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Tesla sells the most electric vehicles in most places that it operates. But if you don’t think it sells the best EVs, here are some alternative models that you could choose instead.
Tesla doesn’t have as big a lead over its competitors as it once did. Although its EVs are still among the best, competing automakers have caught up and have even surpassed Tesla in some areas.
Buying the best EV isn’t as simple as just loading up the Tesla site and ordering one anymore. You have to research and compare the Tesla model you’re looking at with its main rivals, which are increasing in numbers. We’ve lined up the main rivals for each Tesla model and highlighted their pros and cons to help you make the best car-buying decision.
The Tesla Model 3 is still the go-to EV if you want a compact electric sedan that does everything well and is affordable. There are several versions to choose from, starting with the $38,990 base rear-wheel model, which has 272 miles of EPA range and a 0 to 60 mph sprint time of 5.8 seconds. The top $54,990 Performance model has 303 miles of range and an acceleration time to 60 mph of 2.9 seconds. The longest-range model is the $42,290 Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive variant, which has 363 miles of range.
The only Model 3 rival that is not a bespoke EV, meaning it’s built on a combustion car platform, yet is good enough to challenge the Tesla is the BMW i4. The base single-motor i4 eDrive 35 costs $52,200; it has the same sprint time as the base Model 3 and a range of up to 276 miles if you stick to the smallest available wheels. The longest-range model is the dual-motor $61,600 i4 xDrive 40, with a claimed EPA range of up to 307 miles and an acceleration time of 4.9 seconds.
If you’re after all-out performance, BMW offers the $69,700 i4 M50 with 536 horsepower and a sprint time to 60 mph of 3.7 seconds. We’ve tried several versions of the i4 over the years, and it’s definitely a competent EV that looks great and is well-built. However, it’s also pretty heavy and not as effortless to thread around a twisty road as the much lighter and more nimble Model 3.
Hyundai went all-out on aerodynamics with the Ioniq 6, which is why it looks like a pebble—a design that seems to split opinions. Under its streamlined body sits the E-GMP platform that underpins most electric Hyundais and Kias. This platform runs on 800 volts, helping the car be efficient and charge quickly, with an average of about 200 kilowatts when hooked up to a sufficiently powerful charger.
The Ioniq 6 starts at $37,500, and for that, you get 240 miles of range from its 53-kilowatt-hour battery and just 150 horsepower from a single rear-mounted electric motor, enough for 0 to 60 mph in around 8.5 seconds. If you want slightly more power and the most range, the $42,450 SE variant with 225 hp and a larger 77.4 kWh battery gives you 361 miles and much quicker acceleration. Adding a second motor for all-wheel drive bumps the price up by $3,500 and the power to 320 hp while the range drops to 316 miles.
An even spicier Ioniq 6 N is also in the works.
The Polestar 2 is one of the original Model 3 rivals launched back in 2020. However, while the 2024 model-year vehicle may look almost identical, a lot has been done under the skin. Lease deals on the Polestar 2 were outstanding for a long time and used ones are even better.
The Polestar 2 got several significant upgrades for 2024. Those included upgraded motors, batteries and charging speeds and a switch from front- to rear-wheel-drive for the base models for additional performance. The Polestar 2 family has varied between about 250 miles of range to up to 320, depending on configuration.
However, the model got some big changes for 2025 as Polestar focuses more on the Polestar 3 crossover and upcoming Polestar 4 crossover-coupe. The 2025 Polestar 2 now starts at $64,800, or $66,200 including destination fees, and the only available model is the Long Range, Dual Motor version with the Performance Pack. That does get you 476 horsepower and 546 lb-ft of torque, max range of 254 miles, a zero to 60 mph time of four seconds flat, charging speeds up to 205 kW and a bunch of included options like Pilot Assist, the panoramic roof, a heat pump with heated seats and steering wheel, and more.
Tesla's most powerful weapon to fight off declining sales is the new-for-2025 Model Y "Juniper" update. It's not an entirely new car, but a series of upgrades to the Model Y to make it more efficient, more comfortable, faster and with better overall range. More improvements may soon be coming to its automated driving capabilities as well.
As it was in its first iteration, the Model Y seems to be the perfect vehicle for today’s car buyers. It’s a practical and roomy crossover, looks like a sporty coupe-like fastback, and has lots of performance and range. It wasn’t an accident that it became 2023’s global best-seller, surpassing even the ubiquitous combustion-engined Toyota RAV4.
