Congratulations Kansas City Chiefs! The Superbowl is a full day of entertainment. There’s the Puppy Bowl, pre-game show, the actual football game, the Halftime Show, the award ceremony, and, of course, the commercials.
While the focus is on the sport itself, the Superbowl is also one of the biggest marketing events of the year. Millions of people watch the Superbowl, but not just because of the big game. The commercials are actually worth watching during the Superbowl. Marketers put together their funniest, most dramatic, or latest product on display for the world to see all together.
Recently, there have been not just regular cars debuted during the commercials, but electric cars. It appears auto manufacturers are allocating their greatest marketing resources to showoff their future. And it happens to be electric.
Here are the latest electric vehicles in Superbowl commercials:
1. Audi E-tron GT – Superbowl LIII (2019)
The one that started it all–the Audi E-tron GT. The Audi E-tron GT is the third E-tron from Audi electric series alongside the E-tron 55 (SUV), and the E-tron Sportsback. This one, in particular, is the Tesla Model S competitor. The range is approximately 250 miles and 0-60 time is 3.5 seconds.
Audi claims the E-tron GT can charge up to 350 kW on DC Fast Charging (DCFC). That is insanely fast! To put it in clear words, a 10-80% DCFC session would take less than 20 minutes at those speeds.
It is believed the E-tron GT will go on sale in 2021 and starting cost will be in the $80,000 to $90,000 range.
2. Porsche Taycan – Superbowl LIV (2020)
Second, Porsche has been working on this roadster for several years. Originally codenamed “Mission E”, the Taycan, like all other Porsche vehicles, is very, very fast. With a 0-60 time of just 2.4 seconds, this car will send you to the back of your seat.
The range is estimated to be right at 200 miles. That may seem low to other recent EVs, however, the greatest strength of the Tacycan besides its speed, but this time I mean charging speed. The Taycan can charge up to 270 kW while DCFC.
Like what Audi did with the E-tron series, Porsche is attempting to compete with Tesla. For example, the Tesla Model S can charge beyond 200 kW while DCFC. This means the Porsche, Audi, and Tesla can replenish lots of range in a short amount of time while at a public DCFC station.
The Taycan is expected to be released in 2020 with a starting cost of $103,800.
3. GMC Hummer EV – Superbowl LIV (2020)
Lastly, the Hummer is back! But this time it’s electric. As previewed in my Nine Electric Trucks by 2023 article, GM promises big things with their new electric-dedicated platform the BEV3. GM promised 20 EVs by 2023. Check out a previous article where I detailed GM’s electric vehicle plans for further details. While some are going to China, the GMC Electric Hummer is absolutely bound for U.S. soil.
A debut is set for May 20th, 2020, however, here are the latest specs:
- Up to 1,000 horsepower
- Up to 11,500 ft. lb. torque
- 0-60 in 3 seconds
4. Audi E-tron Sportsback – Superbowl LIV (2020)
Audi makes this list twice with the E-tron Sportsback. As previously mentioned, the E-tron Sportsback is part of the a series of all-electric cars such as the E-tron (SUV) and GT (roadster).
Official EPA range is not released yet, however, expect slightly better results than the larger E-tron, which is rated at 204 miles. DC Fast Charging will at a maximum of 150 kW, so expect a relatively quick DCFC similar to most Teslas.
The E-tron Sportsback will hit the market mid-2020 and will start around $75,000 before the $7,500 federal tax credit.
5. Ford Mustang Mach-E – Superbowl LIV (2020)
Ford has decided to use its most iconic name for its first real attempt at making an electric car. Shown only in select markets in the U.S., the Ford Mustang Mach-E commercial with actor Idris Elba was shown during the end of the Superbowl.
The Mustang Mach-E is set to compete head to head with the Tesla Model Y. With several trims, the Mustang Mach-E offers 230-300 miles of range, 150 kW DCFC, and pricing starting at $43,895 before the federal tax credit.
Ford’s electric vehicle future doesn’t stop here. Ford has invested $500 million with EV startup Rivian, who will provide a platform that will be used for future Ford models, such as the all-electric Lincoln SUV.
Closing Thoughts:
As you may hear in the news, each year is becoming more and more electric. Automakers are slowly shifting their marketing and investments towards the development of EVs. If this trend continues, we may see the debut of a couple of electric cars every Superbowl.
In the early days of EVs, there were only a handful of new models. This year, there will be over 10! In fact, I wrote an article detailing what I believe are to be the Top 8 New Electric Vehicles in 2020.
With so many electric vehicles on the market today and more on the way, it is prudent to reference a complete list of all the electric vehicles (both BEVs and PHEVs) on sale. I am currently working on that comprehensive list for easy research. I hope to have it completed by the end of February. Stay tuned.
Stay charged!
Recommended Reading:
Hi there! I’m the founder and project manager at Charged Future: the EV charging consultancy. Charged Future helps businesses achieve their EV charging goals. Specifically, I serve as the project manager for your EV charging project, which can save you both time and money! Additionally, I can search and apply to all eligible rebate applications, which can typically cover a large portion of the project cost.
