The Most Anticipated & Desired EVs around the World
Electric cars were once reserved for your stereotypical tree huggers. Putting up with range anxiety, long charging times, and quirky designs was worth it if it meant saving the planet! EVs were not welcomed with open arms by the mass market for many years.
But manufacturers invested heavily in EV technology - we soon saw new models springing up left, right, and centre, with longer ranges, shorter charging times, and more attractive designs.
Now electric cars are cool and accessible.
Here at Lease Fetcher, we were eager to see which currently available electric cars have proven most popular over 2022, and which ones everyone is looking forward to most in 2023 and beyond.
We looked at search volume data for electric cars across 172 countries. Read more to find out which models are most popular currently and which are most anticipated in the UK, USA, and globally.
The Tesla Roadster is the most anticipated EV model according to Google.
The most anticipated EV of 2023 is the Tesla Roadster - globally, it has been searched a whopping 6,960,000 times in 2022, an average of 580,000 times per month!
You might be thinking, “The Roadster isn’t a new car? I remember they shot it into space!” Technically, you’re correct, but this is a new Roadster! The Roadster was Tesla’s first-ever production car (2008-12), but they packed in production and focused on their new and improved S3XY range. Now the Roadster is making a glorious comeback.
It's also the 2nd most anticipated model in both the UK (360,000 yearly searches) and US (2,424,000), where only the Volkswagen ID Buzz and Tesla Cybertruck have generated more excitement respectively.
We don’t imagine it’ll be a model widely used amongst the general public, but the Tesla Cybertruck ranks as the second most anticipated car model on a global scale. It was searched 6,612,000 times.
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz, Apple Car, and the Hummer EV make up the remainder of the top 5 most anticipated model list.
The rest of the top 10 is composed of the Cadillac Lyriq, Polestar 3, Fisker Ocean, Mercedes EQE, and Hyundai Ioniq 6, in that order.
Top 10 Most Anticipated EVs by Global Search Volume
| Position | Model Name | AVG Monthly Searches | Yearly Searches | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tesla Roadster | 580,000 | 6,960,000 | 2023 |
| 2 | Tesla Cybertruck | 551,000 | 6,612,000 | 2023 |
| 3 | VW ID. Buzz | 367,000 | 4,404,000 | 2023 |
| 4 | Apple Car | 286,000 | 3,432,000 | 2025 |
| 5 | GMC Hummer EV | 200,000 | 2,400,000 | 2023 |
| 6 | Cadillac Lyriq | 175,000 | 2,100,000 | 2023 |
| 7 | Polestar 3 | 174,000 | 2,088,000 | 2023 |
| 8 | Fisker Ocean | 166,000 | 1,992,000 | 2023 |
| 9 | Mercedes EQE | 118,000 | 1,416,000 | 2023 |
| 10 | Hyundai Ioniq 6 | 75,000 | 900,000 | 2023 |
The most anticipated EV models in the UK & USA
The UK and US are both pumped for the release of the Roadster and the Cybertruck, but the top 10 results do differ quite dramatically.
For example, the UK is eagerly awaiting the release of the hotly anticipated VW ID. Buzz (3,048,000 yearly searches) which, on average, is searched a staggering 8x times more than the Tesla Roadster (360,000 yearly searches) in 2nd spot!
The UK is also looking forward to the eventual release of the Tesla Cybertruck (336,000 yearly searches), Apple Car (168,000 yearly searches) and the Polestar 3 (156,000 yearly searches).
And, despite being a concept car (for now), we thought we had to include the avatar-inspired Mercedes Vision AVTR to the list considering it is actually an EV! We recently saw the Vision AVTR in action at the premiere for the new Avatar movie which has probably played a part in the concept car placing 9th on the UK's most anticipated list!
In the US, the Tesla Cybertruck is still widely at the tips of fingertips (2,856,000 yealry searches), while the Hummer EV (1,908,000) and Cadillac Lyriq (1,752,000 yearly searches) also look set to be firm favourites once they hit the roads!
On the top 10 most searched models in the UK, but not in the US, are the Electric Range Rover, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Mercedes-Benz Vision AVTR, and the Lotus Eletre.
