with Ford's latest infotainment system taking center stage. The driving experience is engaging without being overly aggressive, making it equally at home cruising highway miles or carving up winding back roads.

Range varies significantly depending on which version you choose, but even the performance variants deliver enough juice for most people's daily needs. And when you do need to charge, Ford's partnership with various charging networks means you're rarely left stranded.

I'm still waiting for Ford to announce a proper Shelby version with even more power and track-focused upgrades. Because if 480 horsepower is good, 600+ horsepower would obviously be better.

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5: The Spaceship That Drives Like a Dream

Price: $44,075 | Range: 221–318 miles

The Ioniq 5 looks like it drove straight out of a sci-fi movie, and that's entirely intentional. Hyundai's designers went completely wild with this one, creating something that looks more like a concept car than a production vehicle you can actually buy and drive home today.

Those angular, geometric proportions make it look almost like a tall hatchback rather than a traditional SUV, but don't let that fool you – it's got the interior space of a compact SUV and drives better than most of them. The cabin is genuinely impressive, with a flat floor that maximizes space and a minimalist aesthetic that feels both futuristic and surprisingly livable.

But the real party trick is the performance version: the Ioniq 5 N. With 641 horsepower from its all-wheel-drive electric powertrain, this thing is an absolute weapon. It's got suspension and chassis upgrades that make it genuinely capable on track, plus enough power to embarrass most sports cars in a straight line. As far as electric vehicles go, it's one of the most purely enjoyable things you can drive right now.

For 2025, there's also a rugged-looking XRT model that adds some adventure-ready styling cues for those who want their spaceship to look a bit more outdoorsy. It's the kind of trim that suggests weekend camping trips and light off-road adventures, which is perfect for families who want versatility along with their futuristic styling.

The regular versions offer excellent range and charging speeds, making the Ioniq 5 a practical choice for daily driving. But it's the way this thing makes every journey feel special that really sets it apart. Even a mundane trip to the grocery store feels like you're piloting something from 2030.

2025 Kia EV6: The Performance Bargain That Keeps Getting Better

Price: $44,375 | Range: 231–319 miles

The EV6 is essentially the Ioniq 5's Korean cousin, sharing the same underlying platform but with distinctly different styling and character. Where the Hyundai goes for angular sci-fi aesthetics, the Kia is all flowing curves and coupe-like proportions that make it look like it's moving even when standing still.

Kia offers various versions to suit different needs, from efficient long-range models perfect for daily commuting to absolutely bonkers performance variants that'll make you question whether you really need a sports car. The sweet spot for most buyers is probably somewhere in the middle, where you get solid performance, good range, and reasonable pricing.

But let's be honest – the version everyone really wants is the GT. With 641 horsepower and a drift mode (yes, really), it's the kind of electric SUV that makes traditional performance cars look a bit silly. The only downside is the range, which drops to just 231 miles thanks to all that extra performance hardware and the massive wheels that come standard.

The EV6 GT previously won our Performance EV of the Year award in the under-$100,000 category, and that was before the 2025 updates that bring its power output up to match the Ioniq 5 N. It's proof that you don't need to spend six figures to get genuinely thrilling electric performance.

The charging speeds on both the regular and GT versions are genuinely impressive, making road trips much more feasible than in earlier electric vehicles. It's the kind of capability that removes most of the compromises associated with EV ownership.

2025 Tesla Model Y: The Updated Icon

Price: $50,380 | Range: 303–327 miles

The Model Y is basically a Model 3 sedan that's been to the gym and decided to become an SUV. It's Tesla's best-selling vehicle for good reason – it hits the sweet spot of practicality, performance, and price that works for a huge swath of buyers.

Tesla recently gave the Model Y a comprehensive update, internally codenamed "Juniper," that brings fresh styling, an upgraded interior, and plenty of new features. The changes aren't revolutionary, but they address many of the complaints people had about earlier versions while maintaining everything that made the Model Y successful in the first place.

The dual-motor Long Range version that's currently available delivers solid performance and excellent range, while Tesla's Supercharger network remains the gold standard for road trip charging. There's something to be said for the seamless integration between car and charging infrastructure that Tesla provides – it just works in a way that third-party charging often doesn't.

We haven't had a chance to drive the updated model yet, but if it maintains the driving characteristics that made previous Model Y versions so popular while fixing the interior quality issues, it should remain a top choice for electric SUV buyers.

Tesla hasn't revealed details about the Performance version of the updated Model Y yet, but given their track record, it'll probably be properly quick while still maintaining decent range. The Model Y Performance has always been one of the best performance bargains in the electric vehicle world.

2025 Kia EV9: Three Rows of Electric Excellence

Price: $56,395 | Range: 230–304 miles

Kia already had a hit on their hands with the gas-powered Telluride, a three-row SUV that managed to feel genuinely luxurious despite its reasonable price. The EV9 takes that same formula and electrifies it, creating something that's even more impressive than its combustion-powered sibling.