The new Model Y will begin deliveries in the U.S. in March. It kicks off with the Long-Range All-Wheel-Drive model at $59,990, an estimated 320 miles of range and a zero to 60 mph time of just 4.1 seconds. Less expensive variants, including Rear-Wheel-Drive ones, are expected soon.
Orders are still available for the previous-generation Model Y as well. That has a starting price of $44,990 for the Long-Range Rear-Wheel Drive variant that goes 337 miles on one charge and sprints to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. The $47,990 all-wheel-drive Long-Range Dual Motor lowers the range to 311 miles but adds more power and drops the acceleration time to 4.8 seconds. The Model Y Performance costs $51,490 and sacrifices some range (277 miles EPA) in favor of a 3.5-second time to 60 mph.
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT
Built on the same E-GMP platform as the Ioniq 6, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is one of the most popular Model Y alternatives. The base $41,800 Standard Range model has 168 hp and 220 miles of range, which isn’t much, so you have to get the versions with the larger battery pack to drive further on one charge.
The least you’ll pay for one is $45,850, and you’ll get 225 hp and 303 EPA miles of range. Adding a second costs $3,500 extra and ups the power to 320 hp but lowers the range to 260 miles. There’s also the bonkers range-topping $66,100 Ioniq 5 N, which allows you to shift fake gears and listen to a simulated engine, but it’s also blistering in a straight line and fun around the bends (and a track).
For 2025, the Ioniq 5 gets major upgrades, including a native Tesla-style NACS plug from the factory and inherent access to the Tesla Supercharger fast-charging stations. It also gets an XRT off-road trim, pictured above, and may qualify for EV tax credits as it is now made in the United States.
Although the Kia EV6 shares mechanical similarities with the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6, it boasts a unique appearance akin to a futuristic rally car on stilts. It provides a more dynamic driving experience compared to its Hyundai counterparts. The base model costs under $43,000 and has a 58 kWh battery with 232 miles of range.
You will have to pay at least $45,590 to get the larger 77.4 kWh battery pack, which gives you 310 miles and ups the power from 168 hp to 225 hp. The $49,850 Long Range AWD model adds a second motor on the front axle for 320 hp combined, but the range drops to 282 miles. The hot 576-hp EV6 GT costs $61,600, and it can accelerate to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, but it’s also the lowest-range model, with 206 miles on one charge.
Ford makes one of the more fun-to-drive electric crossovers, the Mustang Mach-E. It might not look like it, but it handles well (to the detriment of ride quality), providing some justification for using the Mustang nameplate. It also has a great interior with lots of space and decent range.
The Mach-E range kicks off at $41,995; you get 250 miles of range and 267 horsepower from a single rear-mounted electric motor. Upgrade to the Extended Range battery pack for $45,990; the range goes up to 320 miles. The drive unit gets more power to compensate for the heavier battery and still delivers a similar 6.1-second benchmark sprint time. At the top of the Mach-E range sits the $60,900 Rally model, which gets more power and allows you to have fun sliding around a dirt road.
After our first drive, we liked the Chevrolet Equinox EV a lot. We liked its breadth of capabilities and how normal it felt to drive. With a starting price of $34,995, it’s also pretty affordable, and you get a lot of car for the money. The range is pretty impressive, too.
The base front-wheel-drive model is rated up to 319 miles on a single charge, and if you go for all-wheel drive, that drops to 285 miles. The dual-motor 2LT Equinox EV, the pick of the range, will cost $43,295. The price goes up to $46,795 for the top 3RS variant.
Polestar wants to make a splash with the Polestar 4 crossover. Its coupe-like rear end resembles the Model Y and Mach-E in terms of body style, but it’s unusual in not having a rear window. For $54,900, you get the base single-motor long-range model, which has 272 hp and 300 miles of EPA range.
Opting for all-wheel drive will drive the price to $62,900 and double the power to 544 hp. The acceleration time to 60 mph drops from 6.9 seconds to 3.7 seconds, but so does the range, which is 30 miles lower than in the single-motor variant.
The Model S is the original series production Tesla, one of the game-changing electric vehicles that played a big part in accelerating EV adoption. The Model S you can buy today is a heavily updated version of the car launched back in 2012, which means it doesn’t look quite as sharp and futuristic as some of its rivals, which are quicker and offer superior range.