Conversely, on the top 10 most searched models in the US, but not in the UK, are the GMC Hummer EV, Cadillac Lyriq, Chevy Silverado EV, and Aptera.
Understandably, the UK are drawn more to European models, whereas the US favour American-born companies.
Top 10 Most Anticipated EVs by UK Search Volume
| Pos | Model Name | AVG Monthly Searches | Yearly Searches | Predicted Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VW ID. Buzz | 254,000 | 3,048,000 | 2023 |
| 2 | Tesla Roadster | 30,000 | 360,000 | 2023 |
| 3 | Tesla Cybertruck | 28,000 | 336,000 | 2023 |
| 4 | Apple Car | 14,000 | 168,000 | 2025 |
| 5 | Polestar 3 | 13,000 | 156,000 | 2023 |
| 6 | Electric Range Rover | 5,400 | 64,800 | 2024 |
| 7 | Hyundai Ioniq 6 | 4,800 | 57,600 | 2023 |
| 8 | Fisker Ocean | 4,400 | 52,800 | 2023 |
| 9 | Mercedes Vision AVTR | 4,000 | 48,000 | Concept |
| 10 | Lotus Eletre | 3,900 | 46,800 | 2023 |
Top 10 Most Anticipated EVs by US Search Volume
| Pos | Model Name | AVG Monthly Searches | Yearly Searches | Predicted Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tesla Cybertruck | 238,000 | 2,856,000 | 2023 |
| 2 | Tesla Roadster | 202,000 | 2,424,000 | 2023 |
| 3 | GMC Hummer EV | 159,000 | 1,908,000 | 2023 |
| 4 | Cadillac Lyriq | 146,000 | 1,752,000 | 2023 |
| 5 | Apple Car | 99,000 | 1,188,000 | 2025 |
| 6 | Fisker Ocean | 78,000 | 936,000 | 2023 |
| 7 | Chevrolet Silverado EV | 54,000 | 648,000 | 2023 |
| 8 | Aptera | 38,000 | 456,000 | 2023 |
| 9 | Polestar 3 | 27,000 | 324,000 | 2023 |
| 10 | VW ID. Buzz | 25,000 | 300,000 | 2023 |
The most anticipated EV models for every country in the world
From our research, it's safe to say that the Apple Car is hot on the heels of the Tesla Roadster as the world's most anticipated EV on a country-by-country basis.
The Tesla Roadster tops the search volume charts in 66 out of 172 countries, including Argentina, Egypt, France, Israel, New Zealand, Thailand, and more!
The most surprising result was the eagerness and excitement for the Apple Car. Although there's no concrete date on when production will start, the Apple Car tops the search volume charts in 50 out of 172 countries!
The Apple Car is the most anticipated EV in countries such as India, Jamaica, Morocco, Pakistan, South Korea and many more!
In 3rd spot is the Tesla Cybertruck. It is the most searched EV in 30 countries, such as Brazil, Canada, Iceland, Poland, Uruguay and Zambia!
The imminent delivery of the Polestar 3 has got Europe buzzing. It is most searched in 6 countries - all of which are in Europe - including Belgium, Finland, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Some countries prove a little more hipster in their top search choices. For example, Togo is very keen on the Cupra Tavascan and Liechtenstein is pumped for the BMW i5!
The Most Anticipated EV Model in Every Country
| Future Models | Number of Countries |
|---|---|
| Tesla Roadster | 66 |
| Apple Car | 50 |
| Tesla Cybertruck | 30 |
| Polestar 3 | 6 |
| GMC Hummer EV | 4 |
| Fisker Ocean | 3 |
| VW ID. Buzz | 3 |
| Acura ZDX | 2 |
| Lexus RZ | 2 |
| BMW i5 | 1 |
| Cupra Tavascan | 1 |
| Mercedes EQE | 1 |
| Mercedes EQXX | 1 |
| Vanderhall Brawley | 1 |
The Most Searched EVs for 2022
The following section takes a look at Google search volume data for all currently available EVs over the 2022 year period.
The Tesla Model 3 is still the hottest EV on the internet
What about cars that are already on the market? Globally, Tesla Model 3 takes the gold medal, with 25,200,000 yearly searches in 2022, averaging 2,100,000 per month.
