It’s expected to be a difficult year for electric vehicles.
Federal tax credits ended months ago, US sales have cooled, and automakers are shelving models that lost billions.
But there’s a new guard of EVs priced at less than $50,000 right around the corner that could test that prediction.
Major automakers are launching or re-releasing roughly 30 EVs in the US this year, Business Insider found — and yes, there’s plenty of higher-priced luxury offerings in the lineup, from a high-powered Ferrari to Jaguar’s controversial new coupe.
But 10 of those new or refreshed EVs start below $50,000 — the average price of a new vehicle in the US in December.
“The price for EVs has been too high,” Kevin Roberts, CarGurus’ director of market intelligence, told Business Insider. “As you see more practically-priced EVs, that’s where you’ll see growth in demand.”
These more affordable vehicles will test if lower prices are enough to convince Americans to jump on the EV bandwagon, or whether the market will continue to fizzle.
Slate Truck — mid-$20,000s, expected late 2026
Slate is selling a stripped-down modular car that owners can design for themselves. It’s like if IKEA got into the car business.
The car company is entering the market with a deliberately bare-bones truck: we’re talking two cloth seats, no infotainment system, no speakers, crank windows, and only enough juice in the battery for 150 miles of range.
From there, buyers can add an extra row of seats, an SUV-style bed cover, or brightly colored exterior decals to cover up the slate gray exterior.
Expected to start in the mid-$20,000s, the Jeff Bezos-backed startup is pitching minimalism as an alternative to the expensive, feature-stuffed EV market.
Kia EV3 — $35,000, expected early 2026
Kia already sells a broad lineup of electric vehicles globally, but only a small handful have reached the US so far. The EV3, expected to arrive in early 2026, has already been on sale in Europe and Asia for nearly two years.
It could be the company’s most important American addition yet.
Roughly the size of a Toyota RAV4, the EV3 blends the sporty proportions of the EV6 with the boxy, upright design language of the three-row EV9.
Pricing will start around $35,000, and the five-seater is expected to cover roughly 300 miles with a full battery.
Rivian R2 — $45,000, expected early 2026
Rivian faces a critical 2026, and the lower-cost R2 is at the center of its bet.
Since 2022, the startup has introduced itself through the high-end R1S — a powerful, three-row SUV with a starting price north of $70,000.
The R2 is meant to pull Rivian into the mass market.
Like Kia’s EV3, R2 promises roughly 300 miles of range and seating for five, putting it squarely in RAV4 territory. But, unlike the Kia, its outdoorsy, gear-forward aesthetic targets a different buyer: more REI than retro-modern.
Whether that identity can drive real sales — despite Rivian’s $10,000 premium compared to other cars on this list — is the question hanging over the R2.
Toyota C-HR — $35,000, expected early 2026
Toyota’s next EV comes with a familiar name.
From 2018 to 2022, the automaker sold the C-HR as a small, angular gas-powered SUV in the US — before pulling it after weak sales.
Now the nameplate is back, reimagined as an electric vehicle.
Arriving in 2026, the electric C-HR is a five-seat SUV expected to deliver about 290 miles of range.
It will become Toyota’s second EV in the US, following the bZ4X — recently renamed the bZ — which has quietly emerged as a surprise hit in the EV market.
But, like the other cars on this list, the lower price could make the C-HR the mass-market play.
Subaru Uncharted — $35,000, expected early 2026
Look familiar?
Since 2019, Toyota and Subaru have been locked in a joint development contract for all EVs. When Toyota’s bZ4X launched in mid-2022, so did the nearly-identical Subaru Solterra.
The EV equivalent of twinning continues with the Uncharted. It’s essentially the same as the Toyota CH-R, but with Subaru badging.
Pricing, range, and seating are all the identical, too: $35,000, 290 miles, room for five butts.
Subaru Trailseeker — $40,000, expected early 2026
Subaru’s Trailseeker looks like a throwback.
The company has been building all-wheel-drive wagons for the US market since the mid-1970s. That tradition continues with the Trailseeker in 2026: but now, it’s powered by electricity, not gas.
Priced in the low-$40,000s, it’s slotted above the Uncharted, and still has seating for five.
But the athletic numbers show off the Trailseeker’s improvements.
The Trailseeker’s battery makes 375 horsepower, jolting the car from standing to 60 mph in just over four seconds — that’s nearly a second quicker than the lower-priced Subaru.
Toyota bZ Woodland — $40,000, expected early 2026
Does this also look familiar?
Like the Uncharted and the C-HR, Toyota’s bZ Woodland comes out of the company’s joint venture with Subaru.
The new EV is nearly identical in size, price, and capability to Subaru’s wagon-like Trailseeker.
The differences are subtle: a Toyota-specific front design, and a badge that lacks Subaru’s long history selling wagons in the US. Whether that matters to buyers remains the car’s main question.
Nissan Leaf — $30,000, already available
When the Nissan Leaf launched in the US in December 2010, it was a breakthrough as the first modern, mass-market electric vehicle sold nationwide.
But the Leaf aged quickly. In 2020, Tesla introduced the Model Y, a similarly priced electric crossover with far more range. Leaf sales collapsed as the EV market moved on.
Now, Nissan is giving the Leaf a long-overdue reset. For around $30,000, the redesigned 2026 Leaf returns as a fast-charging, five-seat electric SUV with an estimated 300 miles of range — finally aligning the once-pioneering nameplate with today’s EV expectations.
Chevy Bolt — $30,000, expected mid-2026
Like the Leaf, Chevy is also returning the once-iconic Bolt in 2026.
For years, the Bolt was America’s entry-level EV. Drivers were able to nab the five-seater for as little as $30,000. But, it was discontinued in 2023.
Now, the diminutive, low-priced SUV is expected to relaunch in Chevy showrooms this summer. It looks nearly identical to its outgoing version, but comes with an upgraded battery that can propel the car for 260 miles.
Lucid crossover — high-$40,000s, expected late 2026
Like Rivian, Lucid has also rushed onto the scene with two luxury-priced cars — the high-end Air sedan and lofty Gravity SUV.
This year, it’s expected to release its first mass-market vehicle: likely a five-seater crossover SUV with a base price in the high $40,000s.
Details remain sparse. But Lucid released the image above with the rumored car’s silhouette darkened out. It’s also trademarked the name “Earth” for a potential upcoming vehicle.
Read the original article on Business Insider
The post 10 new EVs priced below $50,000 that launch this year appeared first on Business Insider.
