Charging port for a Ford Motor Co. Mustang through the Washington Auto Present in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Jan. 21, 2022.
Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty Photos
As fuel costs hit document highs, some Individuals could be tempted to go electrical and ease the ache on the pump. However discovering a shiny, new electrical automobile won’t be really easy.
Nationwide stock ranges of autos – together with EVs – have been depleted through the pandemic by a mix of pent-up demand and provide chain issues. Drivers trying to purchase an EV right this moment might need to attend for months, or extra, earlier than the automobiles are delivered.
And but, rising gas costs proceed to plague each companies and customers, with the nationwide common for fuel hitting a document $4.59 a gallon, in line with AAA. The rise in gas prices — a 51% spike from a 12 months in the past — comes forward of a summer time journey season that is anticipated to be bustling, and at a time when decades-high inflation is stoking recessionary fears amongst buyers.
The low availability of autos, together with EVs, has been pushed partially by by provide chain issues – most notably a scarcity of semiconductor chips since early 2021 – which have led automakers to idle crops, leaving fewer automobiles and vehicles obtainable for customers.
Cox Automotive experiences the availability of all new autos on the finish of April was down 40% from the identical interval a 12 months earlier to 1.13 million unsold automobiles and vehicles. That is about 800,000 autos beneath provide in April 2021 and a couple of.2 million beneath 2020.
Legacy automakers and electrical automobile start-ups alike reported modest manufacturing volumes to start out the 12 months, although they count on waning provide chain restraints to assist increase EV manufacturing through the second half. For now, EVs are nonetheless in brief provide and are anticipated to be for the foreseeable future.
Most of the latest EVs – together with the Ford F-150 Lightning, GMC Hummer EV, Rivian R1T and Lucid Air – have backlogs of orders and reservations. Even Tesla, the trade chief in EV gross sales, stated some new orders will not be fulfilled till the summer time of subsequent 12 months, relying on the automobile mannequin.
Nonetheless, some EV fashions could be simpler to attain proper now, in line with trade knowledge compiled by CNBC from sources together with automakers, Cox Automotive and the Automotive Information Information Heart. They embrace a handful of fashions from General Motors, Ford, Hyundai Motor and Kia.
Automobile availability can change shortly and varies by area — these on the coasts could not wrestle as a lot to seek out an EV. Some autos may additionally be “in transit,” or on their option to sellers, and obtainable to order, relying on the corporate or vendor.
However given the tight provides and rising demand, analysts say individuals ought to count on to pay the producer’s prompt retail value, if no more. Pricing excludes any state or federal tax incentives that could be obtainable for purchasing an EV.
Here is the place availability stands for among the highest-inventory autos, and for among the main gamers:
Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV
The Bolt fashions are probably the most broadly obtainable EVs on sale proper now, in line with trade knowledge.
GM is within the midst of refilling its dealership pipeline with the EVs after a recall as a result of fireplace dangers shut down gross sales and manufacturing for a number of months of the previous 12 months. All obtainable fashions have been repaired and cleared of the defects, in line with GM, which expects record Bolt sales this year.
Chevrolet’s web site reveals hundreds of the autos – primarily Bolt EUVs – at the moment obtainable.
The Bolt EV begins at $31,500, with an electrical vary of as much as 259 miles on a full cost. The bigger Bolt EUV, which went on sale final 12 months, begins at $33,500 and has a variety of 247 miles on a full cost.
Ford Mustang Mach-E
Guests examine on a Ford Mustang Mach-E electrical automobile displayed at a launch occasion in Shanghai, China April 13, 2021.
Yilei Solar | Reuters
Ford stated there’s at the moment 1,300 electrical Mach-E crossovers on vendor tons, although about 800 of these autos have already been earmarked for particular prospects.
Ford has been encouraging prospects to order their autos by way of the sellers, as a substitute of shopping for off tons, like a majority of their prospects have traditionally carried out. The method means prospects could have to attend for the automobile, however it assists the corporate with managing manufacturing and ensures prospects are getting the precise automobile they need as a substitute of selecting one from a vendor’s stock.
There are a number of thousand Mach-Es in-transit, which needs to be arriving on vendor tons within the coming weeks and months, in line with the corporate.
Relying on the placement, the corporate’s web site signifies tons of of autos could be obtainable. It has closed orders for the automobile for the 2022 model-year. Orders for 2023 fashions will open in the summertime, with manufacturing anticipated to start within the fall.
The Mustang Mach-E begins at $43,895. Its vary on a single cost is as much as 314 miles.
Kia EV6 and Niro
The Kia EV6 on show on the New York Auto Present, April 13, 2022.