It also takes the top spot in the UK (1,956,000 yearly searches), as well as, the USA (6,348,000 yearly searches).
The next favourite model globally is the 2022 What Car of the Year - the Kia EV6, with 16,440,000 yearly searches.
The rest of the top 5 is then made up of the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Porsche Taycan respectively.
After that, the Tesla Model X, Tesla Model S, Polestar 2, BMW i4, and Audi e-tron make up the rest of the top 10, in that order.
These results show that all 4 current Tesla models make the top 10 global search list for 2022.
Top 10 Most Desired EVs by Global Search Volume for 2022
| Position | Model Name | AVG Monthly Searches | Yearly Searches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tesla Model 3 | 2,100,000 | 25,200,000 |
| 2 | Kia EV6 | 1,370,000 | 16,440,000 |
| 3 | Tesla Model Y | 1,300,000 | 15,600,000 |
| 4 | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 1,110,000 | 13,320,000 |
| 5 | Porshce Taycan | 1,020,000 | 12,240,000 |
| 6 | Tesla Model X | 896,000 | 10,752,000 |
| 7 | Tesla Model S | 836,000 | 10,032,000 |
| 8 | Polestar 2 | 760,000 | 9,120,000 |
| 9 | BMW i4 | 679,000 | 8,148,000 |
| 10 | Audi e-tron | 650,000 | 7,800,000 |
The most desired EV models of 2022 in the UK and USA
The Tesla Model 3 was numero uno when it came to EV search volume for 2022 in the UK and the USA.
The UK also seem to love the award-winning Kia EV6. It received 1,380,000 searches in 2022 in the UK alone.
They are also drawn to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 (1,104,000 yearly searches), the Tesla Model Y (1,092,000), and Polestar 2 (1,068,000).
The USA are Tesla loyalists - the top two most popular model searches are both Tesla: the 3 (7,320,000), and Y (5,856,000).
US residents are also big fans of the Ford Mustang Mach-E (3,876,000), the Tesla Model X (3,492,000), as well as the Kia EV6 (3,468,000).
The Nissan Leaf, Skoda Enyaq and BMW iX appear on the UK’s top list, but not the US, and the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Tesla Model S and Rivian R1T appear on the US top list but not the UK.
Top 10 Most Desired Exisitng EVs by UK Search Volume for 2022
| Pos | Model Name | AVG Monthly Searches | Yearly Searches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tesla Model 3 | 142,000 | 1,704,000 |
| 2 | Kia EV6 | 115,000 | 1,380,000 |
| 3 | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 92,000 | 1,104,000 |
| 4 | Tesla Model Y | 91,000 | 1,092,000 |
| 5 | Polestar 2 | 89,000 | 1,068,000 |
| 6 | Porsche Taycan | 75,000 | 900,000 |
| 7 | Tesla Model X | 62,000 | 744,000 |
| 8 | Nissan Leaf | 54,000 | 648,000 |
| 9 | Skoda Enyaq | 50,000 | 600,000 |
| 10 | BMW iX | 48,000 | 576,000 |
Top 10 Most Desired Exisitng EVs by US Search Volume for 2022
| Pos | Model Name | AVG Monthly Searches | Yearly Searches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tesla Model 3 | 610,000 | 7,320,000 |
| 2 | Tesla Model Y | 488,000 | 5,856,000 |
| 3 | Ford Mustang Mach-E | 323,000 | 3,876,000 |
| 4 | Tesla Model X | 291,000 | 3,492,000 |
| 5 | Kia EV6 | 289,000 | 3,468,000 |
| 6 | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 263,000 | 3,156,000 |
| 7 | Tesla Model S | 242,000 | 2,904,000 |
| 8 | Porsche Taycan | 220,000 | 2,640,000 |
| 9 | Rivian R1T | 193,000 | 2,316,000 |
| 10 | Polestar 2 | 185,000 | 1,220,000 |
The most desired EV models in every country for 2022
Carrying on from where it left off in 2021, the Tesla Model 3 retains its position as the most searched-for EV on a country-by-country basis.
The Tesla Model 3 is over twice as popular as any other currently available EV and takes the top spot in 53 out of 172 countries, including Australia, France, Germany Singapore, and many more.