BMW makes both combustion and electric versions of its 5 Series sedan. The latter is called the i5 (also available in Europe as the i5 Touring wagon), and it’s the ideal electric sedan to get if you don’t want to stand out and shout about choosing an EV.
The base $67,100 i5 eDrive40 has a single rear electric motor that makes 335 hp, sprints to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, and can drive up to 295 miles. Opt for the $70,100 i5 xDrive40 with all-wheel drive, and you’ll get 389 hp (0 to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds) and 266 miles of range. The $84,100 i5 M60 range-topper packs 593 hp and can reach sixty from a standstill in 3.7 seconds, similar to an M4 Competition.
2025 Audi A6 E-Tron
Long delayed over software issues, Audi's second-ever electric sedan finally hits the market in 2025. The A6 E-Tron (which is unrelated mechanically to the gasoline-powered A6 models) arrives with a 94.4-kWh battery pack that's expected to deliver an EPA range of 370 miles. This is not a replacement for the high-performance Audi E-Tron GT but a new member of the family at a slightly lower price point, although with up to 456 hp in dual-motor spec, it should be no slouch either. Pricing is expected to start around $80,000 when it goes on sale in the U.S. in spring or summer 2025; it is currently on sale in Europe.
Lucid makes the most efficient and longest-range premium electric sedans thanks to its proprietary 900-volt platform. The Air is not only comfortable and roomy inside, but it’s really good fun around a twisty road, with plenty of handling balance and precise steering that allows you to place the car very accurately.
The range kicks off with the single-motor $71,400 Air Pure, which was so good that we called it the pick of the range in a recent review. The 411 miles of range you can get out of its 88 kWh battery pack highlights just how efficient this car is, and its 4.5-second 0 to 60 mph sprint time is also excellent for a base variant.
If you want the big 118-kWh battery, you can get it in the Grand Touring model, which costs $111,400 but will take you 516 miles on one charge. The Air Sapphire top-performance model is ridiculously expensive at $250,500. Still, it is one of the quickest-accelerating cars on the planet thanks to the combined power of three electric motors.
Before the Air and i5 came along, the Taycan (also available as the Taycan Sport Turismo and Taycan Cross Turismo) was the only strong alternative to the Model S. However, it couldn’t match the Plaid version’s straight-line acceleration. After the recent refresh, though, Porsche has upped its power considerably, and the Taycan also has more range than ever and even better handling.
The Taycan has the highest starting price out of all the sedans here, $99,400. You get 274 miles of range, 402 hp from a single rear motor that pushes the car to sixty in 4.5 seconds, and the lightest and most nimble Taycan variant. The 4S adds a front motor for 536 hp and 3.5 seconds to 60 mph, but the range drops to 252 miles.
With the $3,160 Performance Battery Plus option, you can increase the range to 318 miles in the single-motor Taycan or 295 miles in the 4S. If all-out performance is your priority, the $173,600 Taycan Turbo and $209,000 Turbo S offer 871 and 938 hp, enough for 2.5—and 2.3-second acceleration times to 60 mph, respectively. They get the larger battery as standard and provide 292 and 266 miles, respectively.
The pinnacle performance model is the $230,000 Taycan Turbo GT with the Weissach package, which sacrifices the rear seat in favor of maximum track performance. It reaches sixty from a standstill in 2.1 seconds thanks to 1,019 hp from its two motors, and it’s the only variant that can reach 190 mph flat out.
Mercedes took a gamble when it made all its bespoke EVs look nothing like its combustion cars in the quest for aerodynamic efficiency and maximizing interior space. That's why you may hear some people call the EQS sedan "egg-shaped." It may not be the prettiest sedan, but it's far from being a bad luxury EV, with a futuristic interior and plenty of range from its big battery pack.
The changes brought by the mid-lifecycle refresh make it look better than before. The refreshed model's net battery capacity is 118 kWh (up from 108.4 kWh), which should increase its EPA range over what it can currently do, which is between 305 and 352 miles. It could inch very close to 400 miles.
The 355 hp single-motor rear-wheel drive EQS 450+, the longest-range model, will cost you $104,400 while the range-topping EQS AMG model retails for $147,550. It has 649 hp (and up to 751 hp temporarily with a boost function) and it can accelerate to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds.