This thing punches way above its weight class. The interior feels properly luxurious, with high-quality materials and a design that wouldn't look out of place in SUVs costing twice as much. All three rows offer genuine space for adult passengers, which is rarer than you'd think in the three-row SUV world. Too many manufacturers focus on getting three rows into the vehicle without ensuring people can actually sit comfortably in all of them.

The tech features are extensive without being overwhelming, and the charging speeds are competitive with the best in the business. It's the kind of vehicle that makes electric family hauling genuinely appealing rather than feeling like a compromise.

Things are getting even more interesting for 2026, when Kia is adding a GT performance version with over 500 horsepower and upgraded chassis components. Because apparently even three-row family SUVs need to be able to do burnouts now, and honestly, I'm here for it.

The EV9 represents what happens when manufacturers stop thinking of electric vehicles as appliances and start treating them like the genuinely desirable products they can be. It's practical, luxurious, and exciting all at once.

2025 Cadillac Lyriq: American Luxury Goes Electric

Price: $60,090 | Range: 303–326 miles

The Lyriq represents Cadillac's vision of what American luxury should look like in the electric age, and it's a genuinely compelling interpretation. This isn't trying to be the sportiest or most efficient electric SUV – instead, it focuses on delivering the kind of smooth, comfortable, refined experience that Cadillac has been known for since the days of massive DeVilles floating down the highway.

The ride quality is superb, prioritizing comfort over outright handling prowess. The cabin is whisper-quiet, letting you appreciate the high-quality materials and excellent build quality without road noise intrusion. That massive curved screen dominates the dashboard and actually works well, providing an impressive tech showcase without sacrificing usability.

The available Super Cruise hands-free driving system is one of the best semi-autonomous driving features available, working smoothly on hundreds of thousands of miles of mapped highways. It's the kind of technology that makes long road trips significantly less tiring.

The design is imposing and distinctive – you'll never mistake a Lyriq for anything else on the road. It's got presence in a way that many modern SUVs lack, with bold styling that manages to look both contemporary and unmistakably American.

The base rear-wheel-drive model produces 340 horsepower, which is plenty for most driving situations. Step up to the all-wheel-drive version and you get 500 horsepower, which provides genuinely impressive acceleration with only a small range penalty. There's an even more powerful Lyriq-V coming for 2026 that should add some serious performance credentials to the lineup.

2025 Genesis Electrified GV70: Luxury Performance Perfected

Price: $68,400 | Range: 236 miles

The regular Genesis GV70 is already one of our favorite compact luxury SUVs in gasoline form, so it only makes sense that the electric version would be equally impressive. Genesis took the smart approach here – they didn't mess with a winning formula, instead simply swapping out the powertrain for electric motors.

The result is 483 horsepower of instant electric torque, which makes the Electrified GV70 significantly more powerful than its gas-powered sibling. The acceleration is properly impressive, with the kind of immediate response that makes electric drivetrains so satisfying in performance applications.

The range isn't class-leading at 236 miles, but it's adequate for most daily driving, and the charging speeds are competitively quick. More importantly, everything else about the GV70 that made it so appealing – the gorgeous interior, excellent build quality, engaging driving dynamics – carries over to the electric version.

Genesis has established itself as a legitimate luxury brand remarkably quickly, and vehicles like the Electrified GV70 show why. It delivers genuine luxury and performance without the premium pricing of German competitors, making it an excellent value proposition in the luxury electric SUV segment.

2025 Polestar 3: Volvo's Electric Luxury Offensive

Price: $70,700 | Range: 279–350 miles

Polestar is Volvo's electric vehicle spinoff, and the Polestar 3 represents their most ambitious effort yet. This is their direct shot at Tesla Model Y buyers who want something with more traditional luxury credentials and Scandinavian design sensibilities.

The styling is distinctly modern inside and out, with clean lines and minimalist aesthetics that feel properly premium. The range figure of up to 350 miles in single-motor configuration is genuinely competitive, while the Performance version's 510 horsepower provides serious acceleration capability – just under 4.0 seconds to 60 mph.

The single-motor base model strikes the best balance for most buyers, prioritizing efficiency and range over outright performance. But the Performance version is tempting if you want luxury and speed in equal measure.

Polestar has been working hard to establish itself as a legitimate luxury brand rather than just Volvo's electric division, and the Polestar 3 goes a long way toward achieving that goal. It feels properly premium in ways that some Tesla competitors don't quite manage.

2026 BMW iX: Controversial Looks, Excellent Everything Else

Price: $76,325 | Range: 283–364 miles

The BMW iX has one of the most polarizing designs in the automotive world. That massive kidney grille dominates the front end in a way that either looks futuristic and bold or like someone made a terrible mistake in the styling studio. There doesn't seem to be much middle ground.