The closest challenger to the Model 3 is its older sibling - the Tesla Model X. It was the most searched EV in 25 out of 172 countries, including Albania, Botswana, Mongolia, Zimbabwe, and many more.
Breaking the Tesla chain, the Porsche Taycan sits in 3rd place. It takes the top spot in 15 out of 172 countries, including Brazil, Cyprus, Georgia, Malaysia, Turkey, and many more.
A special mention goes to both the Kia EV6 and the MG5. The Kia EV6 was the most searched EV in 11 countries whereas the MG5 takes the top spot in 9.
The Kia EV6 is most popular in countries such as Belgium, Denmark, Ecuador and Sweden, while the MG5 takes the gold medal in larger markets such as Egypt, Japan and Vietnam.
To our surprise, the Tesla Model Y was the most searched model in only 2 countries. We may add that one of these countries is Norway - a hugely influential nation in the progression of the EV revolution.
Again, there are some surprising entries on these top searched lists. Burundi, Colombia and Lebanon are fascinated by the Renault Twizy - it's window-less design is probably quite well suited to the warmer climate!
Whereas, Greece, Italy, Morocco, and Portugal have their eye on the toy-like Citroen Ami - probably the strangest EV on the market to date!
Croatia - alongside its geographical neighbours: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia - are loyal to the Rimac Nevera (makes sense as a Croatian manufacturer), and similarly, Romania is a fan of their home-grown Dacia Spring.
The Most Desired EV Model in Every Country for 2022
| Current Models | Number of Countries |
|---|---|
| Tesla Model 3 | 53 |
| Tesla Model X | 25 |
| Porsche Taycan | 15 |
| Kia EV6 | 11 |
| MG5 | 9 |
| Nissan Leaf | 9 |
| Tesla Model S | 7 |
| Citroen Ami | 5 |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 5 |
| Rimac Nevera | 5 |
| Audi e-tron | 3 |
| Polestar 2 | 3 |
| Renault Twizy | 3 |
| BMW i3 | 2 |
| Dacia Spring | 2 |
| Honda e | 2 |
| Mercedes EQS | 2 |
| MG ZS EV | 2 |
| Aiways U5 | 1 |
| Audi e-tron GT | 1 |
| BMW i4 | 1 |
| BMW iX | 1 |
| Jaguar I-Pace | 1 |
| Skoda Enyaq | 1 |
| Tata Nexon EV | 1 |
Conclusion
Tesla has such a domineering presence in the electric car industry that it’s no surprise that their models are amongst the most popular current models, and the most anticipated. For many, Tesla is synonymous with electric cars.
In terms of models available in 2022, the Tesla Model 3 has been a massive hit with EV buyers - it’s a powerful, environmentally-friendly model with an attractive body. It has been a welcome change for many EV buyers who were not drawn in by some of the quirkier EV designs by other manufacturers.
The sleek Kia EV6 has been a roaring success too, with Tesla’s Model Y, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 following.
Resurrecting and improving the Roadster is a savvy move for Tesla, and has created a lot of buzz amongst prospective EV buyers.
The Cybertruck was supposed to be released in 2021..then it was 2022, so we’re crossing our fingers to see its much-anticipated release in 2023.
We might still be swirling around in the Apple Car rumour mill, but that hasn't stopped the world from dreaming (searching) for an imminent announcement.
Will Apple eclipse Tesla for EV superiority in the coming years? From global search demand, it looks like Tesla might face some friendly competition in the near future.
Methodology
- We ran Google search data on Ahrefs for all current and future EV models (all BEVs).
- We used the search term 'manufacturer + model' on Ahrefs Keyword Explorer.
- We also ran Google search data for every country on Ahrefs using our respective lists of current and future EVs.
- The most searched cars in every country were determined by the car with the highest average monthly searches over 2022.
- Countries missing from the entire study include: American Samoa, Antigua, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Central African Republic, China, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Micronesia, Montserrat, Nauru, Niue, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, and Tonga.
- Access our Public Data Sources for specific country results.
- All data correct as of 16/12/2022
The Most Anticipated & Desired EVs around the World by Lease Fetcher is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