Scott Mlyn | CNBC
Kia has been rising its EV gross sales this 12 months, with almost 8,000 EV6 autos bought by way of April. For the Kia Niro, which incorporates an EV mannequin, gross sales have almost doubled.
Nationally, the corporate stated it has a listing, together with in transit, of greater than 1,000 items every of the EV6 and Niro EV. The EV6 fashions are extra broadly obtainable than the Niro EV, which is concentrated in California and different in style EV markets.
Kia outperformed most different automakers in new EV registrations within the U.S. for the primary quarter of this 12 months, trailing solely Tesla, in line with Automotive News, citing Experian knowledge.
Kia’s EV6 begins at $40,900, with a 310-mile electrical vary on a full cost. The Kia Niro EV, which was redesigned for the 2023 model, begins at $39,990 and has an electrical vary of 239 miles on a single cost.
Hyundai Ioniq 5
Hyundai Ioniq 5 on show on the New York Auto Present, April 13, 2022.
Scott Mlyn | CNBC
Hyundai is in ramp-up mode for its Ioniq 5, the model’s latest EV that went on sale late final 12 months.
The corporate is making an attempt to get as lots of the autos out to sellers as potential, however trade knowledge signifies there are solely tons of of the autos obtainable nationally. That is nonetheless greater than another EVs.
Within the New York Metropolis space, Hyundai’s web site reveals almost 200 autos obtainable inside 250 miles. In Santa Monica, California, the location reveals a pair dozen of the automobiles obtainable inside the identical distance.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 begins at $44,000, with an electrical vary of 303 miles on a single cost.
Lucid Air
Individuals take a look at drive Dream Version P and Dream Version R electrical autos on the Lucid Motors plant in Casa Grande, Arizona, September 28, 2021.
Caitlin O’Hara | Reuters
These hoping to purchase an EV from newer producers could face even longer waits.
Lucid Group started constructing the corporate’s first automobile, the Air luxurious sedan, at its Arizona manufacturing unit late final 12 months. Critiques have been optimistic and – regardless of the six-figure value tags on most variations of the sedan – Lucid stated earlier this month that it had over 30,000 reservations for the automobile.
However a lot of these patrons could have to attend a 12 months or extra to get their automobiles.
Lucid’s manufacturing unit could make about 34,000 autos a 12 months when it runs at full capability. However the firm has stated provide chain points will curb manufacturing to between 12,000 and 14,000 Airs this 12 months.
The Lucid Air begins at $77,400, with 406 miles of vary on a full cost. The highest-of-the-line Air Grand Touring presents vary of as much as 516 miles on a full cost, at a beginning value of $139,000.
Lucid has introduced plans to raise its prices as of June 1.
Rivian R1T and R1S
Rivian electrical pickup vehicles sit in a car parking zone at a Rivian service heart on Might 09, 2022 in South San Francisco, California.
Justin Sullivan | Getty Photos
It is a related story at Rivian, which additionally started manufacturing final fall.
The corporate stated this month it had greater than 90,000 reservations for its outdoorsy R1T pickup and R1S SUV. Its Illinois manufacturing unit has capability to construct about 150,000 autos a 12 months, together with the R1 fashions and the electrical supply vans that Rivian builds for Amazon.
However the firm can be dealing with provide chain challenges, in addition to some early manufacturing snags, and expects to construct simply 25,000 autos in 2022. An order positioned right this moment won’t be crammed for a 12 months or extra.
Rivian’s R1T pickup and R1S SUV supply about 260 miles of vary of their base trims, which begin at $67,500 and $72,500 respectively. Bigger battery packs that present extra vary — as much as 320 miles on the R1S and 400 miles on the R1T — can be found at further price.
Fisker Ocean
Henrik Fisker stands with the Fisker Ocean electrical automobile after it was unveiled on the Manhattan Seaside Pier forward of the Los Angeles Auto Present and AutoMobilityLA on November 16, 2021 in Manhattan Seaside, California.
Patrick T. Fallon | AFP | Getty Photos
Fisker, based mostly in California, had greater than 45,000 reservations for its Ocean electrical SUV as of its Might 4 earnings report, however does not count on to start out constructing the autos with its manufacturing accomplice Magna Steyr till mid-November.
CEO Henrik Fisker stated he is working with Magna Steyr and suppliers to extend manufacturing capability from 50,000 autos a 12 months to 150,000 autos a 12 months by the tip of 2024.
Even when the corporate escapes provide chain challenges, a buyer who orders an Ocean right this moment seemingly would not see it till the autumn of 2023 on the earliest.
Fisker’s Ocean SUV can journey about 250 miles on a full cost in its base trim, which begins at $37,499. Bigger battery packs providing as much as 350 miles of vary can be found at further price.