But if you can get past the controversial aesthetics, the iX is genuinely excellent. The interior is world-class, with materials and build quality that justify the premium pricing. Despite weighing as much as a small building, it handles wonderfully thanks to sophisticated suspension tuning and a low center of gravity from the floor-mounted batteries.

The size is similar to BMW's X5, providing similar amounts of interior space but with the packaging advantages of electric architecture. If you love speed, the iX M70 is absolutely mental – 650 horsepower from two electric motors provides claimed 3.6-second 0-60 acceleration that'll leave most sports cars behind.

The iX represents BMW's vision of what an electric luxury SUV should be, and it's genuinely impressive once you get past the styling controversy. It's the kind of vehicle that makes a strong case for electric luxury without requiring any significant compromises.

2025 Porsche Macan Electric: Sports Car DNA in SUV Form

Price: $77,295 | Range: 288–308 miles

The Macan has been Porsche's most popular model for years, so electrifying it was always going to be a big deal. The good news is that Porsche has done an excellent job translating their sports car expertise to electric form while maintaining everything that made the original Macan special.

It looks much like the gas-powered version we know and love, but underneath it's completely different, with a new platform designed specifically for electric powertrains. The interior is thoroughly modern while maintaining classic Porsche design cues and excellent build quality.

The handling is as sharp as you'd expect from anything wearing a Porsche badge, with precise steering and excellent body control that makes it genuinely fun to drive on twisty roads. The powertrain lineup runs from the rear-wheel-drive base model all the way up to the all-wheel-drive Turbo with its whopping 630 horsepower and 833 pound-feet of torque.

The 270-kW charging speed matches the Taycan sedan and promises relatively fast recharging when you need it. It's the kind of capability that makes electric Porsches genuinely viable for long-distance driving without significant compromises.

2025 Rivian R1S: The Electric Adventure Machine

Price: $78,450 | Range: 258–410 miles

The R1S is Rivian's first SUV, following their R1T pickup truck, and it maintains the same rugged, adventure-ready character in a more family-friendly package. It's a distinctive-looking box on wheels that manages to look both modern and purposeful without being overly aggressive or styled to death.

In certain configurations, this thing can accelerate quicker than most sports cars, which is genuinely impressive for something designed to carry families and cargo. The base models are relatively affordable given the capability on offer, but if you're willing to spend more, the quad-motor setup is absolutely worth it. You get an electric motor for each wheel and a combined output of 1025 horsepower, which is just absurd in the best possible way.

The range varies significantly depending on configuration, but the longest-range versions can achieve over 400 miles, making this genuinely viable for long road trips and adventures. It's the kind of electric SUV that doesn't ask you to compromise on capability or range.

Rivian has positioned themselves as the electric vehicle company for people who actually use their SUVs for adventures rather than just grocery store runs, and the R1S delivers on that promise in impressive fashion.

2026 Lucid Gravity: Maximum Luxury, Maximum Range

Price: $96,550 | Range: 386–450 miles

The Lucid Gravity represents the electric vehicle industry's current pinnacle of luxury and technology. As the follow-up to the excellent Lucid Air sedan, the Gravity takes everything that made that car special and packages it in a more practical SUV form factor.

The available three-row seating provides genuine space for passengers, while the higher ground clearance makes it more versatile than the sedan. The interior features even larger display screens than the Air, creating a tech showcase that feels genuinely futuristic rather than gimmicky.

But it maintains the best aspects of the Air: genuinely impressive range (a claimed 450 miles in optimal conditions) and massive power output (828 horsepower from dual electric motors). It's the kind of performance that makes traditional luxury SUVs look slow while delivering range that eliminates most electric vehicle compromises.

The Grand Touring model launching first is expensive, as you'd expect from a flagship luxury vehicle. But Lucid promises a lower-cost Pure trim level will arrive later, which should make this technology more accessible to buyers who want Lucid's capabilities without the ultra-premium pricing.

The Electric SUV Revolution is Here

What strikes me most about this current crop of electric SUVs is how they've moved beyond simply being electric versions of existing vehicles. Many of these are genuinely better than their gas-powered alternatives, offering superior performance, lower running costs, and often more interior space thanks to the packaging advantages of electric architecture.

The variety is remarkable. You can get a practical family hauler for under $35,000, or a 1000-horsepower monster that'll outrun supercars. There are luxury cruisers that prioritize comfort, track-focused performance machines, and rugged adventure vehicles ready for weekend camping trips.

Range anxiety is becoming less of a real concern as these vehicles routinely exceed 300 miles between charges, and charging infrastructure continues improving rapidly. Many of these SUVs can add 200+ miles of range in 20-30 minutes at fast charging stations, making road trips genuinely feasible.

The electric SUV market has reached a tipping point where electric isn't just a viable alternative – in many cases, it's the superior choice. Whether you're motivated by environmental concerns, performance desires, or simple economics, there's probably an electric SUV that fits your needs perfectly.

The future of the SUV is electric, and based on what's available right now, it's a pretty exciting future to be part of.